I spent the weekend of April 12-13 in Kansas Metropolis for the primary session of the UAA Circuit. There was a noticeable uptick in expertise on the UAA Circuit this 12 months, and that is half one in every of my recap highlighting the 2026 class.
Texas Affect Goes 4-0
Texas Affect accomplished a flawless report, and what was extra spectacular to me is that they don’t have a real huge man on the roster. I’m going to spotlight 4 gamers that stood out to me. A compilation of rising seniors helped get the job achieved. Austin Senters led the crew in scoring, as he was aggressive with the ball in his palms. Making pull-up middies, scoring off offensive rebounds, and making the open nook three-ball. Brayden Jones is a combo that successfully drew fouls and bought to the free-throw line. His effectivity as a scorer and ball mover was on show. Devan Kirk does the issues that don’t come out in a conventional field rating. He defended each place, deflected passes, and was in the appropriate place as a help-side defender. Within the final recreation of the weekend, he bought it going offensively, making a number of photographs off the bounce. Lastly, Sawyer Dotson displayed his 3-point capturing prowess. He holds a fast set off and is nice connecting on photographs off the catch and motion. I assumed he protected the rim pretty nicely, too, by walling up and leaping vertically on makes an attempt within the paint.
Illinois Wolves Go 4-0
The Illinois Wolves had a reasonably dominant efficiency in Kansas Metropolis. Led by Rashaun Porter, a strong, athletic ahead who performed above the rim all weekend. He skies for rebounds, finishes, and makes use of his power to realize house on drives. Porter generates a variety of consideration from the defenses, and it led to some high-level passes in site visitors. Rykan Woo was flattening triples and doing an excellent job balancing scoring & facilitating. Atticus Richmond was an inside-out scoring risk, making deep threes but additionally navigating nicely in tight areas to get a shot off in site visitors. Ethan Hillsman showcased his versatility and excessive vitality, which allowed him to be the place the ball was.
Mountain Stars Go 4-0I appreciated what I noticed from Carter Basquez, a tall PG at 6’6 with a slim body. Carter performs the appropriate manner and makes good selections with the ball in his palms. He has contact from varied areas on the courtroom and makes use of his dimension on finishes and jumpers. Carter performed a key function in Mountain Stars going 4-0. One other to notice is Djare Silimana. Athletic, strongly constructed huge man who honed the paint. Performed with a excessive degree of physicality and confirmed contact coming off the left shoulder. Eric Fiedler, I used to be impressed along with his combo of dimension, contact, and capturing vary. Six-foot-8 with an excellent basketball body, Fiedler performed inside his strengths and made well timed photographs.
2026 UAA Inventory Risers
Joe Philon, 6’8 SF – Expertise Middle Elite: Philon is without doubt one of the greatest defensive gamers I’ve seen within the class. Can legitimately guard 1-5 in the highschool house as his anticipation expertise, along with his lengthy arms and being a fast twitch athlete, permit him to cowl floor and make performs all around the courtroom. His offensive recreation is coming alongside too. Philon began getting in a groove along with his perimeter capturing and is getting extra arch on his pull-up jumpers. Nonetheless has some methods to go as an offensive creator, however Philon is popping into a whole participant. He’s arguably the most effective participant in UAA.
Gage Mayfield, 6’7 SF – Professional One: One other prospect that’s in rivalry for high participant in UAA is Mayfield. He is somebody who has the possibility to blow up on the nationwide scene this summer time. With good positional dimension and high-level vertical pop,, he confirmed an intriguing offensive skillset. Mayfield knocked down threes, confirmed off his live-dribble passing recreation, and made athletic performs on each ends.
Fred Smith Jr., 6’7 PF – P7 Elite: A talented lefty with a broad, sturdy body. A bodily driver who’s an inside/out scoring risk. Smith grabbed rebounds and pushed it up the ground, handed nicely out of double groups, and was a handful within the quick roll as a playmaker and scorer. He impressed me along with his offensive versatility.
Jacob Lanier, 6’5 CG – Gulf Coast BlueChips: Had him a hell of a weekend as his BlueChips crew went 3-1. Successfully enjoying on and off the ball, Lanier created house for photographs using step-backs and good footwork. He shot over 40 % from three, and made the appropriate basketball performs.
Quinn Costello, 6’10 PF – Middlesex Magic: Somebody at his dimension that strikes nicely and shoots it like Costello does brings so much to the desk. He confirmed versatility as a shooter, too, which is exclusive for somebody 6’10. Not only a spot-up risk, however a motion shooter and somebody able to attacking a closeout and capturing it off the bounce. Costello might want to play by physicality higher, however he’s somebody I’ll guess on and see a variety of upside with him.
UAA Session 1 Standouts
Jayden Hodge, 6’5 Wing – Shoreshots: A excessive IQ wing with a robust body, Hodge is aware of learn how to get to his spots to be in scoring place for himself, or transfer to spots to create spacing for others. I like his persistence when working off the bounce and with the ability to assault angles, which permits Hodge to try high quality photographs.
Chris Washington Jr., 6’8 SF/PF – B-Maze Elite: There’s tons of upside with Washington as he holds good positional dimension, lengthy arms, mixed with big-time vertical pop. He places all of it collectively in spurts, however when it’s occurring, he massively impacts the sport. Blocking and altering photographs on the rim, capturing triples over the outstretched arm of the defender, put-back dunks, and locking up on the perimeter, Washington was getting it achieved in Kansas Metropolis. A flexible, excessive upside prospect that’s greatest basketball is forward of him.
Collin Paul, 6’6 Wing – SOH Elite: A giant guard prospect that may create house off the bounce, Paul performed with a mix of physicality and finesse that was spectacular. Finishes nicely with both hand and confirmed a degree of shot creation that you just don’t see typically with a man his dimension.
Ryan Moesch, 6’0 PG – Middlesex Magic: A shifty guard that performs with a variety of confidence. Athletic for dimension, fast twitched, and may rating it versus translatable top and athleticism. He’s the important thing cog for the Magic’s offense.
