Class of '24 SF Amier Ali breaking onto AAU scene; drawing Kentucky interest

Amier Ali seemingly erupted onto the national recruiting scene out of nowhere during last weekend’s opening AAU session of the 2022 season. But the incredible performances he put on down in Orlando were no surprise to those close to him. Ali had been biding his time as a high school sophomore, playing behind a lineup that was filled to the brim with Power 5 prospects. After shining at the Nike EYBL’s first session, he’s quickly become one of the hottest recruits in the nation.

Ali, who was born in Columbus, OH, is a class of 2024 6-foot-8, 175-pound wing who recently finished up his sophomore season at Montverde Academy (FL), a famous powerhouse program that won its seventh GEICO Nationals earlier this month. Ali understandably didn’t see the floor all that much throughout the year, playing behind five-stars such as Duke commit Dariq Whitehead and Indiana commit Jalen Hood-Schifino. Ali attached himself to Whitehead during the season, learning everything he could from the No. 4 player in the 2022 class.

The playing time will jump as he heads into his junior season though. Ali figures to be one of the centerpieces for the next two seasons at Montverde. Following his breakout performance in Orlando, it’s easy to see why.

Ali, who was recently tabbed as the No. 23 overall recruit in On3‘s initial 2024 player rankings, was impressive as droves of Divison I coaches watched him from the sidelines. In just the last few days, he’s announced offers from the likes of Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Alabama, Memphis, and the Kentucky Wildcats. Virginia Tech, LSU, Wake Forest, and Ohio State had already offered prior to last weekend.

Grateful to have received an offer from the University of Kentucky! May Allah protect me from the evil eye 🧿 @KentuckyMBB #BBN pic.twitter.com/ls5muLBZ60

— Amier Ali (@simofafan) April 15, 2022

Playing up a year for the U17 squad, Ali helped lead Houston Hoops to a 2-2 record. He averaged 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest while shooting over 41 percent from distance across those four outings. The Circuit tabbed him as the top underclassman at the Nike EYBL in Orlando.

One of the coaches in attendance early on was UK assistant Chin Coleman, who later convinced head coach John Calipari to watch him the next day. The Kentucky staff clearly liked what they saw.

“(Calipari) said (Amier’s) got a raw talent, love the way he looks at people when he’s playing, he’s got that chip on his shoulder, and he can shoot the ball,” Mohamed Ali, Amier’s father, told KSR on Friday.

Amier is an ideal prospect for the next level and beyond. He’s incredibly smooth with the ball in his hands at 6-foot-8 with a long complementary wingspan. Shooting is what he excels at right now along with his impressive handle in the open court. He’s thin at roughly 175 pounds and his defense needs some fine-tuning, but there is a high-level prospect still growing inside of him. Ali grew six inches the summer of eighth grade and added another inch this past year.

He didn’t get to show his true potential as a sophomore at Montverde, so he made sure to announce himself once the AAU season began.

“We came to Orlando Session I and he looked me in the eye and said ‘Dad I’m gonna kill everybody’,” Mohamed Ali said. “That’s what he said, literally, ‘I’m gonna kill everybody, I’m gonna be the hottest guy in the EYBL,’ and I said all right let’s see. And he did it.”

Ali is primed to continue his breakout into the summer, where more offers will surely fly in. North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis plans to watch him play at next weekend’s EYBL Session II up in Indianapolis. Kentucky will likely check in on Ali again, too. He’ll be a household name in the recruiting world by the fall.