USA Basketball Junior Minicamp: Day 2 Top Performers
Colorado Springs, Colorado – Eighty-four of the top players from across the country got the invite to the 2023 USA Basketball Junior National Team October Minicamp. The event lasts from Friday, October 6, to Sunday, October 8. On3 was courtside with NBA personnel and pre-approved media.
The players were broken up into two groups. The older players, mostly from the 2024 and 2025 classes – with a couple of 2026s mixed in – were with the blue group. The red group consisted of mostly class of 2026 and 2027 players, with a couple of 2025s mixed in. The blue group went first, and the red group followed. There were around four and a half – maybe a little more – hours of court time on Day one.
Let’s discuss the Day Two top performers from USA Basketball Junior National Team October Minicamp.
On3 MVP: Five-Star Plus+ AJ Dybantsa (2026)
Coming off a somewhat quiet first day, AJ Dybantsa showed why he is considered by some as the top prospect in high school basketball. His offensive game is so smooth and fluid. He is able to create his own space off the bounce, get to his spots, and rise up to knock down shots at multiple levels.
Dybantsa has great length with positional size. He plays with a sturdy base and great footwork, understands where his kill spots are on the floor, and gets to them. The jump shot is smooth and fluid. The release is high and consistent. In the small-sided games, he was able to move off the ball and put pressure on the defense with his cuts.
Already a top prospect with gold medal experience with USA Basketball, he is someone who continues to get better, tightening up his game.
2. Five-Star Plus + Dylan Harper
It continues to be the feel for Dylan Harper. His basketball IQ and his ability to go out and make a play shines bright in this setting. He is comfortable on the ball and has excellent vision, quickly diagnosing the play and delivering on target and on time to the appropriate read.
Harper, the son of former NBA champion Ron Harper, is a bigger guard. He uses his body well, a very good rebounder out of his position. Harper plays with natural balance and an easy-flowing pace. The jump shot is a little low, and that can get him in trouble in the mid-range. However, he has touch.
Harper can adjust to many situations, whether it is on the ball or off, whether short-sided games or full court, he produces.
3. Five-Star Plus+ Ian Jackson (UNC)
When the game opens up and things are free-flowing, Ian Jackson has the ability to shine. On day two, Jackson showed a confident bag. On offense, he created opportunities for himself off the bounce. He knocked down shots with range, and he had burst to get into the paint.
Jackson is a strong guard; he has a physical build with good length and burst. He showed a competitive fire on the defensive ends. In numerous plays in the five-on-five portion, he picked up the ball-handler full court, turning his man multiple times.
Jackson also had what might have been the dunk of the day when he attacked the rim and dunked on a late-rotating big.
4. Five-Star Plus+ PF Koa Peat (2025)
There is a winning factor that Koa Peat brings to the floor, and it is hard to ignore that. Especially with game-play. No matter if it is small-sided or five-on-five play, Peat’s team consistently found itself in the championship or the finals.
Peat is a mismatch type of player. A bigger, stronger guy with great length, he is comfortable initiating the offense. He has good vision and plays with a great pace. He will need to continue working on the jump shot; it can flatten out when he shoots it off movement. Peat takes on every challenge, connecting his team from multiple areas on the floor.
5. Four-Star C Patrick Ngongba
It has been a good weekend for Patrick Ngongba. The 6-foot-10 center has showcased a lot of new facets to his game, especially on the offensive end. On day one, he showed he could consistently nock down a spot jump shot. The form and the balance were consistent.
On Day Two, the touch around the basket was the attack of choice. He moved well off the ball, got to his spots on the block, and finished consistently over both shoulders. Ngongba is a good area rebounder, has strong hands, and he high points the ball. Ngongba is still young for his class; he is still growing and getting stronger. There were times when he was pushed off his spots, but the weight would come.
Ngongba’s game is on an upward trajectory and has been over the past eight or so months.
6. Four-Star PF Morez Johnson (Illinois)
It is hard not to notice the toughness and the competitiveness that Morez Johnson is playing with. Throughout the drills portion, he shows off the explosion and the vertical pop at the rim. During the games, he is collecting seemingly every rebound in sight.
There is a toughness factor that comes with rebounding. A see it and go get it, no matter who else is there factor. Johnson is getting the ball in and out of his area during each phase of the minicamp. Offensively, Johnson has continued to play a high percentage game. He knows what his strengths are and does not do what he cannot. There is a ferocity to his game, making winning plays.
7. Four-Star PG Darius Acuff (2025)
Darius Acuff is talented, very talented, in fact. The 6-foot-1 guard is simply able to create offensive opportunities for himself off the bounce. He has a good first step, but his understanding of pace and how to change his cadence gets him into the paint.
The jump shot is best when he is shooting off the bounce. He steps into the shot with confidence and pulls up with deep range. The next step in Acuff’s progression is the reads and the passing, being able to see the whole floor.
There is a mental toughness factor with him as well. Acuff wants the ball in his hands and seems to live for the moments when the game is on the line.
8. Five-Star PG Boogie Fland
Through two days, the shooting has really stood out for Boogie Fland. He is comfortable on the ball and not getting sped up. His reads have been consistent, and he has not put the ball in danger when he has been asked to make a play.
Fland is a veteran of USA Basketball, having played with the 17U team two summers ago. He came into camp with confidence, having a good time but also getting to work when the time called. The shot was confident off the catch and off the bounce; when he got rid of the ball, he would relocate, shot-ready. Also, there is a leadership factor with him that shows.
9. Four-Star SF Annor Boateng (Missouri)
Annor Boateng seems to always be ready to make the right play, and that trait really shows when he has a lot of good players around him. What really has popped so far for him is the shooting. His form looks great, the release is soft, and the balance is there. He named numerous threes when theball swung around to him.
Boateng did a good job today filling in a lot of different roles. He was a very good rebounder when his team needed it. He moved the ball well, able to initiate the play from multiple locations on the floor. The shooting was there. During the three-on-thee portion, he guarded the perimeter as well as on the block. The positional versatility, on both ends of the floor, is there and at a high level.
10. Four-Star SG Akai Fleming (2025)
Akai Fleming made the game simple today. He did not hunt his shots, but he picked his spots. When the ball was in his hands, good things seemed to happen.
Fleming has a smooth shot, a quick release with range on it. He wanted the ball in crucial situations and was able to make a play. He used his pace to get into the paint and had some crafty finishes at the rim.
While his game is not flashy, it was very solid. There is a lot of value in not overdoing it. a
Other Standouts
Four-Star CG Ahmad Nowell (UConn) – The connecting factor Ahmad Nowell brings translates in every setting. He is a tough-nosed on-the-ball defender while being able to handle, shoot, and pass in a secondary role.
Four-Star SF Jamier Jones (2025) – Each time I looked up, it seemed that Jamier Jones was making a play. Around the ball on both ends. He is an explosive wing who is not afraid to rebound. The passing was interesting on Day 2.
Four-Star PG Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn) – When they play small-sided games and just let the guys play, Tahaad Pettiford shines. His free-flowing game is electric. He has a quick and crafty handle and can manufacture space for himself.
Five-Star Plus+ Center Jayden Quaintance (2025) – These settings can be tough for bigs. Typically, a lot of the drills and the games are geared toward the guards. Jayden Quaintance was able to make his presence felt on the defensive end. He moved his feet on the perimeter, blocked shots around the rim, and showed to be a strong presence in the paint.
Four-Star PG Jeremiah Fears (2025) – No matter the drill or the game, Jeremiah Fears plays with confidence. He has a quick handle and is decisive in getting to his spots and rising up.
Four-Star CG Jasper Johnson (2025) – It was the shooting that popped on Day 2 for Jasper Johnson. In this setting, shooting pops, and during this session, Johnson’s shooting popped.
Five-Star SF Drake Powell (UNC) – Drake Powell made his mark on the defensive end. He is tough to shake on that end, showing excellent anticipation with length and athleticism. Offensively, it was up and down, with some turnovers when dribbling in the halfcourt. His weapon is the elbow jumper; there is a lot of confidence when he gets to that shot.
Five-Star Plus+ SG Jalil Bethea (Miami) – Jalil Bethea can score the ball. Today, in the small-sided portion of the session, he showed a very impressive bag. He needs to continue adding to his game outside of scoring, but the feel for his spots is impressive.
Four-Star SF Khani Rooths – The game continues expanding for Khani Rooths. He is confidently getting into his mid-range pull-up, and the catch-and-shoot three is looking polished. His defensive upside is impressive. His game is trending in the right direction.
Four-Star SG Jamari Phillips (Arizona) – The jump shot continues to pop for Jamari Phillips. He is a very confident shooter with a quick release and range.
Four-Star CG Brayden Burries (2025) – Brayden Burries’ game is so solid. He plays balanced with a true skill set. What he lacks in burst, he makes up for with know-how. He has a good pace, a smooth jump shot, and plays off two feet in the paint.
Four-Star PG Nyk Lewis (2025) – Nyk Lewis does the tough guy stuff, the stuff that does not necessarily show up in the box score but helps his team win games. Good defender, a good rebounder, and a paint-touch lead guard.
Four-Star PF Chris Cenac (2025) – The physical tools really pop for Chris Cenac. He walks into the gym looking the part with long arms, good size, and broad shoulders. The jump shot has touch, and he shows his quick twitch on the boards. Defensively, his upside is very high.
Four-Star PF Jack McCaffery (2025) – Jack McCaffery is very skilled. His IQ is high, and he played today with confidence. While the jump shot was not falling like normal, his off-ball movement and his mid-range were working. An opportunistic day.
Four-star SF Hudson Greer (2025) – Hudson Greer continues to improve. He is playing with great energy on both ends of the floor. He had the pull-up jumper working. Consistency with the jump shot is the next step for him.
Four-Star SG Jordan Smith (2026) – The toughness continues to shine for Jordan Smith. He is such a tough-nosed defender, able to guard the ball and play in the passing lanes. Always plays with purpose.
Four-Star SG Kiyan Anthony (2025) – Kiyan Anthony continues to lay with a lot of confidence. The scoring is what pops immediately; he has range on the jumper and is getting into the middle game. Smooth.
Four-Star SG Trent Perry (2026) – Trent Perry is playing with a lot of passion. He is getting to the rim in straight lines, making nice passing reads in the half-court, and defending the ball. Nice glue guy, winning plays.
Five-Star Plus+ PG Brandon McCoy (2026) – Brandon McCoy walks on the court looking the part. He has long arms and a twitchy frame. Today, he showed his ability to defend at the point of attack and his passing acumen. Excellent feel.
Four-Star SF Tajh Ariza (2026) – Tajh Ariza continues to show high-level flashes. He had a couple of mid-range pull-ups, got in the passing lanes, and moved the ball appropriately. His game is coming around, and his ceiling remains very high.
Four-Star PG Kingston Flemings (2025) – Kingston Flemings has a lot of natural tools. The length is there, the passing touch is there, and the pull-up jumper is confident. He continued to show flashes today as it continues to all come together.
Five-Star Plus+ Jalen Haralson (2025) – The matchup issues continue for Jalen Haralson’s opponents. His passing is obvious. Today, he did a good job of finishing around the basket. He is strong and has a great basketball IQ.
Five-Star Plus+ SG Isiah Harwell (2025) – Isiah Harwell connects the pieces. He is an excellent on-the-ball defender. Offensively, he knocks down shots, can initiate the offense, and, overall, makes the right play. So much value in Harwell.