Peach Jam 2026 Players to Watch

By Jonathan Lidskin

Photo: Courtesy of Nike/@NikeEYB

My favorite basketball event of the summer is upon us. For six days in North Augusta, SC, the Riverview Park Activities Center will play host to some of the top 17u basketball talent in the country. Peach Jam will pit the top that the EYBL circuit has to offer against each other with the eyes of college coaches, scouts and many others on them. From Tuesday through Sunday, here are some guys I have my eye on.

GUARDS

Beckham Black - AB Elite

Now the #1 player in the country after Marcus Spears Jr. re-classified, Beckham Black comes into Peach Jam trying to lead AB Elite to a title. The younger brother of Orlando Magic point guard Anthony Black had a huge spring and start to the summer and has continued to evolve as a player by becoming an elite scorer. Black, for my money, is one of the best playmaking prospects of the 2020s and one of the best pure point guard prospects since Cade Cunningham.

Cayden Daughtry - Florida Rebels

The Florida Rebels were one of two teams in EYBL to finish atop the standings at 13-2. One of the big reasons for that is that they have the leading scorer in EYBL. At 25.6 points per game, Cayden Daughtry has taken the scoring title with ease and has established himself as one of the best guards in the 2027 class. He gets knocked for his size, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a serious weakness in his offensive game. Daughtry is shooting an absurd 66% from two in EYBL this season and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of nearly 3:1. If Florida Rebels take home the Peach Jam crown, you can bet that Daughtry is the MVP.

Javion Tyndale - UPlay Canada

Small guards, small guards, small guards. Javion Tyndale might be 5’10 on a good day, but if you’re looking for a difference maker at the high-major level, I’m not sure his size matters one bit. Tyndale is coming off a Gold Medal at the U18 Americup, where he led Canada to an upset over the United States. In that Gold Medal game, Tyndale finished with 19 points, 8 assists and 3 steals to put the finishing touches on MVP of the tournament. He is electric with the ball in his hands both as a shot creator and playmaker, and after a 10-5 regular season, his UPlay Canada team has serious aspirations about making some noise this week.

Davion Thompson - Meanstreets (Arkansas Commit)

Davion Thompson is a guy I’ve had my eye on since his freshman season at Bolingbrook in Illinois. After a transfer to Link Academy this past season, I believe Thompson has taken the steps as a point guard that he needed to in order to be a great college point guard. Thompson’s undeniable strength, however, is his outside shot. He shot 42% from three in EYBL this season, and his range stretches out far beyond the high school line. At 6’2, he’s also a solid rebounder for his size.

Jaxson Davis - Meanstreets

Meanstreets has been one of the better teams in EYBL in this class, so it is somewhat of a mystery how they finished just 8-7, but with Thompson, Quinton Kitt (who I’ll talk about later) and Jaxson Davis, they have a chance to make some noise this week. Davis is a pure point guard who is coming off a dominant HS season in Illinois. Offensively, he is an elite scorer and decision maker. Davis’ IQ is extremely high, and as a pure point guard, he can drop 30 in a game, but also set up his teammates to score 30.

NaVorro Bowman Jr. - Team WhyNot

As the son of a former All-Pro linebacker, NaVorro Bowman Jr. has taken some of his dad’s best traits from football and applied them to basketball. As a super dynamic guard, Bowman Jr. has found his way to second on the EYBL scoring leaderboard. He can play inside and out, but his toughness and willingness to finish through contact are what have stood out to me. What’s scary about Bowman Jr.’s game is that he has not filled out his frame yet. He is just 180 pounds, and as he continues to get stronger, he’s going to be a matchup nightmare for other guards. There is a reason he has shot up recruiting rankings since winter.

Adan Diggs - Vegas Elite

Less than two months ago, arguably the best player in the 2028 class decided to reclassify up to 2027. While playing up a grade level, Diggs remains one of the most intriguing guard prospects in the entire country. At 6’5, Diggs is great at using his positional size to create shots. He can rise up over defenders in the mid-range, and his movements are super fluid. Diggs isn’t going to be the most explosive athlete at Peach Jam this week, but his understanding of footwork and using his body to get off a good shot is better than just about anyone in North Augusta this week.

Honorable Mentions: Scottie Adkinson (MOKAN Elite, Mizzou commit), Dooney Johnson (Team Herro, Gonzaga commit), Devin Cleveland (Brad Beal Elite), Micah Gordon (PSA Cardinals), TJ Jamison (JL3), O’Neal Delancy (Florida Rebels)

WINGS/FORWARDS

AJ Williams - Team CP3

There’s a very real chance that the best player at Peach Jam this week ends up being from the 2028 class. Sam Lance said on our podcast from Sunday that AJ Williams is the best player in American prep basketball right now, regardless of class, and he’ll have a chance to prove it with a very good Team CP3 squad. Williams is an excellent two-way player aided by his athleticism. He can guard multiple positions and is extremely tough to stop getting downhill.

Colton Hiller - PSA Cardinals

Colton Hiller is another 2028 kid playing up that I have been intrigued by. Standing at 6’6, Hiller has a case as the best shooter in prep basketball right now. He’s sitting at 40% from three in EYBL on nearly seven three-point attempts per game. He’s got a super quick release that is tough to contest. Right now, Hiller seems to be more comfortable off the catch, but he is certainly a threat in transition. While he’s not going to jump out of the gym, he has great instincts and understands how to beat guys off the dribble, as you have to guard him tight on the perimeter.

Kager Knueppel - Team Herro (Duke Commit)

Kager Knueppel has naturally been one of the most talked about prospects in the 2027 class due to Kon’s success at Duke and now in the NBA, but make no mistake, Kager is nothing like his brother. Kager is a 6’10 perimeter-oriented wing/forward who unlike his brother, will not come into college with a mostly filled out frame. However, Kager as a prospect and player is super interesting because at 6’10, he shoots the cover off the basketball. Kager shot 48% from three on six attempts a game in the EYBL season and can step out beyond the three-point line to make them. He has also become a decent rim protector, so if he fills out his frame, you’d imagine there’s something deeper than just a stretch four.

DeMarcus Henry - Vegas Elite

When watching DeMarcus Henry, the word that comes to mind is “versatility”. Henry might be the best two-way player in the 2027 class, as he really can do a little bit of everything on a basketball court. The outside shot is not there right now, but Henry has a really nice combo of power and touch around the rim. He’s a tremendous rebounder and finished second in EYBL in rebounding at just 6’7. Defensively, I don’t know if there is a more switchable player in the class. He has the length and quickness to keep pace with some guards, while also providing the physicality necessary to hang with bigger forwards and smaller centers. His instincts on that end of the floor are fantastic as evidenced by his two steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

Quinton Kitt - Meanstreets (Illinois Commit)

This is without a doubt one of the more underrated players in the 2027 class. Kitt has risen slowly up rankings over the past 10ish months, but his current ranking is nowhere near the quality of player I believe he is. I mentioned earlier how much I like Davion Thompson and Jaxson Davis. Well, Kitt has actually been the leading scorer for Meanstreets. Illinois always seems to bring in these “junkyard dog” players, and I think Kitt fits that pretty well. He works hard to get his by crashing the offensive glass, using his body to punish smaller defenders and turning defense into offense.

Isaiah Santos - AB Elite

I first learned about Isaiah Santos this past spring while watching Beckham Black, and he impressed me as a #2 option for AB Elite. We know Black runs the show, but Santos does a tremendous job playing within himself. He can be the ultimate system guy as he knows how to move without the ball and doesn’t force bad shots or passes. Don’t be fooled either. He can fill up the stat sheet if you give him the chance.

Moussa Kamissoko - PSA Cardinals

In addition to Colton Hiller and Micah Gordon, PSA Cardinals also has one of the highest upside players in the class. Moussa Kamissoko is skinny, but moves extremely well for his size. So far in EYBL, he has shot 54% from the field and nearly 43% from three. With his skill set and fluidity, it’s easy to see him becoming one of the top players in this class by the end of next year. He needs to get stronger, and the decision-making could be better at times; however, he has shown flashes of playmaking upside.

Honorable Mentions: Ryan Hampton (Nightrydas, Kentucky commit), Carson Crawford (Florida Rebels), Ian Condon (Team Melo), Ahmad Hudson (JL3)

CENTERS:

Lewis Uvwo - Nightrydas

Possibly the biggest spring stock riser in recent memory, Lewis Uvwo is now the #6 overall player in the country. He is the best rim defender in high school basketball at the moment and is leading EYBL in blocks by a mile at 4.7 per game. Uvwo plays with an unmatched energy, often showing emotion after blocked shots. Expect him to be a standout big this week.

Caleb Ourigou - NY Rens

The NY Rens are going to be facing an uphill battle this week after Anderson Diaz re-classified, but the defense should still be annoying with Caleb Ourigou anchoring it. Ourigou is a tough prospect to evaluate as he doesn’t profile as a back-to-basket or rim-running center. However, he does a lot of the dirty work underneath the rim by snatching rebounds and protecting the basket on the defensive end. He is definitely more project than product at this point, as it’s hard to put a finger on what he consistently does well to help an offense, but there’s no doubt he impacts the game on defense and on the glass.

Isaiah Hill - Indy Heat (Purdue Commit)

I think this is a pretty thin center class across the board (as most are nowadays), but I certainly like Purdue grabbing in-state big Isaiah Hill. Hill is unlike the bigs Purdue will typically take, as he plays above the rim and has a +3.5 wingspan. He’s not going to come into college super polished, but the upside is certainly there. Right now on the offensive end, Hill is a lob threat with some decent touch, but struggles against physicality. His impact for Indy Heat is certainly something I will monitor this week after an underwhelming regular season by the team as a whole.

Peach Jam Superlatives:

Champion: AB Elite

Runner-Up: PSA Cardinals

MVP: Beckham Black

Surprise Team: Meanstreets

Biggest Stockriser: Moussa Kamissoko

Other 2028’s & 2029’s to watch (not playing 17’s):

Brady Pettigrew (2028) - Brad Beal Elite

JJ Crawford (2029) - NW Rotary Rebels

Erick Dampier Jr. (2028) - Alabama Fusion

JJ Sati-Grier (2028) - Team WhyNot

Mason Collins (2028) - Team CP3

Dylan Betts (2028) - Legynds

Players to know this week on other circuits:

Reese Alston (2027) - Cooz Elite (PRO16)

Darius Wabbington (2027) - Compton Magic (3SSB)

Chase Branham (2027 Indiana Commit) - KC RUN GMC (UAA)

Antonio Pemberton (2027) - Mass Rivals (3SSB)

Yann Kamagate (2028) - Compton Magic (3SSB)

Cole Kelly (2028) - Breakaway (3SSB)

Jason Gardner Jr. (2027) - Indiana Elite (3SSB)

Joshua Rivera (2027) - NJ Shoreshots (UAA)