Throughout our recent time in Atlanta, the city was absolutely on fire in terms of high school basketball two weekends ago. With countless events going on throughout the A, we bounced back and forth between watching elite prep basketball at The Grind Session Atlanta stop and local ATL talent at the Hawks/Naismith Classic. When you combine the two events, you get a glimpse of the immensely rich amount of talent available to evaluate just a few miles apart in The Peach State.
Held in conjecture with the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Academy and the Atlanta Tip-Off Club, the Hawks/Naismith Classic offered four loaded boys games at gorgeous Holy Innocents High School. The event brought a standing room only crowd to see the ridiculous amount of players with stars next to their names, as well as under the radar players who are making their name in the city. Toss in the involvement of the Jr. NBA and the Naismith Foundation and you have a well-organized event.
Having already examined the top performers that we saw throughout the final two games (Woodward vs Holy Innocents and Tri-Cities vs McEachern), here are some of the players who saw their stock rise via their play at the Hawks/Naismith Tip-Off Classic:
Devin Hutcherson, 6’4, SG, Holy Innocents (Georgia), 2026
There wasn’t a single player who helped themselves more at the Hawks/Naismith Classic than Devin Hutcherson, a fast twitch combo guard from Holy Innocents. Able to guard all three perimeter positions, Hutcherson showed his elite ability as a two way guard at the next level. He poured in 30 points on the offensive end by the way of explosive straight line drives, great cuts to open areas, and acrobatic finishes at the rim. Already signed to Belmont, Devin should be able to contribute immediately with his ability to defend and relentless style of play.
Jarvis Hayes Jr. 6’5, SG, Woodward Academy (Georgia), 2027
While his younger brother Myles gets a ton of attention, people forget that Jarvis Hayes Jr. is an elite prospect in his own right. An absolute blur in transition, Jarvis Jr. is a super smooth slasher who you don’t have to run many plays for, puts pressure on the defense with his explosive first step, and is special when it comes to jumping the lanes defensively. Owning offers from the bulk of the ACC and SEC, the older Hayes has no shortage of powerhouse programs actively vying for his services and should be shooting up the rankings soon enough.
Emmanuel Alofe, 6’7, PF, McEachern HS (Georgia), 2026
One of the better unsigned seniors in ATL, Emmanuel Alofe showed the tools of a perfect glue guy for a loaded McEachern squad now ranked No. 43 in the FAB 50. He utilizes his crazy long wingspan to keep plays alive on the offensive glass, is a formidable rim protector, and has range out to the 33-point line. The 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks that Alofe dropped don’t do justice to the impact that he had on the game.
Mason McMillan, 6’1, PG/SG, McEachern HS (Georgia), 2026
The best shooter that we saw at the Hawks/Naismith Classic was undoubtedly Mason McMillan. Able to play both on and off the ball, McMillan was a threat to shoot the ball anywhere on the floor, did a great job of relocating to open areas, and had no problem shooting the ball on the move in McEachern’s win over Tri-Cities. Mason is also capable of clutch 3-point shooting, highlighting his potential a sharpshooting combo guard.
Khalid Worthy, 6’8, PF, Holy Innocents (Georgia), 2028
While he didn’t put up huge numbers against Woodward Academy, Khalid Worthy made an impact on the game that doesn’t show up in the box score. He utilized his length to disrupt a number of plays on the defensive end, was agile enough to help all over the floor, and was a threat as an offensive rebounder. While still rough round the edges, Khalid showed the promise to firmly place him as a name to watch in the Southeast Region for the class of 2028.
Alvin Pettway Jr., 6’8, PF/C, McEachern HS (Georgia), 2029
One of the few freshman who saw significant minutes in the Hawks/Naismith Classic, Alvin Pettway Jr. showed that he could hold his own against the older competition. The youngster showed the ability to play through contact at the rim with either hand, utilized his broad shoulders to rebound his area well, and did not back down from any physicality in the paint. The size, physical gifts, and blueprint are in place for Pettway to be yet another big time prospect to come out of McEachern.
Editor's Pick
Hawks/Naismith Classic: Top Performers!