Fresno native and energy guard Omar Muhammad leads contingent at 2026 Pangos Jr. All-American Camp, which featured 140 gamers from throughout 14 states plus Canada. On the conclusion of the camp, the 6-foot-2 2030 guard from Reyburn Intermediate (Clovis, Calif.) and 6-foot-3 2031 Braylin Calhoun of Munising Public Faculty (Munising, Mich.) had been named the camp’s co-Most Excellent Participant.
On the 2025 Pangos Jr. All-American Camp, West Fresno (Calif.) native Omar Muhammad put his identify on the map as probably the greatest seventh graders in California and served discover he’ll make a right away impression on the highschool basketball scene when he enters a program within the fall of 2026.
Muhammad had loads of aptitude to his recreation, and was simply one of many camp’s premier abilities. His recreation had some parts of a prototypal New York Metropolis guard, however in a yr’s time he is “cleaned up” and “tightened up” his recreation since then. It is unbelievable to assume he is improved that a lot as a result of Muhammad was already good then. However that is how a lot expertise the younger man possesses and the way a lot want he has to get higher.
Muhammad has a novel mixture of swish ability and uncooked energy that you do not see in lots of guards, particularly one who’ve but to step foot on a highschool campus. One other factor that stands about Muhammad is his booming voice on the courtroom. It instructions consideration and respect from his friends as, he barks out performs, screens or defensive assignments. Final yr Muhammad gave himself a “B-” so far as his camp efficiency and it is protected to say with Muhammad’s line of pondering he would give himself an identical grade this yr even after taking dwelling co-Most Excellent Participant honors of the camp’s 14th version at McBride (Lengthy Seashore, Calif.) alongside 6-foot-3 2031 (seventh grader) Braylin Calhoun of Munising Public Faculty (Munising, Mich.) after scoring a game-high 23 factors within the Better of the Finest All-Star Sport.
That is simply the sort of competitor Muhammad is.
“I at all times wish to kill,” he mentioned after incomes co-MOP honors however displaying some disappointment his Black-jersey sporting membership misplaced to the White-jersey membership, 111-100. “It is each man for himself on the market and I wish to assault what’s in entrance of me. It is principally survival mode as a result of just one in 1,000,000 make it on the faculty stage.
“I’ve to enhance my angle, get extra carried out on the defensive finish, and enhance my general recreation.”
Ten years in the past at this identical camp, Jalen Inexperienced, the No. 2 choose of the 2021 NBA Draft and now with the Phoenix Suns, had his popping out get together. Muhammad did point out he does look as much as Inexperienced ultimately yr’s camp, however together with his demeanor and physique it not onerous to evoke photos of the final man-child like prospect to return out of Fresno: 1999 Nationwide Junior Participant of the Yr, 2000 McDonald’s All-American and NBA champion DeShawn Stevenson of Washington Union (Easton, Calif.). Throughout the mid 1990’s, Stevenson was well-known within the Central Valley within the seventh grade and was a statewide commodity coming into highschool.
Muhammad patterns his recreation after a participant just like Stevenson who took his recreation to the subsequent stage
“I truly like watching movie and finding out Anthony Edwards. I additionally like Shaedon Sharpe; he is athletic and will get downhill.”
Is Omar Muhammad the subsequent huge basketball star to return out of Fresno? With 7 D1 gives earlier than highschool, together with Kansas and Tennessee, his future is vibrant.
He stays motivated to succeed in his full potential after an unthinkable tragedy rocked his household 3 years in the past. @KMPHFOX26 pic.twitter.com/TMRkxSYIkc
— Gabe Camarillo (@gabecamarillo_) December 30, 2025
Distinctive Story, Distinctive Expertise
Muhammad (No. 89 in image) got here in with loads of fanfare and lived as much as his advance bulling, however the younger man he shared camp MOP honors with had an reverse story. Braylin Calhoun (No. 42) from Munising, Mich (inhabitants beneath 2,000) hadn’t performed in one of these setting and fairly frankly did not know what to anticipate.
And who might blame him, as the closest quick meals joint is an hour away from his city the place most people are employed by the native mill and grocery retailer. It is protected to say Calhoun does not get to see wherever close to the competitors stage he confronted among the many Better of the Finest at a camp designed to present seasoned evaluators a glimpse of a number of the future standouts in highschool and grassroots basketball. It is also protected to say the opposite 140 campers do not see a seventh-grade expertise who simply turned 14 with the expertise stage of Calhoun every day.
“I used to be sort of clueless coming right here,” Calhoun mentioned. “I did not know what the competitors was going to be like. I realized and adjusted my recreation to face out.”
Because the late Bobby Knight felt watching a recruit he needed to supply a scholarship to Indiana, it did not take however a couple of journeys up the courtroom to know Calhoun is particular expertise oozing with potential. He does not rush, can rating across the basket and with vary, does not take many dangerous pictures and is a talented passer. Calhoun, who scored a team-high 17 factors on 7-of-9 taking pictures for the successful White membership within the Better of the Finest Sport, has a physique and recreation just like three-time NBA All-star and present L.A. Clipper Bradley Beal when he was in highschool.
Calhoun will not be a small city standout endlessly. He can be transferring to Milwaukee for eighth grade and can run on the journey circuit with Kevin Looney P5.
PANGOS JR. ALL AMERICAN CAMP📍Lengthy Seashore, CA
The official stats for the BEST OF BEST GAME.
For Workforce Black, Omar Muhammad ended with 23 factors, adopted by Jayden Jones’ 15 factors.
Braylin Calhoun had a staff excessive for the White Squad, ending with 17.
Yakai Craig and Cameron… pic.twitter.com/6A7tNHn7Az
— Gamebook Stats Inc. (@gamebookstats) February 22, 2026
Different Camp Standouts
Incomes co-MVP honors of the Better of the Finest Sport had been White jersey standouts Cameron Shepard, a 5-foot-11 2030 (eighth grade) guard from Village Christian (Solar Valley, Calif.) and Yakai Craig, a 6-foot 2030 guard from Clava 1 % (Lake Forest, Calif.). Shepard (No. 99) dominated camp video games together with his blinding pace and quickness that he used to vary route and hold defenders off-balance all weekend. Within the prime all-star recreation, he went for 15 factors, eight rebounds 4 assists and two steals.
Pound-for-pound and game-by-game, Shepard was the camp’s prime performer.
Craig resembles and performs equally to 2025 NBA first spherical choose Jeremiah Fears of the New Orleans Pelicans. “Sure, I get that alot,” Craig mentioned of the comparability. He additionally had 15 factors and made 3-of-5 3-pointers within the prime recreation.
Sarcastically, Shepard and Craig are opponents and pals, and can see a lot extra of one another on the highschool and grassroots circuit. Additionally they each look as much as and sample their video games after Auburn sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford. Shepard, particularly, had loads of Pettiford in his recreation.
Shepard is reportedly headed to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), whereas Craig will attend Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).
Different camp, standouts, in no specific order embody: 6-foot-4 2030 Dillon Rice of Praxis Elite Sports activities Academy (San Diego), 6-foot-4 2030 Jayden Jones of Core Prep (Burbank, Calif.), 6-foot-4 2031 McCoy Robinson of Sig Rogich (Las Vegas, Nev.), 6-foot-7 2030 Bryce Bible of The U Prep Academy (Glendale, Calif.), 6-foot-3 2030 Freddie Forbes of ABA Academy (Backyard Grove, Calif.), 6-foot-6 2030 Obatayo Adigun of Premier Prep On-line (Gilbert, Ariz.), 6-foot-7 2030 Devin Saunders of Genesse JHS (Genesee, Mich.), 6-foot-3 2030 Justin Cato Jr. of Southfield (Mich.), 5-foot-11 2030 Tyson Aycox of I Lead On-line (Gardena, Calif.), and 6-foot-4 2030 Tresor Childress of Phoenix (Ariz.).
One participant to observe for down the road was the camp’s tallest participant, 6-foot-10 2030 Logan Kish of Delta Academy (Las Vegas, Nev.). Logan has loads of methods to go to impression highschool video games, however he’s deft shot blocker and good contact on half hooks across the basket.
The distinction between gamers akin to Muhammad and Kish is stark. The place they in the future wish to find yourself in the future, nevertheless, is strictly the identical.
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He might be reached at [email protected]. Do not forget to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
