Players to Watch during the July Live Period
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Even though there are some grassroots tournaments still going on around the country, most states are about to hit the portion of the year when high school players practice with their respective teams. That is definitely the case in Louisiana…
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Continue ReadingEven though there are some grassroots tournaments still going on around the country, most states are about to hit the portion of the year when high school players practice with their respective teams. That is definitely the case in Louisiana and Texas. However, when July hits, there will be preps hoping to get major looks during the back half of the grassroots season during the live period. Here is a list of players to keep an eye on when the July live period commences.
Willie Shepherd (HTown Gliders / 6’0″ / Klein)
The Glider point guard talks a good amount of trash when he is on the floor. He can back it up though especially with the passes he makes. Shepherd can shoot from deep as well so you have to keep your eye on him at all times.
Kyedan Smith (Pasadena Lockdown / 5’9″ / Pasadena)
Smith is an undersized guard with a ton of confidence. When he is making three pointers and getting to the rim, he will let the opposition know about it. He has a quick set of hands and excellent movement on the defensive end also which makes him dangerous on both ends.
Jalan Washington Jalan Washington 6'1" | CG White Castle | 2023 State LA (Showtime Elite ’23 / 6’2″ / White Castle)
Washington plays better with the ball in his hands than he does off the ball. He is very good at finding others whether it is with the skip pass or kicking the ball after penetration. His paint touches allow him to make a living at the charity stripe as well.
AJ Stephens (Texas Footwork Bengals ’23 / 6’1″ / Aldine MacArthur)
Stephens is a relentless driver of the ball to the rim. He is a football player and is used to taking contact; however, contact on the hardwood seems to get the rest of his game going. Stephens is best when his jumper is falling and getting to the rim on offense.
Preston Sanders Preston Sanders 6'2" | CG Zwolle | 2025 State LA (O.W.E.-RWIII ’25 / 6’0″ / Zwolle)
There has not been a faster guard in the 2025 class changing ends of the court after a steal. Sanders reads passing lanes very well and is very good at hounding guards into turnovers. He is very good at rebound putbacks for a guard and does not mixing it up in the paint.
Luke Duncan (Just Play Elite ’23 / 6’6″ / Memorial)
Duncan is a versatile forward who can hurt teams in several ways. He tracks the ball well for rebounds and is exceptional on the offensive boards. Duncan fills whatever need his team has on the offensive end. From offensive putbacks to mid-range jumpers, Duncan is a legitimate threat.
Kevin Juarez (Pasadena Lockdown / 6’6″ / Pasadena)
Juarez is a pick-and-pop forward who is very good from behind the arc. He is good to run high screen action with because of his shooting and rebounding ability. Juarez can also nail jumpers as an option during 5-out sets. He is a player who gives an offense a ton of options.
Keylynn Keys (San Antonio Kings ’23-1 / 6’4″ / San Antonio Holmes)
Keys may be a football player but he is an explosive scorer on the hardwood. He is deadly in transition and is player defenses need to account for on the offensive boards. While he is streaky from deep, when he makes one or two, the rim seems to get bigger for him.
Jeremiah Lewis Jeremiah Lewis 6'3" | SG Ponchatoula | 2024 State LA (HP Ballers ’24 / 6’1″ / Ponchatoula)
Lewis has proven this summer that he can get it done on the offensive end at all three levels. He can go for 30 easily when he gets going. Lewis is an underrated defender who plays aggressive defense in zone or man. He has some hops too. Watch out for him in transition.
Kade Ramer (Team Texas United ’24 Yellow / 6’7″ / Van Alstyne)
Ramer is a forward/big who is more athletic than he appears and is built like a tight end. He knows how to get to the front of the rim and has good footwork in the post. Not a highly-skilled finisher but uses the up and under to score. Ramer is hard to keep off the boards too.
Jaleel Turner Jaleel Turner 6'4" | CG JJP Highschool | 2023 TX (Team Texas United ’24 Black / 6’3″ / JJ Pearce)
Turner is a guard who is a difference maker on both ends of the floor. He is a rebounding guard who does an excellent job of pushing the rock end-to-end. Guards have a hard time staying in front and defending Turner man-to-man. If he is shooting the outside shot well, he is a really tough cover.
Prep Hoops and the shoe circuits will be back in action the beginning of July. These players may not catch the eye of Division I teams. However, there are a ton of championship level teams throughout all divisions looking for quality players. They will find some to put on their radar when looking at these preps.