Over this past weekend I had the privilege of traveling to Louisville, Kentucky to watch Made Hoops’ Midwest High-School Academy showcase. The event was loaded with high level talent from all over the country (not just the Midwest, though with a focus there), and the event coordinators did an amazing job of assembling a strong team of coaches for the camp. I went into the camp with limited prior knowledge of most of the prospects in attendance, and I decided to compile a list of players that caught my eye during drills and scrimmages. Special thank you to Travis Graf for planning this event and for allowing me to attend the camp with media access, and shoutout to the Made Hoops team for their excellent coverage of the high school hoops scene. With all of this being said, here are my personal standouts from the Made Hoops Midwest High School academy camp.
2024
Jayden Quaintance
I went into this camp as a strong believer in Quaintance’s skill set, and I left absolutely blown away. Quaintance has consistently been one of the best players in every single setting that he has played in despite being 15 years old during this past high school season. He was one of the best players with Overtime Elite this year, was an All-Star at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, and was an integral part of the USA’s FIBA U16 team this past June.
Quaintance is an absolutely dominant athlete. He possesses an unparalleled blend of movement skills for a 6’10” big and knows how to effectively use them on both ends. His agility for his size is something to marvel, as he is able to jolt side to side on downhill drives and defend well in space on defense. This agility comes together with his strong frame and upper body to give him excellent play strength, as he is able to aggressively bump defenders while moving downhill. Quaintance is able to switch between power and grace on his drives, as he can go to one or the other or a blend of the two depending on who is defending him. All of these miraculous tools are unlocked by his solid handle for a big, as he has consistently shown lots of comfort as a ball handler in big space. At times in this camp he even brought the ball up against full court pressure, and there were moments of him splitting double teams to get the ball across halfcourt. If he can continue to display comfortability with keeping his dribble against ball pressure from many directions, his half-court scoring ceiling would raise even higher, as handling high amounts of gap pressure and double teams can be a major struggle for many of the league’s best centers.
Another skill that can truly unlock his full potential is his jumpshot, which is currently a work in progress. He only shot 25% from three (2.3 attempts per game) and 60% from the free throw line in Overtime Elite, but it is important to note that Overtime Elite uses an NBA three point line. There were times where Quaintance would set a ball screen and pop into space for jump shots, and it appears that he is truly trying to round out this part of his game. Another part of his game that will continue to be a work in progress is his screening and pick and roll game. Quaintance projects to be an elite roll man going forward, as he is a springy leaper with a big catch radius who already loves playing with downhill momentum. As Quaintance continues to get more and more reps, he will certainly pick up some pieces of screening minutiae, which will make him even more effective as a screener long term.
While Quaintance has immense offensive upside, his defensive upside may be just as high. Quaintance will carry a ton of lineup flexibility in the future, as he has the potential to play all pick and roll coverages and protect the rim in help defense. He is able to hedge with his agility and length, has the potential to be a good drop defender as he continues to learn positioning, he can backpedal when playing at the level of the screen, and he even has the potential to switch onto ball handlers. His movement in space is truly one of a kind for a young big, as he is able to contain drives and recover when he does get beat. Ground coverage is another incredible strong suit of Quaintance, as he is able to play help on drives and still close out to the perimeter without being out of the play. Quaintance blocked at least three separate three point attempts in the games I watched, including one play where he went under a screen and still jumped in time to block a pull-up three.
The scheme versatility that Quaintance brings to teams is very rare, as he does not handicap lineups from running ideal modern schemes like other bigs often do. Quaintance can be a team’s defensive anchor and will adapt to his supporting cast, though he always will have the baseline of being an incredible primary rim protector. His load time as a leaper is unbelievably quick, allowing him to react quickly and to make it hard to throw his timing off. Speaking of his timing, Quaintance has showcased great jump timing in many settings, as he is able to jump second and still get up in time to erase shots at the basket. His length is certainly another factor here, as he is able to reach up and deflect shots with his very long arms. Finally, Quaintance is comfortable jumping off one foot or two feet, giving him elite potential as a roaming help defender and pick and roll defender. The league’s best help defenders often jump off of one foot while the best pick and roll defenders specialize in two footed leaping, and Quaintance is able to effectively do both.
Sam Springer
Despite Springer being unranked on all major recruiting outlets, he consistently looked like one of the better and more productive players at the camp. Springer is a 6’7” wing who possesses all of the traits that mid-major and even some high-major programs look for. He is an absolutely knockdown spot-up shooter, and had moments knocking down threes while trailing in transition. He can also hit shots from outside while creating from a standstill, though he often does not create much separation off the dribble. Instead, he specializes in off-ball play, whether that be through knocking down open shots, cutting to the middle of the floor for mid-range opportunities, or decisive off catch drives. He has a high set point on his lefty jumper, making this shot hard to contest when fading inside the arc.
Springer also serves as a stabilizing player on defense, as he consistently executes his assignment while communicating every action. I would project him into a primarily off-ball role, where he can execute smart rotations while sniffing out actions all around the floor. I would not have Springer guard quicker guards, though he is a solid recovery leaper off of one foot in case he does get beat off the bounce. Instead, I would have Springer guard spot-up threats or even wings that prioritize strength, as Springer seems to be able to match contact on drives. His one foot leaping gives him another boost in low rotations, as this leaping style naturally minimizes load time, allowing the player to get in the air much quicker.
Finally, Springer does lots of the little things that teams look for. He is a solid rebounder on defense and is always looking to throw outlet passes to teammates. His playmaking seems to be fairly anticipatory, though there were moments of him missing a help defender and turning the ball over. He also seems like a great teammate overall, as he was constantly uplifting the players around him and looking to get everyone involved.
Dayton Williams
For my last eye-catcher of the 2024 high school class, I decided to go with 6’4” guard/wing Dayton Williams. Williams has lots of tools to build on right now, as he is a very lanky and flexible ball handler who can create advantages on a variety of drive angles. He makes wide drive angles work with his off-arm usage and ability to convert on scoop layups with his left, though there are times where I would like for him to take tighter driving angles. He is more than capable of doing this and did at times during this camp, though he seems to be a bit contact averse at times. This is a common issue among young basketball players, and I believe that this is something that will improve with age. Williams’ wide handle allows him to create tons of separation in an instant, and he seems to especially love the super wide left-right crossover. He seems like a very aware interior passer off of his drives, as he had great moments pulling help defenders out of position to free up teammates in the dunkers spot. Overall, Williams seems to have lots of driving tools to build on, though he is also extremely left-hand dominant on these plays. This is another common issue among young players, though it is one that many players have struggled to fix.
As for his outside shooting, he shot fairly well at the camp in the games I viewed, though it seems like results have been inconsistent in other settings. It seems that there is something to build on as he has a fairly high set point and a consistent follow through. His touch at the rim is also pretty solid as well, which is another positive indicator for Williams’ shooting going forward. Finally, his willingness to shoot off the dribble jumpers is another positive indicator for future success, as he has a fairly fluid pull-up when given space.
On the defensive end, Williams is able to use his length to make plays that others can’t. His frame allows him to effectively play passing lanes while not being thrown too far out of position, and he seems very comfortable playing in rotations. He can occasionally deter shots with his solid one-leg verticality, which is fairly valuable considering he profiles as a wing or guard. Finally, he is an extremely active rebounder on both offense and defense, which is a skill that lots of schools are always searching for.
2025
Jasper Johnson
If you like creative improvisational ball-handlers that have no issues creating their own offense, Jasper Johnson is the player for you. Johnson is one of the more creative on-court prospects I have ever seen, as he is always trying something new to create a bucket. Whether that be an odd pick-up, a new step pattern, or a new way to get into his patented lefty scoop, Johnson is consistently successful with his creative on court style. Jasper is the master of unpredictability at the high school level right now, as he has a seemingly bottomless bag of counter moves and elite change of pace capabilities. Jasper’s touch is also something to behold, as he can be seen making logo threes or even lefty skyhooks. It must be pretty mesmerizing guarding him, as it’s impossible to predict his next move yet he is also so good that there is no way to actually stop whatever he decides on doing.
His shiftiness can be partially attributed to his lanky frame and ball control, as he has an extremely wide handle which allows him to shift defenders further out of the way. His ball control with his left hand is incredible, as he is able to quickly get into soft one hand scoops immediately after his final dribble. This ball control also helps him out on the perimeter, as he is able to execute essentially any move you can think of with ease. This frequently gives him access to driving lanes, but he also generates lots of pull-up shooting windows. Jasper has a smooth lefty jumper with a lower set point which allows him to effectively shoot from deep range. He can get into his pull-up off of a variety of moves, and he is comfortable using it after freezing his defender.
On defense, Jasper is capable of guarding wings and guards due to his long frame. His long wingspan helps him rack up lots of deflections, and he is adept at getting wraparound steals when he gets beat off the dribble. He is also a springy leaper which pairs well with his long wingspan, as he is able to rise up to erase shots at the rim on occasion. Jasper has lots of potential as a havoc creator on defense, though he may have issues with screen navigation going forward due to his frame. However, I believe he will be able to compensate with length and improved technique, which could make him a true impact player on the defensive end.
Azavier Robinson
Azavier Robinson was easily the quickest player at this whole camp. His incredible lower body flexibility allows him to get into explosive positions, and his first few steps allow him to consistently leave defenders in the dust. There are not many players at the high school level who are able to get lower on their drives than Azavier Robinson, which essentially allows him to duck under defenders to access difficult driving lanes. He is also amazing at decelerating, as he can immediately stop his momentum to generate more scoring opportunities. In transition, Robinson can shift his defender one way and blow by them within a blink of an eye. Robinson is a walking paint touch when you combine his quickness with his deep bag, which is extremely valuable as rim pressure automatically generates efficient offense. His drives always open up teammates for easy scoring looks, and Robinson has shown lots of comfortability with making flashy interior passes and kickouts.
Robinson’s vertical leaping is also incredible, as he is able to fly off of two feet and convert shots at the rim. His hang time and body control allow him to create finishing angles that not many others can, and he is able to convert on these with a myriad of double clutch layups. Robinson tends to jump with a lack of mercy for his opponents; other players shy away from contact, whereas Robinson wants the contact. He wants to put his opponents on a mixtape, and he has been successful with this numerous times.
His jump shot is also something worth betting on, as he has extremely smooth mechanics and is very comfortable creating space for his shot. He has some advanced footwork patterns on his drives that allow him to get into clean stepback looks, and he seems to be comfortable shooting off the catch as well. His off catch drives have the potential to be absolutely lethal as time passes, as he is very comfortable getting into explosive positions with his back leg to attack closeouts.
Robinson is also an absolute pest on defense, as his elite core strength and lateral quickness allow him to stonewall drives from even the quickest guards you can find. He has extremely active hands on defense, and he is always looking to make a play on the ball. If he ever takes a gamble, he has the tools to effectively recover on this end to still make a huge impact. Robinson has incredible moments getting up off two to make plays on the ball, as he is prone to get a highlight block every once in a while. Robinson projects to be an immensely impactful point of attack defender at any level he plays at, as he has the frame and quickness to get around screens while having the lateral quickness and footwork to stay in front of drives.
Kaden Magwood
In one of the first drill segments I watched, Kaden Magwood’s confidence and energy immediately stood out. He was confidently going at everybody in this drill, as he would confidently take pull-up jumper after pull-up jumper. There was a point where he missed a tomahawk dunk in transition, dropped down and did pushups on his own volition, then in the very next rep he converted on that same tomahawk dunk attempt. Magwood didn’t look like he just wanted to be there, he looked like he wanted to dominate every matchup he played against.
Magwood is an amazing scorer from all three levels who can also make plays for his teammates off of his own creation. His creativity can be seen in all aspects of his game, as he is an extremely shifty ball handler with a super deep bag of moves to beat his defender. He has a very wide dribble style and loves using wide crossovers, which allows him to get to the rim or into his pull-up. He has a very high set point on his jumper, and he consistently gets lots of elevation in the mid-range. His jumper mechanics are very good for fadeaway jumpers, as the elevation and high release point allow him to shoot over defenders that play up on him. He is also a deadly accurate outside shooter, whether that be off the catch or off of the dribble.
Magwood is also a competitive defender who tries on that end, and he has the lateral movement to stay in front of his matchups. He could be seen consistently walling off drives and making a play on the ball. His lateral movements, hand-eye coordination, and tenacity should make him a strong point of attack defender at any level he plays at. He was also active in rotations and always making the right help defense play, though there were moments of spacing out a little bit. Regardless, Magwood should be a successful off-guard defender who can slide onto tough matchups when asked to do so, and I certainly trust him on this end especially when you consider his offensive output.
Trent Sisley
Sisley is another player who I was a bit familiar with going into this camp, and he certainly stood out in this setting. Sisley could be seen consistently making net-positive plays on both ends of the floor as a versatile forward, which is an archetype that I am a massive fan of. Sisley has an extremely adaptable offensive game as he can play a myriad of roles depending on his supporting cast. He has a great baseline of solid fluidity and touch, and he is a great player off the catch. He always has moments as an outside shooter, and he can hit easier looks off the catch or more difficult ones off movement. Sisley typically keeps the ball moving as well, and he can even hunt mismatches when given one.
His offensive game may have stood out to me first, but he is no slouch on the defensive end. At 6’8”, Sisley is a solid mover on defense and always makes the right rotations. He may not be the most explosive leaper, but he times his rotations well to deter easy shots at the basket. Sisley can effectively guard forwards, though I may not have him guard traditional centers just yet. He has the potential to execute soft switches in late clock situations or make all necessary low rotations, and I believe that coaches will be pleased with his skillset on this end.
Moving forward, I am a big believer in Sisley’s potential to run DHOs with pull-up shooting threats. He will likely be covered by forwards at the next level, and I can see a world where he can easily generate scoring opportunities by faking DHOs and driving by slower forwards. These looks can also lead to him getting open threes, as he can pop off the screen into open space. Overall, Sisley’s well-rounded game can fit on any team that he will play with and I would bet on him to have a long successful career in professional basketball.
Nicholas Randall
Coincidentally, Nicholas Randall profiles into a similar role as Trent Sisley as a versatile forward. Randall was probably Jayden Quaintance’s best matchup at the camp, as there were times that Randall could mimic Quaintance’s physicality to prevent him from getting easy scoring looks. Stopping Quaintance is no easy job, but Randall did about as good as anybody could. He is an impressive lateral mover for a forward, and he excelled in help rotations when playing as the low man. Randall is a good leaper with versatile takeoffs and can time up shots around the basket very well, allowing him to be a good strong deterrent. Whatever role a certain lineup may lack, Randall has the capabilities to step into most roles that he may be asked to play.
On offense, Randall has a very scalable ancillary game. He does not need the ball to be effective, as he is able to shoot it from outside and cut to the basket for layups or dunks. When he is asked to handle on ball reps, he has the ability to put his shoulder into defenders on drives and can make shots with his soft touch. He is not the most flexible player in the world, but his straight line drives are effective and he can even pull-up from mid-range if given space. Finally, Randall is an improving outside shooter off the catch with clean and consistent mechanics.
Randall profiles into a role that has him setting screens, rolling to the basket, and occasionally making plays off the short roll. It remains to be seen how he will make plays in this area, though I think he has lots of potential to successfully execute winning plays in these situations. His touch should also unlock some scoring opportunities in floater range, and he also has the potential to pop into open space depending on the pick and roll coverage he is facing. I also expect him to be setting many off-ball screens, where he can easily slip to the basket for scoring opportunities or free up teammates for clean looks. Randall has a skill set that every team in the country covets, and I am fascinated to see which path his recruiting ends up taking.
Austin Sperry
Like some of the other guards I have talked about throughout this piece, Austin Sperry exhibits incredible on-court creativity. Sperry is always using small nuanced movements to free up those around him, and he has many passing deliveries mastered. Behind the back passes in transition or over-head backwards passes to players roaming in the dunkers spot, Sperry is always making a play that leaves many fans in the stands speechless. This creativity translates very well over to his ball-handling, as he has many out of the box dribble combos to free up looks for himself at all levels. Ball control is certainly a marquee skill for Sperry, which shows up in his ball-handling and also his crafty finishing around the rim.
Sperry is also an amazing pull-up shooter who can get hot in an instant. He generates so much lift on his jumper, which lets him free up windows that may not otherwise be possible to shoot from. His shot is mechanically pure and he is able to get it off from range, and he has lots of potential as a movement shooter from outside. Another clear standout trait of Sperry’s is his great feel for the game which he always showcases on both ends of the floor. He has great scoring feel as he effectively gets to his spots, and his court mapping is truly incredible. His constant awareness and understanding of where the other nine players on the floor are at all times is a rare skill, and it helps him become a true master of offensive manipulation and unpredictability.
His feel also shows up on the defensive end, as he plays with a great anticipatory style and can make plays in a variety of different situations. His athleticism also stands out on both ends, as he is an explosive leaper and can cover ground effectively. This ground coverage helps him a lot on closeouts, where he also showcases his solid decelerative tools. Sperry’s combination of feel and physical tools gives him a solid foundation to build off of, and I am fairly confident in Sperry’s overall defensive development moving forward.
2026
DeZhon Hall
Despite being one or two grades below many of his counterparts, DeZhon Hall was a constant standout at this camp. Slashing guards have been a bit of a theme on this list, and Hall is a player who certainly fits into this criteria. Hall is an impressive downhill player in the halfcourt, as he has excellent stride length and overall burst. Deceleration is another strong suit for Hall, as he is able to hit the brakes on the end of his drives to throw off defensive timing. This deceleration carries over to his change of pace play, allowing him to reset drives and pull out some of the counter moves he has in his bag.
However, what truly unlocks Hall’s driving game is his ability to convert pull-up jumpers. Combining elite rim pressure and budding pull-up shooting gives the defense an ultimatum, where they essentially have to pick their poison when defending Hall. His shooting seems to be more streaky than consistent, as he constantly flipped between cold and hot shooting stretches. There were multiple times where Hall was dropping pull-up after pull-up which made him absolutely unstoppable, as when that shot is going you essentially are conceding free points either way. Shooting off forward-moving momentum is a struggle for lots of players, but this is something that DeZhon Hall seems very comfortable with. He is able to organize himself to get clean looks off the dribble, where he is extremely confident as a mid-range and outside shooter.
Defensively, Hall has the potential to be a positive player as a versatile guard defender and defensive playmaker. Hall had lots of moments at this camp applying high amounts of ball pressure, and his overall quickness allows him to do this. There are times where he will get beat off the dribble, but this ball pressure also naturally generates turnovers on less confident ball handlers. Transition defense is another strength of Hall’s, as he is able to make recovery plays on open breaks using his speed and explosive vertical leaping.
Gabe Weis
Movement shooters with a combination of solid height and fluidity provide latent value in modern basketball, and every team is trying to get their hands on as many of them as possible. These players are typically selected high in the NBA draft due to their lineup versatility, as they often work to ease up the difficulties from other roles. In comes Gabe Weis, who seems to be one of the better players in this mold in the 2026 class. Weis’ combination of touch and self-organization off of movement is fairly rare, and this combination makes him an absolutely lethal movement shooter. When you also consider that Weis is fluid and coordinated enough to attack closeouts off the catch, it becomes easy to see his long term offensive potential.
Adding onto his impressive offensive arsenal, Weis is a legitimately skilled shotmaker inside the arc, as he is comfortable hitting fading jumpers or floaters. These shots help open up easier drives for Weis, where his impressive stride length and touch finishing allow him to get all the way to the rim. There are moments of improvisational counters from Weis, which is another sign of incredible upside on the offensive end. Playing in a fast paced system could help unlock Weis’ full offensive skill set, as more transition play will help him get more open looks from outside but also easier drives against crossmatches.
Weis is kind of a jack of all trades type of player on defense, as he combines solid length and athleticism with good feel. Teams that covet tertiary rim protection and length will appreciate Weis’ skill set on defense, though I could see a world where he is miscasted into other roles on other teams. I would not have Weis on a player that comes off many screens, as many players with Weis’ frame often struggle to get around screens and effectively lock and trail moving players. Weis should prioritize help defense at the nail, low rotations, tagging roles, and occasionally stopping dribble drives from primarily spot up wings or forwards.
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