Josh Leonard is trending as one of the top freshmen in the country

Last high school season, Josh Leonard was named 4A All-State by the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association after averaging 9.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. This year, Leonard is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard and a rising freshman at Florence (SC) Wilson High. Leonard is the first eighth-grader to be awarded All-State honors in South Carolina since Cam Scott.

“I can finish at the rim or shoot the three. My game is rebounding and seeing the floor,” Leonard told On3. “I can get to my spots and score the ball. I’ve seen I can shoot the ball better this summer, and my handle is tighter.”

2027 Josh Leonard looks like an absolute star in the making down in South Carolina! #PhenomHoops @Coach_Rick57 @colbylewis20 @POBScout @JeffreyBendel_ @Phenom_Hoops @ty1ewis pic.twitter.com/UZwRg0qbiW

— Phenom Hoop Videos (@PhenomMixtapes) June 2, 2023

Leonard played up in age this summer with the Upward Stars program on the Adidas 3SSB 15U Circuit. With his play, Leonard gets invites to some major camps and showcases across the country, where he has continued to build his buzz. 

“I try to show that I can run with any competition,” Leonard said. “I’ll come out and play hard and play my game. I like creating shots for my teammates, pushing the ball, and making plays. I watch a lot of Giannis and LeBron. The way Giannis pushes the ball and how LeBron sees the whole floor.”

While Leonard is tracking as one of the top players in his class, his recruitment is still just getting started. Per the NCAA rules, colleges are not able to contact players directly until after their sophomore years of high school. 

“Right now, I have one offer from Jacksonville,” Leonard said. “To be honest, I grew up a fan of Auburn and Oregon because of their gear and their colors. And with Oregon, I saw some of my favorite players go play there.