The 2027 and 2028 classes brought a strong contingent to the Wootten 150 Camp. There were plenty of highly ranked four and five-star players, and for me, it was a good refresher after not getting a chance to really watch many of these guys since July. I wanted to see what skills and momentum had carried over from the summer and where they had improved. Several guys played well, but the cream of the crop really stood out.
Beckham Black and Cayden Daughtry were the two best players at camp in my opinion. Black, ESPN’s No. 1 player in 2027, was making shots, and the jumper looked smoother. At 6-foot-4, he brings size and athleticism to the point guard position. He tested with a 40-inch vertical at the OTE Combine, and that athleticism shows up on the court. We know he can score, but I liked how Black made his teammates better. You could see it in both the five-on-five and three-on-three play.
Daughtry carried his terrific summer into camp. After winning Peach Jam MVP and helping the Florida Rebels win it all at the 17U level, he’s climbed the rankings and has a case as the best player in the country. He was shooting the basketball well and showed high-level craft around the rim. I think he’s a better athlete than people give him credit for. His hang time allows him to finish through length, and the added strength showed in how he handled bumps on his drives.
Reese Alston was Reese. That’s the best way I can put it. The top-10 prospect in 2027 got where he wanted, showing his creativity in ball screens and isolation. Every time I see him, he looks better as an athlete, especially vertically. It’s more than dunking the basketball. His vertical pop allows him to contort his body and find ways to finish around the rim. Like his father, playground legend and former NBA PG Rafer Alston, there’s a lot of creativity to how he gets to his spots and makes plays.
The impact wasn’t all on the perimeter. Lewis Uvwo stood out with his shot blocking and rebounding, while Ahmed Nur caught my attention with how well he shot the basketball at 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. The ESPN top-20 prospect could get into the mid-post and shoot over defenders. As he gets stronger and continues working on his lateral movement, there’s a lot to work with long term.
I also liked the approach from Ryan Hampton. The 2027 wing and Kentucky commit played hard, played unselfishly and got after it on the glass. He was effective when the ball was reversed to him, attacking closeouts or getting into catch-and-shoot opportunities, and his midrange game got going. His positional size and perimeter shooting touch translate to the high-major level.
There were some familiar performances from the guards, too. Indiana commit Chase Branham was steady, getting into his pull-up game and showing his feel on and off the ball. Navarro Bowman was his usual self, using his athleticism to get to his spots. The UConn commit looks like a Dan Hurley type of point guard to me, with a chance to become an NBA player down the line. Michai White kept getting to the basket and finishing, giving us more of what we saw from the high-usage point guard in the EYBL this spring and summer.
Coming off a very good Peach Jam, Elijah Paez gave another solid showing. He played hard, drove to the basket and rebounded bigger than his listed 6-foot-5 height. The jumper is his swing skill, but I saw him make catch-and-shoot corner threes here. At the end of the day, Elijah is a ballplayer who finds ways to be effective. Nebraska commit Dawson Battie was sound as well, showing quality inside-out scoring among the 2027s.
Michigan State pledge Antonio Pemberton showed why he’s risen in the composite national
rankings. He’s a scorer who can get a bucket when he wants, and his pull-up shooting was really good here. Zion Green continued his strong run as well. The versatile 6-foot-10 prospect has impressed me from NBPA camp through July and now at Wootten, giving the 2027 group another good showing.
Jarvis Hayes Jr. was another 2027 guard who carried his spring and summer play into camp. The gangly two guard looked a little taller to me, although that’s just an observation rather than an official measurement. His father, Jarvis Hayes, played seven years in the NBA, and the younger Hayes continues to show his own scoring ability. He was sound on the perimeter, getting into his pull-up game and giving us more of what we saw on the UA circuit. I thought he had a good Wootten Camp and showed how he’s becoming a three-level scorer.
Among the 2028s, it was good to get another look at Josiah Rose after a hand injury kept me from seeing him in July. I saw the shooting and vertical pop, but I also liked his effectiveness off the dribble and his live-dribble passing. He could pinpoint cross-court passes to open shooters. Even without as many of the big athletic plays we normally see, his strength, length and two-way impact showed.
Braxton Bogard and Landon Lampley also had productive showings. Bogard had strong above-the-rim finishes through contact and was effective as a pick-and-pop option and on the short roll. Lampley brought consistent energy, which I liked. The 6-foot-7 wing forward has a strong base and a big frame that creates mismatches. He can score in the post, make an open three or put the ball on the floor, and he welcomes contact on his finishes. He’s one of the higher-end 2028s in the country, and he had a good showing here.
Emmanuel Nwabuku showed some of that growth I was looking for from the 2028 group. The 6-foot-9 power forward moves well and has always been able to challenge shots at the rim and finish plays from the dunker spot or on long rolls. Now you’re seeing him stretch the floor with a few threes and become more effective in his catch-and-drive game. He keeps getting better. A strong student with a high GPA, Emmanuel is a high-level Division I prospect in my opinion, with the build and versatility to rise in the national rankings.
That mix of physical tools and growing skill also showed up with Benji Berrouet in the 2028 group. He’s a forward with a thick frame and big-time athleticism, a quick leaper who explodes off the ground. Once he gets to the rim, he’s hard to contain, finishing through contact and above the rim. I also liked seeing the progress in his perimeter game. The jumper is coming along, and he keeps adding skill to an already imposing interior offensive game.
Will Brunson and Jeremiah Evans added to the versatility in the 2028 group. Brunson is an intriguing big wing who can bring a lot to the table on both ends. I enjoyed watching Evans show his full basketball repertoire, too. Both gave me more to like about the depth of talent in this class.
Wootten was a good chance to get back in the gym with these guys and see their progress since the summer. Next up is Border League this weekend, where we’ll get to many high-level collegiate prospects. I’m looking forward to getting another look at familiar faces and seeing who else stands out.