They’ve Got Next: Top High School Recruits Make Their Case at Nike Showcase in Arizona

Jason Crowe Jr., 6-foot-3 guard, Oakland Soldiers

Class of 2026

Crowe, a 6-foot-3 point guard, was the best scorer on the court during the first session. The lefty guard got to his spots with ease and finished through contact at the rim. Although he still favors attacking the left side of the floor, he did show some promising signs finishing with both hands during a close 85-82 win over AZ Unity Saturday afternoon. Crowe averaged 25.3 points, 4.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game as the Oakland Soldiers won all three of their games. Although Crow is a high-volume shooter, his instincts as a lead guard are elite and his shot selection will likely improve. UCLA, Alabama, Villanova, Miami, USC, Kentucky and others have all offered the five-star guard. 

Christian Collins, 6-foot-8 forward, Team Why Not

Class of 2026

Collins was a must-watch for the NBA scouts. His combination of size, length and skill makes him an intriguing prospect in the 2026 high school class. He has been one of the biggest risers in high school basketball from last year to now. Collins teamed up with the consensus No. 2 prospect in the class, Brandon McCoy, for his high school season at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California) and made huge strides during the season. “I’ve never been number one or number two on the scouting report before this year,” Collins told HoopsHQ. “So I’m learning to make in-game adjustments and just take what the defense gives me.” 

Team Why Not finished the weekend 3-0, solidifying themselves as a top contender. Collins averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and oozed potential as a grab-and-go wing, advancing the ball immediately after a defensive board. There’s no shortage of talent on Team Why Not this season. Tajh Ariza (son of former NBA player Trevor Ariza) is another five-star prospect with length and defensive versatility. In a commanding 86-64 win over The Family on Sunday, Why Not had five players scoring in double digits and only committed eight turnovers all game as a group. “I love playing with these guys and we all get along so well off the court so that definitely helps our chemistry,” Collins said. 

Collins already has offers from Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Arizona State with more likely to roll in this spring. 

Qayden Samuels, 6-foot-5 guard, Team Takeover

Class of 2026

It’s hard to find a tougher backcourt on the EYBL circuit than Samuels and Jordan Smith Jr. Samuels edged out Smith on an individual level in the first session but collectively, the pair were virtually unstoppable. Samuels is a combo guard who displayed elite shot creation and scored in a variety of ways. He left the weekend averaging 25.3 points, tied for first in scoring with Crowe. Samuels holds 19 Division I offers including Villanova, UConn, Tennessee, Kansas, Florida State, Georgetown and Illinois. 

Dylan Mingo, 6-foot-5 guard, PSA Cardinals

Class of 2026

Mingo played his junior year at Long Island Lutheran alongside his older brother Kayden (Penn State commit) and Kiyan Anthony (Syracuse commit). The guards created a three-headed monster that caused problems for a lot of teams. Many scouts and college coaches were eager to see how Mingo did as a leader and what sort of jump he would make as the primary ball handler. All questions were answered in the first game as Mingo exploded for 28 points in the against Expressions and capped the weekend off averaging 23.3 points per game, leading PSA Cardinals to a 3-0 record. Mingo’s latest offer is from Texas and has also been offered by Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Providence and Florida State. 

Jordan Smith Jr., 6-foot-2 guard, Team Takeover

Class of 2026

Smith came into the EYBL season with a bit of buzz after being one of the best guards at the USA Basketball training camp in San Antonio over Final Four weekend. His strength and positional size stands out. He uses his body extremely well to finish through contact. Where he’s made the most improvement is creating separation off his shot and cutting off the ball. Three separate times in the overtime win over Utah Prospects, Smith was able to sneak behind the defense and convert on easy buckets at the rim. He wrapped up the weekend averaging 22.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Every high major program seems to be on Smith with Duke, Arkansas, Kansas, Houston Kentucky all offering. There are also rumblings that Georgetown is a dark horse candidate. 

Ikenna Alozie, 6-foot-2 guard, Utah Prospects

Class of 2026

Alozie has been on an absolute tear since the end of his high school season at Dream City Christian. He was named the tournament MVP at Basketball Without Borders over NBA All-Star Weekend and recently played for the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit for his native Nigeria. This is Utah Prospects’ first season in the EYBL after they won the 16-under and 17-under division on the adidas 3SSB circuit the last two years. Alozie is a true floor general and controlled all aspects of the offense for the Prospects. He was a very efficient shooter and took high percentage shots. Alozie averaged 21.7 points and 5.7 rebounds as the Prospects went 2-1 for the weekend. On the recruiting front, Alozie has heard from BYU, Arizona, Arizona State and Akron. 

Marcus Spears Jr., 6-foot-7 forward, Drive Nation 16U

Class of 2027

Spears came off the bench for a loaded Dynamic Prep during the high school season and this was his first chance to play in the 16-under league. The tandem of Spears and Ryan Hampton had many NBA scouts lining the baseline for games. Spears is the son of former NFL player Marcus Spears and he passes the eye test with his big frame and versatile inside-outside game. Drive Nation went 1-2 in Session 1 with Spears averaging 16.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, leading all players at the 16-under level in offensive efficiency and performance index rating. Spears holds early offers from LSU (where his dad played football and mom played basketball), Texas, Stanford, SMU, and Oklahoma State. 

Tarris Bouie, 6-foot-6 guard, Team Thad

Class of 2026

Bouie led Team Thad to a 2-1 record in Session 1 and his improved motor shined through. He shot 53 percent from the field and although he was turnover prone at times, the majority of his turnovers came at the end of the shot clock. Bouie can appear a bit chaotic at times, especially when getting downhill but his on-ball defense and ability to switch on anyone on the perimeter was impressive. Bouie is leading Team Thad in scoring and averaging 19.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Marquette, Alabama and Wake Forest have all offered. 

Sammy Jackson, 6-foot-7 forward, Team Final

Class of 2026

Jackson was a positive spark for Team Final all weekend long. The Philadelphia native showed consistent two-way abilities and has great positional size as a combo guard. Over the course of three games, Jackson averaged 13 points, four rebounds and four assists and only turned the ball over twice per game in 28 minutes on the court. Look for Jackson to make a big jump in the rankings after this AAU season. Villanova, Penn State, Auburn and Vanderbilt are already making the standout guard a priority. 

JJ Crawford, 5-foot-9 guard, NW Rotary

Class of 2029

Crawford was one of the youngest players in the gym, playing up a division as an eighth grader for the 15-under group. The youngest son of NBA veteran Jamal Crawford, JJ exudes a lot of the same skills as his father. He still appears to be growing, having been listed at 6-foot at 14 years old, and he has become an excellent three-point shooter. Crawford converted an incredible 61.5 percent from three on 8.6 attempts per game. In a two-point loss to JL3, he went 5-for-7 from three and finished with 15 points. The young guard already holds very early offers from Rutgers in Missouri and made a lasting impression on all the NBA scouts who got to see him play in person for the first time.