Mid-Week Takeaways from Nike EYBL Peach Jam

Kentucky Sports Radio’s Jack Pilgrim and Jacob Polacheck will arrive in North Augusta on Thursday evening. However, I’ve had boots on the ground at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam since late Sunday afternoon. After spending Tuesday through Sunday in Rock Hill for the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships, I extended my stay in South Carolina and came directly to the Peach Jam.

One of the great things about the early portion of the Peach Jam is how comparatively quiet the gyms are. There are still some big crowds, especially for Bryce James, AJ Dybantsa, and the Boozer twins, but without college coaches in the building (and folks having to work) it simply isn’t as crowded as the weekend. It simply is a little bit easier to move around and get work done early in the week.

Jack and Jacob will bring all of your player interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage starting Thursday night, but here are some big-picture thoughts and takeaways from the first few days of the annual event.

Top End Talent in 2025 & 2026 is Special

Much has been made about how historically bad the 2024 class was. That was true both in terms of the current incoming freshman class to the college ranks and the incoming rookie NBA Draft class. However, for everything that the class of 2024 was not, the 2025 and 2026 classes appear to have a chance to be special. There is no better example of that than the Oakland Soldiers’ one-two punch of AJ Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes.

Dybantsa, the #1 prospect in the Class of 2025 and universally considered the best prospect in all of the prep ranks, looks like an NBA player at the Peach Jam. He has NBA size at 6’8”, 185 pounds, NBA skill, and NBA athleticism. This sort of statement gets overused about the best player in seemingly every class, but the question with Dybantsa isn’t whether or not he is the best prospect in 2025, it is who was the last prospect as good as him? He has gone for 21, 23, and 23 points in three wins at the Peach Jam so far.

Meanwhile, while Dybantsa holds down the top spot in 2025 and looks like a future NBA #1 overall pick, the Oakland Soldiers also feature a top prospect in the Class of 2026. Tyran Stokes, ranked #2 in the On3 Industry Ranking, has physical tools well beyond his years. At 6’7”, 225 pounds he is built as much like an NFL tight end or defensive end as a future NBA star. However, Stokes absolutely is on track to have a long basketball career. Not only is he a talented scorer, but his physical size allows him to dominate most defenders and finish at a very high percentage. Stokes is shooting 60% from the field through three games at the Peach Jam averaging 19 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. He is a truly special two-way prospect who, for my money, is the best prospect in the 2026 class.

Cameron Boozer’s Consistent High-Level Production is Impressive

There is no denying that AJ Dyantsa is the best player and prospect in the Class of 2025. Reasonable minds could even argue that players such as Nate Ament, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson have more NBA upside. However, there is something to be said about the consistent, high-level production of Cameron Boozer. Through four games in North Augusta, Boozer is averaging 22.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is currently the second-leading scorer and top rebounder on the EYBL circuit as a whole.

For everything that Boozer can do at his size, it is his tenacious rebounding ability that stands out the most. As I posted on KSBoard on Wednesday evening after watching the 6’9” power forward dominate Team Herro, Cameron Boozer is quite possibly the best rebounder that I have evaluated in 14 years of scouting. There just aren’t that many guys with his combination of size, strength, athleticism, and motor. He is going to be an outstanding college and NBA player.

Tounde Yessoufou is a Two-Way Beast

During the spring live evaluation periods, it was clear that Tounde Yessoufou was a priority for Coach Pope and company. Beginning Friday night at 6:00 p.m., Division I college coaches will swarm the Riverview Activities Center and you can expect the ‘Cats to be following Yessoufou closely through the weekend. During the week, the four-star wing averaged 21.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game with impressive efficiency while also dominating on the defensive end of the floor.

While his offensive proficiency is impressive, a couple of his defensive plays have stood out the most. Down the stretch in a close game against Team Takeover on Wednesday, Yessoufou made the ball handler pick up his dribble due to his physicality. He showcased textbook defensive fundamentals by showing his hands and using his chest to cut off the driver. When the ball handler would come into contact with Yessoufou’s chest it would immediately knock him backward, forcing him to pick up his dribble. It is a little thing, but it was really impressive to watch.

How are the Kentucky Targets Doing?

• AJ Dybantsa (Oakland Soldiers 17u): 22.3 points, 4.0 rebounds
• Cameron Boozer (Nightrydas Elite 17u): 22.5 points, 10.0 rebounds
• Jasper Johnson (Team Thad 17u): 19.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists
• Cayden Boozer (Nightrydas Elite 17u): 9.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists
• Tounde Yessoufou (Team WhyNot 17u): 21.8 points, 5.0 rebounds
• Acaden Lewis (Team Durant 17u): 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Other Sights, Standouts, and Storylines

• Current and former NBA players have spent a lot of time at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. Whether it is watching a team they sponsor, watching their son play, or simply taking in some good basketball there have been several basketball celebrities sitting courtside. Trevor Ariza, Matt Barnes, Bradley Beal, Carlos Boozer, Chris Paul, and Thaddeus Young have been among the stars to make an appearance so far this week.
• Speaking of NBA players, their kids are really starting to take over the AAU circuit. Obviously, the Boozer twins are the best of the bunch currently, but there are several other top prospects with NBA lineage. Kiyan Anthony started the week off with a 40-point performance. Tajh Ariza is a Top 10 prospect in the Class of 2026. Then, there is Bryce James who commands massive crowds of young kids at every single one of his games.
• Between some conversations with other national media members, NBA scouts, and player representation through the week it has been clear that BYU is now a formidable opponent on the recruiting scene. Not only are they well positioned for AJ Dybantsa, with a hefty price tag, but they also are hot on the trail of a few other Top 50 type prospects. There is a strong commitment there to be good at basketball with cost not really being an object.
• Where Kentucky stands in the recruitment will be something that Jack Pilgrim and Jacob Polacheck will unearth when they get to the Peach Jam on Thursday night, but Jerry Easter has been excellent through his first handful of games this week. He is averaging 22.1 points per game which included a massive 34-point performance, on just 15 shots, on Tuesday evening.
• For much more LIVE coverage from the Peach Jam, be sure to join us on KSBoard!

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