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 yr, and that is half one among my recap highlighting the 2026 class.
Texas Affect Goes 4-0
Texas Affect accomplished a flawless document, and what was extra spectacular to me is that they don’t have a real large 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 carried out. Austin Senters led the workforce in scoring, as he was aggressive with the ball in his fingers. 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 standard field rating. He defended each place, deflected passes, and was in the precise place as a help-side defender. Within the final sport of the weekend, he bought it going offensively, making a number of pictures off the bounce. Lastly, Sawyer Dotson displayed his 3-point taking pictures prowess. He holds a fast set off and is nice connecting on pictures off the catch and motion. I believed he protected the rim pretty effectively, 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 area on drives. Porter generates numerous consideration from the defenses, and it led to some high-level passes in site visitors. Rykan Woo was pulling down triples and doing a great job balancing scoring & facilitating. Atticus Richmond was an inside-out scoring risk, making deep threes but additionally navigating effectively in tight areas to get a shot off in site visitors. Ethan Hillsman showcased his versatility and excessive power, which allowed him to be the place the ball was.
Mountain Stars Go 4-0I preferred what I noticed from Carter Basquez, a tall PG at 6’6 with a slim body. Carter performs the precise method and makes sensible choices with the ball in his fingers. He has contact from varied areas on the court docket and makes use of his measurement 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 large 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 together with his combo of measurement, contact, and taking pictures vary. Six-foot-8 with a great basketball body, Fiedler performed inside his strengths and made well timed pictures.
2026 UAA Inventory Risers
Joe Philon, 6’8 SF – Expertise Heart Elite: Philon is without doubt one of the finest defensive gamers I’ve seen within the class. Can legitimately guard 1-5 in the highschool area as his anticipation expertise, at the side of his lengthy arms and being a fast twitch athlete, enable him to cowl floor and make performs all around the court docket. His offensive sport is coming alongside too. Philon began getting in a groove together with his perimeter taking pictures 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 an entire participant. He’s arguably one of the best 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 prospect to blow up on the nationwide scene this summer time. With good positional measurement and high-level vertical pop,, he confirmed an intriguing offensive skillset. Mayfield knocked down threes, confirmed off his live-dribble passing sport, and made athletic performs on each ends.
Fred Smith Jr., 6’7 PF – P7 Elite: A talented lefty with a broad, robust body. A bodily driver who’s an inside/out scoring risk. Smith grabbed rebounds and pushed it up the ground, handed effectively out of double groups, and was a handful within the quick roll as a playmaker and scorer. He impressed me together with his offensive versatility.
Jacob Lanier, 6’5 CG – Gulf Coast BlueChips: Had him a hell of a weekend as his BlueChips workforce went 3-1. Successfully taking part in on and off the ball, Lanier created area for pictures using step-backs and good footwork. He shot over 40 % from three, and made the precise basketball performs.
Quinn Costello, 6’10 PF – Middlesex Magic: Somebody at his measurement that strikes effectively and shoots it like Costello does brings quite a bit 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 taking pictures it off the bounce. Costello might want to play by means of physicality higher, however he’s somebody I’ll guess on and see numerous upside with him.
UAA Session 1 Standouts
Jayden Hodge, 6’5 Wing – Shoreshots: A excessive IQ wing with a powerful body, Hodge is aware of the right way 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 having the ability to assault angles, which permits Hodge to aim high quality pictures.
Chris Washington Jr., 6’8 SF/PF – B-Maze Elite: There’s tons of upside with Washington as he holds good positional measurement, lengthy arms, mixed with big-time vertical pop. He places all of it collectively in spurts, however when it’s taking place, he massively impacts the sport. Blocking and altering pictures on the rim, taking pictures triples over the outstretched arm of the defender, put-back dunks, and locking up on the perimeter, Washington was getting it carried out in Kansas Metropolis. A flexible, excessive upside prospect that’s finest basketball is forward of him.
Collin Paul, 6’6 Wing – SOH Elite: An enormous guard prospect that may create area off the bounce, Paul performed with a mix of physicality and finesse that was spectacular. Finishes effectively with both hand and confirmed a degree of shot creation that you simply don’t see usually with a man his measurement.
Ryan Moesch, 6’0 PG – Middlesex Magic: A shifty guard that performs with numerous confidence. Athletic for measurement, fast twitched, and might rating it versus translatable top and athleticism. He’s the important thing cog for the Magic’s offense.
