With over fifty courts at the Kentucky Expo Center, the Grassroots Showcase is always a special tournament each year. Countless great games and dozens of highly talented teams, there was plenty of competition for this list.
Jayden Banks – 2024 – PG – Team Ramey
Banks was one of the top two-way point guards of the Grassroots Showcase. A quick, high energy player that was constantly making plays on both ends of the floor. An aggressive pressure defender who looks to pick up full court and gave opposing guards plenty of issues. Offensively, he scored it very well on the attack hitting shots in the mid-range and getting into the paint to have multiple big scoring games.
Markus Blackwell – 2025 – G – Reach Legends
Even while playing up a level, Blackwell continues to be one of the top players on the NY2LA Association and was a big reason why Reach went undefeated with a 4-0 record. He averaged 18 points but is a complete guard that can do much more than just score the ball. He has good strength in the backcourt, plays well on or off the ball, can create his own shot but also create for his teammates. He also game up in the clutch with a game winning driving basket in one of the wins.
Chauncey Brashers – 2024 – PG – Marshall Warriors
Brashers was a big reason this deep and talented team out of Ohio went 3-1 on the weekend. Brashers had multiple big scoring games with 25- and 23-point performances. Much more than just a scorer however, he is a high energy point guard that can put extreme pressure defensively on opposing guards and is also a skilled passer. With his quickness and shifty moves, Brashers was constantly playing on the attack getting into the defense to create.
Dekwon Brown – 2024 – PG – DB Pro
With another highly impressive weekend, Brown is becoming a constant prescience on this list. Whether he is needed to be a point guard getting into the paint and distributing or score at a high level creating for himself from the outside scoring 25 points in a game, Brown showed he can get it done. With his performance throughout the weekend, he had the college coach section buzzing and should see his recruitment stock soar in the very near future.
Tim Franks – 2024 – SG – Chapman Basketball
Game after game, tournament after tournament, Franks continues to knock down threes at a high level. Franks has such a pure stroke from the outside and all weekend was hitting his shots at a high percentage. At his best as a shooter, he also used his strength well attacking the basket. With his elite shooting ability, IQ, and positional size, Franks has great tools for the next level.
Kyle Jorgensen – 2024 – PF/C – MN Comets Elite
It’s been tremendous back-to-back tournaments for Jorgensen as one of the top big men on the NY2LA Association. As well to being 6’9”, Jorgensen has good skills to his game. He has continuously shot it at a high percentage from the deep but scored it just as well in the post. Playing with his back to the basket he scored it strongly using his large frame to create space and finish over either shoulder. A must see for scholarship level coaches.
Navontae Nesbit – 2024 – G – Team Jabari Parker
Nesbit had one of the most impressive games of the tournament with a 31-point outburst on Saturday in a winning effort. Nesbit was a breakout player during his junior season and has continued that into the spring. A strong and explosive guard that was unstoppable attacking the basket with quick acceleration and also hit three threes in that one game.
Anthony Przybilla – 2024 – SF – Milwaukee Trailblazers
One of the more under the radar 2024 players in all of Wisconsin that needs to be on college coaches’ radars. Przybilla had games of 21, 20, 17 and 15 points helping to lead his team to a 4-0 record over the weekend. He has a good blend of size at 6’7” to go along with his versatile skill set.
Angel Sonnier – 2023 – PG – Houston Superstars
Sonnier was very good in Indianapolis last weekend and even better this weekend in Louisville. This included one of the top performances of the tournament scoring 29 points. The electric playmaker has such a great scoring package creating shots from the outside, mid-range pull ups, floaters around the paint, and finishes inside well for his size. Even while he was scoring in bunches, Sonnier was still looking to distribute the ball.
Jaxson Vandegarde – 2024 – PG – ATX Force
At times, the point guard looked like he was the best distributor in the building but also showed off his scoring ability with a 24-point game. While he has a great array of point guard tools but really stood out with his vision and passing which are just on another level. A great decision maker with the ball in his hands that was constantly making plays at a high level.