Nike EYBL Peach Jam: Evaluations of Kentucky Targets (2026)

Kentucky Sports Radio had a presence at the annual Nike EYBL Peach Jam all week long. Technically, games started on Saturday, July 13 while Zack Geoghegan and I were still in Rock Hill, South Carolina covering the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships. However, I made the trip to North Augusta, South Carolina in the afternoon on Sunday, July 14, and was there all week long. Then, on Thursday evening, Jack Pilgrim and Jacob Polacheck joined in on the fun. Those two conducted numerous player interviews and gathered plenty of scoop that has been and will continue to be disseminated on the website and KSBoard. My expertise though is sitting with my pen and paper evaluating the talent.

Between EYBL Session III in Indianapolis and a week spent at the Peach Jam, I’ve now seen these prospects play live many times. When you add in previous years and film study there are dozens of viewings for each of Kentucky’s top targets in the Class of 2025. If you missed it, you can check out my evaluations of 2025 of 2026 prospects from the 3SSB Championships. Also, we took a look at the Class of 2025 prospects at the Peach Jam. Now, let’s dive in and evaluate some of Kentucky’s top targets in the Class of 2026.

***All star ratings and prospect rankings are via the On3 Industry Ranking.***

Brandon McCoy (St. John Bosco 2026 – Arizona Unity 17U)

Five-Star, #1 Prospect

When you are evaluating elite prospects you can pretty much always start by mentioning their physical tools. Typically, you don’t become a five-star talent without the requisite size, length, and athleticism. That certainly is the case with Brandon McCoy who possesses elite positional size at 6’5″ with long arms. While playing up at the 17U level with Arizona Unity, McCoy averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. However, it was what he did defensively that really made waves in North Augusta. On3 Senior National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw deemed McCoy as the top perimeter defender in high school basketball during the week and I would tend to agree. He has such high-level hands and feet. Big-time two-way prospect.

Tyran Stokes (Notre Dame 2026 – Oakland Soldiers 17U)

Five-Star, #2 Prospect

The Oakland Soldiers obviously feature AJ Dybantsa who is universally considered the top prospect in all of high school basketball. However, having watched many of their eight games at the Peach Jam, it wasn’t uncommon for Tyran Stokes to be the best player on the floor. Listed at 6’7″ and 225 pounds, Stokes takes elite physical tools to another level. His ability to maintain high-end speed and agility while being built like an NFL All-Pro defensive end is truly impressive. Stokes is an absolute bull when getting downhill to the rim, but he still makes great reads with the ball in his hands and is a true playmaker offensively. Then, defensively, he is an excellent rebounder and is switchable across five positions on a given possession. He averaged 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on the week.

Jason Crowe (Inglewood H.S. 2026 – WhyNot 17U)

Five-Star, #5 Prospect

Playing alongside one of Kentucky’s top 2025 targets, Tounde Yessoufou, this rising junior had a great week for Team WhyNot as well. He will definitely need to become more efficient, but that is to be expected when playing up at an event like the Peach Jam. However, despite some inefficiency, Crowe still managed to score 13.8 points per game. The smooth, left-handed guard runs the point a lot for WhyNot, but appears to be wired more as a scorer. He is about as true of a “combo guard” as you will find and can flourish in an on-ball or off-ball role at the next level. His shot mechanics are intact and what he shot over the course of the first four EYBL sessions (18-55 from 3) proves he can make threes. Definitely one of the top guards in the Class of 2026.

Jalen Montonati (Owasso H.S. 2026 – MoKan Elite 16U)

Four-Star, #19 Prospect

One of my personal favorite Class of 2026 prospects at the Peach Jam. Montonati is a highly-skilled, 6’7″ wing that appears to fit the mold of players that have had success in Coach Pope’s offensive system. He is a high-level catch-and-shoot threat, really fluid with the ball in his hands as an open floor playmaker, and can pass very well. Playing with MoKan Elite 16u, Montonati averaged 17.2 points per game on impressive 46.8/40.6/88.2 shooting splits. He made 13 three-point shots in just five games. In a game I watched on Friday, Montonati flirted with a triple-double finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. The offensive versatility is really intriguing. He is one that I would love to see be a top priority for Kentucky in the Class of 2026.

Miikka Muurinen (Compass Prep 2026 – Brad Beal Elite 16u)

Four-Star, #24 Prospect

The list of prospects, especially in the Class of 2026, that had a better week at Peach Jam than Miikka Muurinen would be very, very short. Brad Beal Elite 16U featured a balanced, three-headed monster attack of JJ Andrews, Muurinen, and 2027 prospect Jaylan Mitchell. However, you could certainly make a case for giving the 6’10” forward the moniker of “best player on the best team.” He averaged an impressive 17.8 points per game while shooting an incredible 61.8% from the field, 50% from three, and 90% from the line as Brad Beal Elite won the 16U championship. Muurinen finished the week 14-28 from three-point range in six games. His overall offensive skill level and raw rim protection traits, paired with how fluidly he moves at 6’10”, make him a special prospect.

Jayden Johnson (Trinity H.S. 2026 – MoKan Elite 16u)

Four-Star, #50 Prospect

Johnson is a big, strong wing that fits the mold physically of several of the top targets on Coach Pope’s recruiting list. He has the positional size to create matchup issues on the perimeter. The Bowling Green native can create off of the dribble against bigger defenders or punisher smaller opponents around the basket. Overall, the offensive skill level is a work in progress. His jump shot will need to get more consistent and some of what he gets done off the bounce has more to do with his size and strength than pure skill. However, you can’t teach the physical tools and what he possesses in terms of defensive upside. Definitely an in-state target worth monitoring.