Monday, August 8, 2022

HS Basketball c/o 2026: 9th Grade Freshmen Watchlist SF's

Prospect-Central - Class of 2026 - Small Forwards

Written by: Prospect-Central

It really is true what they say about time; ⏰ it flies by and waits for no man. That certainly is the case when it comes to high school freshmen watchlist's. Every year we get older and every year they stay the same age. It was actually 10-years ago when Prospect-Central released its first high school basketball freshmen watchlist and it's safe to say some of the players have lived up to the hype.

It was for the Class of 2016 and it made up half of the 2017 NBA Draft's Lottery selections, including 4 of the top 5 picks! 👀 Here are just a few of the recognizable 9th grade names that were featured at the time; Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, De'Aaron Fox, Lonzo Ball, Malik Monk, Josh Jackson, Dennis Smith, Jr., Harry Giles, Thon Maker, Payton Pritchard, Terrance Ferguson, & Caleb Swanigan (RIP).

Now just as those players were beginning to embark on their high school basketball journey, c/o 2026 recruits were turning 4 & 5-years old. 😳 Fast forward to the present day however, and you'll find those same little kids, aren't so little anymore. It's their time to shine now and from the looks of it, they seem more than capable of capturing the moment.

A.J. Dybantsa: (MA) Class of 2026
Another thing people say about time; it changes everything. So while most of these Class of 2026 recruits should go on to play college basketball and some of them will even play in the NBA one day, nothing is guaranteed in life, as time always finds a way of altering one's plans in one way or another. That's definitely case when it comes to HS freshmen.

For example, by the time they graduate high school some of these recruits will have reclassified both up and down a grade, some will have quit basketball to pursue other sports (most likely football), and some of them will have even ended their athletic dreams altogether to focus on other passions, like dancing on Tik Tok perhaps :) 🤦🏽‍♂️

Then again, for the players that end up becoming the cream of the crop, they're about to stack more bread than most of us will see in a lifetime. From NIL (name, image, likeness) money to $100K 💵 contracts from Overtime Elite, the landscape of high school basketball is big business for the players now, which is yet another thing that has changed over time. I can only imagine what everything will look like in another 4-years once these recruits have ended their high school careers come 2026.

Last but not least time changes a person's body, especially the bodies of 14 & 15-year old's. So while these recruits are labeled a certain position, it's more for organizational purposes than anything else, considering some of them will change positions as time goes by and they continue to grow into their frames. As you'll find out later, genes 🧬 work in mysterious ways and play a predominant role in the life of a basketball player. There are over 500 incoming high school freshmen selected for Prospect-Central’s c/o 2026 Watchlist, separated into four positional sections, with 10 players featured for each section, 20 honorable mentions, & the rest are names to keep an eye on for the future. 👀

Stacking up with its predecessor's, Class of 2026 definitely has some legit prospects for the next level, but as of right now it appears to be an average class with no generational talent. Of course nothing is set in stone as more players should emerge throughout the years. For the incoming high school freshmen featured in this article however, time is of the essence. High school may seem like it lasts an eternity, but in reality it’s just a blur and the clock is about to start ticking. So, how good can the Class of 2026 become once it's all said and done? Clearly only time will tell. ⏳

* c/o 2026 SF's; alphabetical order: PG / SG / PF/C's

Alexander Constanza
sf / 6'8'' 190 / Florida
WTF is happening in the Sunshine state?!?! 😳 To say the Class of 2026 is loaded with elite recruits coming out of Florida would be a severe understatement. In just this section of PC's Freshmen Watchlist (SF's) alone, there are 4 recruits about to be featured and 4 honorable mentions all from the state of Florida. We've always known Florida (along w/ California & Texas) to be a top 3 state when it came to producing elite high school football recruits; and while they've always been one of the better states for basketball as well, over the past decade or so, you can really make an argument that Florida has become the No. 1 state when it comes to producing the best high school basketball players in the country. And judging by how the c/o 2026 is starting to shape out, it doesn't look like it's about to be slowing down anytime soon. Originally from the c/o 2025, the Dominican 🇩🇴 native of Florida, Alexander Constanza, is hands down one of the top rising 9th graders in the country regardless if he reclassified or not. If you ever had to guard him however, you'd probably call him Alexander "Cantstandya", 🙄 because the rising HS freshman's offensive repertoire would definitely get the best of you.

He's ridiculously long, supremely skilled, and absolutely oozing with potential. An athletic, crafty, emerging playmaker, Constanza handles the rock like a guard despite having the size of a big. Extremely fluid with his movement and excellent in transition, it feels like he almost glides up and down the court with the simplest of ease. Capable of taking it to the rack with authority, hitting jumpers off the bounce from a variety of angles, or nailing finesse step back 3's with range, Constanza's shot is pure and his game is quite polished with room to grow still. He's been killing it on the AAU circuit with South Florida's premier travel team SOH Elite and he's headed to Westminster Academy in Miami (FL) for his freshman year of HS. Actually played HS ball last season as an 8th grader for Mater Academy Charter in Hialeah Gardens (FL). In his 18 games played, Constanza put up some pretty impressive numbers; 14 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 apg, 1.5 spg, and 1.5 bpg, all while shooting a blistering 45% from 3-pt range. Received first scholarship offer from Creighton back in June and obviously there should be many more to come. 📬
A.J. Dybantsa
sf / 6'8'' 190 / Massachusetts
Referred to as "The City of Champions",🏆 Brockton, Massachusetts has been home to many significant sports figures throughout the years. Some notable names representing the (508); the only undefeated heavyweight boxing champion in history, Rocky Marciano (49-0 w/ 43 KO), boxing HOF legend 'Marvelous' Marvin Hagler, and last but not least, "just win baby" himself, former Oakland Raiders 🏴‍☠️ owner Al Davis. So, it's quite fitting that the consensus No. 1 rising HS freshman basketball player in the Class of 2026, Anicet 'A.J.' Dybantsa, Jr., calls Brockton, Massachusetts and the (508) home as well. Originally from the Class of 2025, the 6-foot-8 A.J. Dybantsa is simply too big, too strong, too skilled, and too athletic at this stage in his development, for anyone else in his class to seriously contend for the top spot, at least at the moment anyways. The 15-year old Dybantsa (turns 16 January 29th), already has all the physical tools in the world needed to play the game at the highest level, but the scary thing is he might not even be done growing yet. He was 6'2'' in January of 2020, a year later he was 6'5'', and now on the verge of entering his freshman year of high school, A.J. Dybantsa is pushing 6-foot-8 with room to spare. Basketball just like life, is a game of inches. The more you have, the better your chances are for success. Of course, it's always easier said than done. 🤷🏼‍♂️

If A.J. Dybantsa could somehow reach the 6-foot-10 benchmark within the next few years, while at the same time keeping his ball handling skills, jump shot, quick-twitch athleticism, and overall feel for the game intact, then he could very easily go from being an elite prospect to a generational talent. 👀 
Let's not count our chickens before they hatch just yet. For the time being he's been dominating on the AAU circuit with the powerhouse program Expressions Elite, making sure to pay homage to the Elite’s former star player and his personal mentor, Terrence Clarke (2001-21) 😢 every step of the way. He was putting in work playing varsity ball last season as an 8th grader for St. Sebastian's School (MA), averaging 19 ppg, 8 rpg, and 2 apg. As of right now he has zero scholarship offers, which is kind of ridiculous, but maybe coaches just assume he'll go the Overtime Elite route if/when presented with the opportunity. Numbers don't lie though. Every year roughly 540,000 kids participate in HS basketball, of which roughly 3.4% will go on to play college ball; and when it comes to playing at the highest level, only 1.2% will be drafted into the NBA. A.J. Dybantsa is indeed a one-percenter, you can take that to the bank. 💯 Depending on if he reclassifies back to his original class or not, look for the pride of Brockton, Mass to make his way into NBA mock draft's come 2026 or 2027. That's obviously a ways away, but I'm sure Danny Ainge, Sam Presti, Daryl Morey, and a slew of other NBA GM's are already marking it down in their calendar's, stockpiling future draft capital, and waiting patiently for the day the dynamic A.J. Dybantsa is finally league bound.
Brayden Fogle
sf / 6'6'' 190 / Ohio
When evaluating talented middle school basketball players who are physically more developed than their peers, it can be difficult at times to judge just how good they are. Since their competition can literally be half their size, it can often give the feeling of a bull in a china shop when watching them hoop. Incoming HS freshman Brayden Fogle is definitely strong as a bull, 🐂 but the rising 9th grader has so many more dimensions to his game than brute strength. Currently a top 3 recruit in Ohio for the Class of 2026, Fogle is a legit prospect for the next level and despite his impressive size, he has never reclassified and is the appropriate age for his grade. He's shown steady physical growth throughout the years, so he might have a few more inches in him as well. He was a 5'8" 5th grader back in 2019; 6'0" 6th grader in 2020; 6'3" 7th grader in 2021, and now pushing 6-foot-6 on the precipice of entering high school, Brayden Fogle has a chance to be a special player if he continues putting in the work. He's a strong athletic wing, with tight handles, excellent footwork, solid vision, and can play above the rim with the best of them. Has a nice inside-out game and is a mismatch waiting to happen. He's a force down low, beast on the boards, and a capable defender due to his quick feet and strong build. He's also beginning to develop a consistent jumper off the bounce, which should really make his game pop. Seems like a really smart kid as well, with an excellent work ethic and very mature for his age. 

Brayden also plays football and depending on his appetite for physical contact, I could see him becoming a big-time recruit at the tight end position if he decides to go that route (no pun intended 😀). He's been double-dipping on the AAU circuit with Adidas' Wildcat Select & Nike's All-Ohio Sumner and he literally never lost a game playing middle school basketball for his rec team. Last month Fogle also helped lead All-Ohio Sumner in winning the MadeHoops 8th Grade Finale Championship in Augusta, Georgia, which is definitely a big-time accolade. He's headed to Lexington High School (OH) for his freshman year and should become the best player in that programs history since 6-foot-9 Jamie Feick, who was a second round pick in the 1996 NBA draft. Received his first scholarship offer from Youngstown State back in April and his second offer from Radford University in May. Another nice player from c/o 2026 coming out of the Buckeye State, Brayden Fogle should be one to watch over the next 4-years of high school hoops. * Side Note: This Watchlist has taken a while to put together and Brayden Fogle's section was actually written over a month before being published. Subsequently, I've come back to edit his section as he just added 4 more scholarship offers in one day (lol). Arizona State, IUPUI, Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Jackson State all have entered the Brayden Fogle sweepstakes. My 💰 on Texas Rio! 😂
Jordan Harris
sf / 6'7'' 180 / Arkansas
A native of Arkansas, Jordan Harris first burst onto the scene a few years ago as a 6-foot-3 sixth grader playing AAU ball with Joe Johnson Hawks. Besides his length, he showed great agility, athleticism & ball skills, and clearly had a bright future ahead of him. Well, the future is now and the rising 9th grader is still on track to be one of the better players from the c/o 2026. The only difference is, the 6-foot-7 wing can look Joe Johnson in his eyes now 👀 and not his chest when he calls him coach. Joe Johnson probably outweighs the high school freshman by about 70 lbs at the moment, but Jordan Harris should eventually end up being taller than the 7x All-Star, 20-year NBA vet. If he continues getting stronger and working on his all around game, Jordan Harris should have a very bright future when it comes to basketball; just like he did when he first burst onto the scene as a 6th grader. He's been playing AAU ball with Team Iso Joe and he's headed to Joe T. Robinson HS in Little Rock (AR) for his freshman year. Received first D-1 offer from Troy University in September of last year and his second offer from the UAPB Golden Lions this past June. With Joe Johnson being such an integral part of his life however, it sure feels like the writing's on the wall. It's hard not to think Jordan Harris won't eventually follow in Iso Joe's footsteps and attend his alma mater University of Arkansas. I'm sure Razorback fans will have only one thing to say about that; "Woooo...Pig!...Soooie!!" 🐷
Cameron Holmes sf / 6'6'' 180 / Arizona
Originally from the Class of 2025, Cameron Holmes is easily one of the premier recruits in the c/o 2026 despite the fact he reclassified. The newly turned 15-year old (turns 16 June 21st) is already a well known prospect nationally despite the fact he hasn't even started his freshman year of high school yet. Not only is this due to the fact his game warrants the attention, but also because he's the younger brother of University of Dayton's star 🌟 sophomore; 6-foot-10 DaRon Holmes. A former top 50 recruit from c/o 2021, DaRon Holmes size could potentially be a good indication of what the future has in store for Cameron. DaRon was roughly 6'5" - 6'7" his freshman year of high school, basically the same size Cameron is now. But he was also every inch of 6'8" during his sophomore year, which is technically the grade Cameron should be in. Then again, Cameron has another older relative who plays football, c/o 2022 Quintyn Holmes, who is only 6'3". I guess we'll just have to wait and see how much more the basketball gods will allow Cameron to grow, but for the time being the 6-foot-6 wing is head and shoulders above the majority of his peers when it comes to talent, skill level, athleticism, and potential. I would say he's the prototypical 3&D wing, but that wouldn't be doing his game justice. Tight handles, superb quickness, and the ability to create off the bounce for himself or others, make him an extremely versatile threat on the offensive side of the ball. A dynamic three-level scorer, the southpaw has a smooth stroke with 3-pt range, feathery touch around the rim, and the athleticism & strength to attack the basket with authority and finish through contact. Plays AAU ball for Nike's talented Arizona Unity program and is teammates with Kaden & Kalek House, who were previously featured on PC's c/o 2026 Freshmen Watchlist. Headed to Millennium HS (AZ) for his much anticipated freshman season and should more than live up to the hype. Received his first scholarship offer from his dream school Kansas back in April of last year and has had a bevy of offers since; Arizona, ASU, Washington State, Utah State, & Portland State to name a few. Long story short; Cameron Holmes is good at basketball.🏀
Alex Kuminga
sf / 6'7'' 175 / Florida
Yup; it's that Kuminga! Of course we can't discuss the game of c/o 2026 rising 9th grader Alex Kuminga without first mentioning his older brother Jonathan. I don't want to say it was smooth sailing for Jonathan Kuminga the minute he moved to the United States as a 13-year old back in 2016, but it's hard to argue otherwise, at least from a basketball standpoint that is. In the summer of 2017, the 6-foot-7, 14-year old Kuminga was recognized as one of the elite talents in his class and even received his first scholarship offer before he started his freshman year of high school. He may have missed out on some post season honors that year, such as being selected to a 2017-18 High School Freshman All-American team, but that would change the following season when he was named Max Preps 2018-19 HS Basketball Sophomore of the Year. He also began to be recognized in the national rankings as a consensus top 3 recruit in the c/o 2021. The following year, Kuminga had another stellar season as a 17-year old and despite battling a few injuries, was still selected to Max Preps 2019-20 HS Basketball Junior All-American team. And then just like that; it was over. With half a season of 8th grade ball and 3 polarizing years of HS hoops to his credit, Jonathan Kuminga skipped his senior year, turned pro, and decided to get that bag.💰 And what a bag it was; to the tune of a 1-year $500K contract in the G-League. The following year he was drafted 7th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and the rest is history.

So, in just six years, 19-year old Jonathan Kuminga has gone from poverty stricken Congo, to winning an NBA championship, cashing in on a 4-year $25 million contract, and of course doing all of this while pushing a $225K Lamborghini Urus. 🙌🏽 Now it's time to see if any of Jonathan's genes have rubbed off on little bro Alex. The fact that both brothers are teenager's is wild to me. One brother is on the verge of entering high school, the other is on the verge of entering NBA stardom. So close in age, yet so far away in life, they do however share one thing in common; a similar journey in chasing their dreams of playing at the highest level. Alex moved to the States 🇺🇸 last year as an 8th grader, just like Jonathan did six years ago and like his older brother before him, he's shown a lot of upside & intrigue due to his length, athleticism & physical tools. He's not as good as his brother was at the same stage of development, but there's certainly no shame in that. He's a much lankier 6-foot-7 than Jonathan was though, so he could end up being slightly taller than than his big bro. Headed to Oak Ridge HS in Orlando (FL) for his freshman year, where one thing should become abundantly clear; he'll ace French class. Still learning the English language, he does have one popular phrase memorized already. If you ask him where he wants to play college ball, Alex simply says, "I want to go to Duke." For reference, Duke didn't offer Jonathan until the summer going into his junior year. So if I had one piece of advice for Jon Scheyer & the Cameron Crazies it's pretty simple really; genes don't lie, you better not linger on the younga Kuminga!
Felipe Quiñones
sf / 6'6'' 180 / Florida
The pride of Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 and native of Trujillo Alto & Cupey, 14-year old (turns 15 January 19th) Felipe Andrés Quiñones García is the Big Pun of Puerto Rican hoops. Plays the game of baloncesto the way Pun spits lyrics on the mic; with creativity, passion, intelligence, and a flair for the dramatic. Future opps ain't got no wins in his casa, que te pasa, they ain't even in his clasa! And when push comes to shove and the game is on the line, Felipe Quiñones punishes all competition, leaving them dead in the middle of Little Italy and little did they know they riddled some middlemen who didn't do diddly. 😀 Pushing 6-foot-6, Felipe Quiñones has been one of the more recognizable names from c/o 2026 for a few years now and has shown steady growth both physically and skill wise. He's a developing wing with excellent handles, terrific speed & quickness, and is extremely crafty when taking it to the rim. Shows the ability to score the ball in a variety of ways; from feathery floaters around the basket, to step-back 3's off the bounce, stop & pop jumpers from the mid-range, & euro-step layups around defenders. Has a really nice offensive repertoire and displays an innate feel for the game. Also seems to check all the boxes when it comes to intangibles; work ethic, intelligence, maturity, determination, the rising 9th grader appears to have the mental makeup to eventually become the leader and captain of the Puerto Rican National Team one day. 🏀

Of course that could all be hyperbole, but he definitely has a head start on his fellow Boricua's when it comes to playing against international competition. Back in February, Felipe was invited by European powerhouse Real Madrid to compete for their youth academy in the prestigious ‘Minicopa Endesa’ in Granada, Spain. Quiñones averaged 24.5 ppg & 13 rpg during the tournament, while helping Real Madrid to a championship victory and capturing MVP honors in the process. Real Madrid 🇪🇸 even offered the 14-year old the opportunity to join the club and play professionally for them one day, just like they did a decade ago with 13-year old Luka Doncic. Then back in June, Felipe joined Puerto Rico's Junior National Team and competed in FIBA's U15 Centrobasket Championships. He averaged 18 ppg, 4 rpg, and 2 apg, on his way to helping Puerto Rico win the tournament as well as earning MVP honors once again. Plays travel ball with the talented Puerto Rico Elite and he's headed to national powerhouse IMG Academy (FL) for his freshmen year of high school. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Felipe ended up relocating to the Florida when he was 10 due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. You might be able to take the player out of Puerto Rico, but you can never take Puerto Rico out of the player. Felipe Quiñones will always be a Boricua no matter where he calls home. From the greatest Puerto Rican hooper of all-time, J.J. Barea, to the greatest lyricist to ever bless a mic, Big Pun, Puerto Rico has been home to many kings & queens. But now it's time to make room for the PR prince Felipe Quiñones. So you better move over Rico Suave, because in the words of Big Pun himself; the rising 9th grader is about to be; "investing mils on a hunch over lunch puffin’ on a Chesterfield, who wants to test the real, scandalous at the Sands in Los Angeles, planning hits with an anonymous philanthropist, Spanish kids, close to God like evangelists, and then he's choppin’ hoopers up and makin’ sandwiches!" 🥪
Chris Washington, Jr. sf / 6'7'' 175 / Florida
As previously mentioned Florida is loaded with a plethora big-time high-major recruits from the c/o 2026. Of all the talented incoming HS freshmen coming out of the Sunshine State, Christopher Washington, Jr. is generally considered to be at the top of the food chain. If he's the best rising 9th grader in Florida, then that makes him a consensus top 5 recruit in the class and more than likely a future 5🌟prospect in the making. Labeled 'Baby KD', it's easy to see why. He's long af, incredibly skilled, and ultra athletic. Standing 6-foot-7 with long arms and a lanky frame, you can easily see the 14-year old growing another few inches and reaching the coveted 6-foot-10 plateau. If that happens and he keeps his skills and athleticism, then he's a no-brainer future NBA All-Star. But even if he doesn't grow anymore, he's still one hell of a player & is definitely tracking as an elite recruit from c/o 2026 who will eventually be playing pro ball one day to pay the bills. 💵 No need to go into detail about what makes him such a tantalizing prospect for the next level, just watch him play for a few minutes and the talent jumps off the screen.

Obviously needs to get stronger, but his upside is through the roof and that's putting it mildly. If you still have doubts about just how good Chris Washington, Jr. is at basketball though; just 'Google' him. He's been crushing it on the AAU circuit with Tre Mann Elite and he'll attend Villages Charter School in Jacksonville (FL) for his freshman year. Holds offers from Jacksonville and Bethune Cookman, but he should have his choice of college's to attend when the time comes. On an extremely sad note, Christopher's mother, Tiffany Pritchett, passed away in a car accident last year and I can only imagine how tough that must have been for the young man. Losing a mother at such a young age can be a wound that never quite heals. The love of a mother is like a never ending song in your heart though; you may forget the words, but you'll always remember the tune. No one is promised tomorrow. There are no guarantees in life, besides the fact it won't last forever. But the goal of life isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. When it comes to the game of basketball, Chris Washington, Jr. has a chance to do just that. 💯
A.J. Williams
sf / 6'7'' 180 / New Jersey
The Garden State's own A.J. Williams may have a common name, but for a rising 9th grade basketball player, he's got an uncommon game. Another multi-dimensional wing with a ton of potential, A.J. Williams has been developing quite nicely over these last few years and should be another excellent recruit from c/o 2026 coming out of New Jersey. Don't take my word for it though. Here's what Williams trainer Marckenzie Gaillot told 247Sports about the soon to be high school freshman's game. “A.J. is a 6’7” wing with guard skills. He has versatility, length, freak athleticism, to go along with his ability to score down hill and use his variety acrobatic finishes at the rim. He uses his length on the defense end really well which allows him to guard 1-4. He is currently playing 15U as an 8th grader and that will continuously help his game as he heads into HS. 🙌🏽 The strides A.J. has made is the ability to play with pace and picking his spots on the floor. Also constantly has a good mid-range pull up game. The next step is becoming a consistent 3-pt shooter & just making high level reads at all times.” He was balling on the AAU circuit with PSA Cardinals last year, but now he's running with NY's City Rocks EYBL. He's headed to Bergen Catholic (NJ) for his freshman year of HS, where he'll join forces with another promising wing in 6'6" Chidi Nwigwe, who was also previously featured on PC's c/o 2026 Freshmen Watchlist. No scholarship offers as of yet, but it's only a matter of time before they start pouring in. And who knows; depending on how far he can take his game, maybe one day when you Google the extremely common name of 'A.J. Williams', his face will be the first one you see. Now that in itself would be an accomplishment. 👌🏽
Elijah Williams sf / 6'6'' 190 / Arizona
What has been the main reoccurring theme throughout Prospect-Central's Class of 2026 Freshmen Watchlist? If you guessed "genes", give yourself a gold star! And as previously mentioned, of the four major sports in North America (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) there's no sport where genes 🧬 matter more than basketball. When it comes to 6-foot-6 incoming HS freshman Elijah Williams, he's done pretty well for himself in the gene department. Not only is Elijah related to a former NBA player, he's also related to a current NBA head coach! Of course it just happens to be the same person; his father, Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams. A first round pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, 6'8" Monty Williams might not have been the greatest player in the 🌎, but he still lasted 9-years in the league, earning nearly $8 million for his services. Throw in the fact he's a pretty good coach, has intricate knowledge of the game and is essentially an NBA lifer, it's safe to say Elijah Williams will learn a few things from his old man along the way. Judging by the 9th grader's game, it seems like he already has. Elijah's high school coach, John Anderson, thinks so too. 🏀

Here's what the head coach of Scottsdale Christian told AZCentral about the future 🌟 in the making; "Elijah is about to make some waves 🌊 in the Arizona high school basketball scene. At 190 pounds and an incredibly strong frame for just 14-years old, Elijah is already playing way above the rim. His skill set is on par with, if not better than, his already amazing athletic ability. Elijah can score from all three-levels, and his strength that he has while attacking the basket is rarely matched. Along with his tremendous skills and athletic ability, Elijah brings incredible maturity and wisdom that has been passed down by his father, Monty Williams." Elijah's made a name for himself on the AAU circuit with Paul George Elite, but recently he joined AZ Unity, teaming up with a trio of players already featured on PC's c/o 2026 Freshmen Watchlist in Cameron Holmes and the House twins. Scholarship offers are starting to come fast and furious for Elijah. June 18th he received his first offer from Washington, followed by both Temple and Monty Williams' alma mater Notre Dame ☘️ offering on July 8th. Missouri & Arizona State just offered a few days ago as well. Not everything has been smooth sailing for Elijah however. He may be young, but he's already experienced a lifetime of pain. Just like the previously featured Christopher Washington, Jr., Elijah lost his mother to a car accident back in 2016 and I'm sure it made him grow up quicker than expected. Like I said before though, a mother's love is truly eternal and while the song might end one day, the melody will always linger on. No matter what tragedies we experience in life however, the world keeps spinning, time keeps ticking, and you got to keep living. Monty Williams has done just that and it appears Elijah is on that same path. By all indications, Monty Williams didn't wait to make Elijah a great man; he's already made him a great kid. 💯

c/o 2026 (9th Grade) Honorable Mentions SF's - 20

Jordan Bender sf / 6'6'' 175 / Kentucky

Stephen Brown sf / 6'7'' 180 / Illinois

Herly Brutus sf / 6'6'' 180 / Florida

Drew Corrao sf/pf / 6'8'' 180 / Pennsylvania

Tristan Jahnke sf/pf / 6'7'' 190 / Arkansas

Brayden Kyman sf/pf / 6'7'' 185 / California

Braylen Langley sf/pf / 6'7'' 180 / Indiana

Jalen Montonati sf / 6'6'' 170 / Oklahoma

Maddox Palmer sf / 6'6'' 190 / Florida

JoJo Philon sf / 6'7" 175 / Florida

Gallagher Placide sf / 6'7'' 180 / Colorado

Gavin Placide sf / 6'7'' 180 / Colorado

Tre Raymon sf / 6'7'' 180 / South Carolina

Dean Rueckert sf / 6'7'' 170 / Utah

Eddie Smajic sf / 6'6'' 180 / Missouri

Jaden Teyan sf / 6'7'' 180 / New Jersey

Adam Tyson sf / 6'6'' 180 / Mississippi

A.J. Washington sf / 6'6" 175 / South Carolina

Kymani Weathers sf / 6'6'' 180 / Florida

Kai Wesley sf/pf / 6'7'' 185 / Utah

c/o 2026 (9th Grade) Watchlist SF's - 100+

J.J. Addison sf / 6'5'' 170 / Maryland

Victor Akinyemi sf / 6'5'' 170 / Canada

Kayden Allen sf / 6'4" 170 / Georgia

Mikahi Allen sf / 6'6'' 180 / New Jersey

Jayon Alexander sf / 6'5'' 170 / New Jersey

Broderick Anderson sf / 6'5" 170 / South Carolina

Tahj Ariza sf / 6'4'' 165 / California

Julius Avent sf / 6'6'' 175 / New Jersey

Alex Barther, II sf / 6'5'' 165 / Texas

Kaleel Benjamin sf / 6'4" 170 / North Carolina 

Nathan Bernhard sf / 6'5'' 180 / Ohio

Tayvone Bibbs sf / 6'4'' 170 / Pennsylvania

Finley Billy sf / 6'6'' 170 / Virginia

Justin Bobb sf / 6'5'' 175 / Pennsylvania 

Royce Boyd sf / 6'5'' 170 / Illinois

Fazion Brandon sf / 6'4'' 165 / Virginia

Brandon Brazel sf / 6'5'' 170 / Florida

James Brenner sf / 6'5'' 170 / Maryland

Miles Bridges sf / 6'6'' 170 / Michigan

Justin Bringham sf / 6'4'' 165 / Florida

Austin Brown sf / 6'7'' 170 / Texas

Mekai Brown sf / 6'6'' 170 / Connecticut

Kobe Butler sf / 6'4'' 170 / Louisiana

Abraham Camara sf / 6'4'' 170 / New York

Aidan Chronister sf / 6'5'' 175 / Arkansas

Keiji Clifton sf / 6'5'' 175 / Kentucky

Zacayden Clyburn sf / 6'5'' 170 / South Carolina

Bryce Coleman sf / 6'4'' 170 / California

RicoAntonio D'Alessandro sf / 6'5'' 170 / Illinois

Kemuel Dankyi sf / 6'5'' 185 / Maryland

Bryce Dixon sf / 6'4'' 170 / Texas

Wilmer De La Rosa sf / 6'5'' 175 / New Jersey

Matt Delgado sf / 6'5'' 170 / Arizona

Quincy Douby, Jr. sf / 6'4'' 170 / New Jersey

JeMarion Draper sf / 6'5'' 175 / Alabama

Justin Edwards sf / 6'5'' 170 / Maryland 

TySeandre Edwards sf / 6'4'' 170 / Missouri

Jabari Edmonds sf / 6'5'' 180 / Massachusetts

Keysaun Eleazer sf / 6'4" 170 North Carolina

Luke Fawns sf / 6'7'' 180 / Kentucky

Lydell Foster sf / 6'4'' 160 / California

Lattimore Ford sf / 6'5'' 170 / Washington

Melton Foster sf / 6'5'' 180 / New York

Henry Fox sf / 6'5'' 170 / New York

Daquan Freeman sf / 6'6'' 180 / Florida

Cayon Gaines sf / 6'5'' 180 / Kentucky

DeMontre Harlee sf / 6'5'' 170 / North Carolina

Rylan Hearns sf / 6'5'' 170 / Nevada

Eric Hillsman sf / 6'4'' 165 / New York

Ethan Hillsman sf / 6'6'' 170 / Connecticut 

Sebastian Hines-Turner sf / 6'4'' 170 / Oklahoma

Brody Holmes sf / 6'5'' 180 / Pennsylvania

Gage Howard sf / 6'4'' 180 / Maryland

Devin Hutcherson sf / 6'4'' 170 / Georgia

Dothan Ijadimbola sf / 6'5'' 175 / Minnesota

Jason Jackson sf / 6'4'' 160 / Texas

Amare James sf / 6'4'' 165 / Georgia

D.J. James sf / 6'5'' 175 / Massachusetts

Elton James sf / 6'5'' 170 / Washington

A.J. Johnson sf / 6'4'' 160 / Illinois

Mason Jones sf / 6'5'' 170 / California

Trey Keating sf / 6'5'' 175 / Pennsylvania

Yafer Kabede sf / 6'4" 170 / Virginia

Landon Krygier sf / 6'5'' 170 / Connecticut

Colben Landrew sf / 6'4'' 165 / Alabama

Colin Langdon sf / 6'7'' 175 / Texas

Gavin Lightning sf / 6'5'' 175 / Kentucky

Devin Lineberger sf / 6'5'' 180 / Texas

Kingston Little sf / 6'4'' 180 / North Carolina

Soren Lologna sf / 6'5'' 170 / New Jersey

M.J. Madison sf / 6'5'' 170 / Georgia

Sean Madison sf / 6'4'' 165 / California

Isaiah Marino sf / 6'4" 155 / Michigan

Chianu Masters sf / 6'5'' 175 / California

Allen Mbuyamba sf / 6'5'' 180 / Maryland

George McIntyre sf / 6'5'' 160 / Tennessee

Tauren McKinnon sf / 6'5'' 170 / North Carolina

Antonio McKoy sf / 6'6'' 170 / North Carolina

Carter Meadows sf / 6'5'' 170 / Maryland

C.J. Melilo sf / 6'4'' 170 / New Jersey

Rowan Miller sf / 6'5" 175 / Pennsylvania

Ethan Mgbako sf / 6'5'' 180 / New Jersey

Oben Mokonchu sf / 6'5'' 185 / Pennsylvania 

Cade Murphy sf / 6'5'' 170 / Tennessee

Dylan Napolean sf / 6'4'' 165 / Pennsylvania

KeAnthonie Neloms sf / 6'6'' 165 / Texas

Nic Nsenkyrie sf / 6'5'' 175 / New Jersey

Amare Oba sf / 6'4" 165 / Nevada

Caleb Ourigou sf / 6'4'' 165 / New York

Jerelz Ortiz sf / 6'5'' 170 / New York

Vincent Osazee, II sf / 6'7'' 175 / Massachusetts

Oscar Patterson sf / 6'4'' 165 / Missouri

Cody Peck sf / 6'6" 170 / North Carolina

Adam Perdue sf / 6'4'' 170 / Maryland

Dylan Perry sf / 6'6'' 180 / New Jersey

Greyson Pierce sf / 6'5'' 165 / Connecticut

Ryan Plantz sf / 6'6'' 180 / Ohio

Rashaun Porter sf / 6'5'' 170 / Illinois

Bryce Presley sf / 6'4'' 170 / Pennsylvania

True Prince sf / 6'5'' 170 / Georgia

Zyvaun Puckett sf / 6'5'' 170 / North Carolina

Thian Riak sf / 6'4" 175 / Wisconsin

Marcus Richardson sf / 6'5'' 170 / Pennsylvania

Caiden Ricks sf / 6'5'' 165 / Alabama

Michael Rivers sf / 6'5'' 180 / North Carolina

LaDaryl Robinson sf / 6'5'' 185 / Arkansas

Jaden Rodgers sf / 6'5'' 185 / Arizona

Vince Russo sf / 6'5'' 180 / Connecticut

Ayden Sadler sf / 6'4'' 170 / Tennessee

Hudson Samuels sf / 6'4'' 185 / Minnesota

Qayden Samuels sf / 6'5'' 175 / Maryland

Diego Scholze sf / 6'4'' 170 / California

Fred Smith, Jr. sf / 6'6'' 175 / Tennessee

Jarrett Simpson sf / 6'5'' 180 / Kentucky

Deshawn Spellman sf / 6'5'' 170 / Virginia

Seven Spurlock sf / 6'5'' 170 / Texas

Jordan Suiter sf / 6'4'' 165 / Wisconsin

Kawika Suter sf / 6'5'' 170 / California

Jaxson Terry sf / 6'5'' 170 / Massachusetts

Ethan Trotter sf / 6'5'' 185 / Virginia 

Thomayson Victor sf / 6'5'' 175 / Florida

Isaiah Ward sf / 6'6'' 170 / Texas

Colton Watson sf / 6'5'' 170 / Arizona

Markee White, Jr. sf / 6'5'' 170 / California

Owen Wilczek sf / 6'4'' 170 / Minnesota

Cameron Williams sf / 6'6'' 175 / Arizona

Howard Williams sf / 6'5'' 165 / Illinois

Clay Willis sf / 6'4'' 170 / Kentucky

Ryan Wingard sf / 6'4'' 160 / Tennessee

Quincy Wright sf / 6'4'' 160 / Michigan

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