I was out in Lake Forest the last few nights to check out a camp put on by Agent 0 Masterclass and Young Bucks. There were talented players across the four classes, including some lesser-known names who made a good impression. Here are some of the standouts.
Ali Tharwani (5’11 PG, Marmion 2026)
Showing up for the second day’s session, Tharwani’s ball-handling and shot-making combination were notable. Even during the ball-handling drills, there was a level of control and pace that was nice to see. He didn’t take long to catch fire once scrimmages kicked off. Tharwani was knocking down top of the key threes in a variety of ways, often sizing up defenders before letting it fly. He’s a talented passer as well when help comes, with a number of drop offs for open looks. Marmion got a good addition with the new transfer.
Ben Gillmar (6’4 PF, Wheaton North 2027)
Gillmar was there on the second day and made his presence felt with his strength and athleticism. One thing that stands out for him is how well he uses both hands both as a ball-handler and finisher. He got quality looks off of second chances and hard drives to the rim that he finished off regularly. Listed at 6-foot-4, Gillmar plays a lot bigger and high points missed shots. He is going to be an impact player for Wheaton North even as a freshman.
Burke Konz (6’4 SF, Lake Forest 2026)
A mobile, well-built kid, Konz looks like he’s going to a load in the paint by the time he’s done growing. He ripped through and was a bruiser inside when players got in his path. Able to play on the wing or inside, Konz puts the ball on the ground well in straight lines and has the touch to complete plays. There is some potential for Konz to be a face-up threat, hitting a few threes with a shot that looked decent coming out of his hands. Konze seems like a low-maintenance offensive player who doesn’t require touches to make an impact but is also a willing and impactful rebounder who can wall up defensively.
Deuce Rayner (5’10 PG, Argo 2026)
It was my first time seeing Rayner, but there is a lot to like about the way that he plays. There was a confidence and focus about him that you like to see from younger players. When he had the ball, the tempo was amplified, and he got the ball up the floor in a hurry off the bounce or with the pass. That energy showed up as an on-ball defender as well with quick hands to disrupt other guards. When he had open shots, he stepped into jumpers with rhythm and looks to have some potential as a catch-and-shoot player as he develops.
Dominic Mordini (6’1 PG, Lake Forest 2026)
During every segment, Mordini was one of the best players on the floor. The lanky, 6-foot-1 point guard has a crafty way of attacking angles that makes it tough for other players to stay in front of him. He used a quick first step and long strides to get around primary defenders during drills and scrimmages before scoring in bunches in the paint. Mordini seems to be getting stronger and was playing with more force on his drives to go through contact. A complete scorer, he was burying threes in transition, off of isolations, and coming off handoffs. He defended in space with competitiveness and maintains a wide base that makes it more difficult for opposing guards to get him to open up. Mordini’s productivity, decision making, and effort throughout the two days led to him winning MVP of the younger group.
Griffin McNeil (5’10 PG/SG, Hersey 2027)
McNeil had some good moments during both days. For an incoming freshman, he has some solid size and was able to use that to score inside when he had some height advantages. He moves well off of the ball as a cutter and has a scorer’s mentality off of the catch. In the shooting drills, it was apparent that he has good initial mechanics and should be able to develop range beyond the three-point line. McNeil picked his spots on offense, but displayed some skill that is worth tracking. Especially as he continues to grow, because he’s built like a kid who has physical upside.
Jaden Jean Paul (6’0 PG, Evanston 2026)
Jean Paul has a chance to be really good at the lead guard spot. His athleticism is kind of deceptive, getting above the rim pretty well for a player his size and changes gears with the ball well. The body control that he showed when making plays in traffic stood out, as did his natural ability to get to the paint off of the bounce. During scrimmages, his vision allowed him to make plays for his teammates, which led to ample scoring opportunities. It looks like he will continue to grow which should only help him going forward.
Jayden Riley (6’0 PG, Oswego 2026)
Riley has what I like to call the passing gift. He’s got that sense for where teammates are at on the floor and threads the needle on tight windows on a consistent basis. That skill was on display when coming off of ball screens, in the open court, or when he got cut off in the half court. Defenders weren’t able to speed him up and he had some quick crossovers that got him right past guys. While he could simplify finishes at times, he made double-clutch layups, inside hand, veers, and an array of other tough looks inside of the paint. There were some good moments defensively for him when guarding on an island. When he plays with a full motor, he is a big problem for opposing teams on both ends.
Jaylen Brown (6’5 PF, Simeon 2026)
From a physical standpoint, Brown jumped out right away with how athletic he was in and around the paint. He has an explosive second jump to get rebounds, dunks, and blocked shots that was evident during the station work. Although he is still a bit raw with his perimeter game, he knocked down some 15 footers and was able to do some things when driving lanes opened up. Brown was solid throughout both days going up to contest shots in the paint on the defensive end and was one of the better rebounders there.
Kain Kretschmar (6’3 SG, Lake Zurich 2026)
One thing that I enjoy when watching Kretschmar is how hard he competes in whatever setting he is in. During the one-on-one and shooting drills, he was moving with a sense of urgency. He guarded the ball well and got a lot of deflections and steals that led to transition layups. When he got a head of steam in the open court, Kretschmar was unafraid of contact and finished frequently. Even with all of that, his shooting may be the best part of his game. He has a quick, easy release from three and looked very confident hitting shots off of the catch. Already at 6-foot-3, Kretschmar could be a breakout player for Lake Zurich this year.
Max Beard (6’1 SG/SF, Woodstock 2027)
Beard was one of the more versatile players in the younger group. He’s got good size, strength, and a long reach for a wing with a high motor. When he got defensive rebounds, he pushed in transition and made the necessary plays, whether that was to pass it off or take it all the way to the rim. Beard is a very good at running the wings and slashing off of the dribble with balance even while getting bumped. He communicated well throughout the camp and was guarding bigs and guards at times. Add in his ability to knock down open threes, and there’s a lot to like about what Beard could potentially do early in his career at Woodstock.
Noah Emmanuel (6’9 PF, Whitney Young 2027)
Emmanuel was the tallest player at the camp, even as a freshman. But he wasn’t glued to the paint either, showing a lot of skill from the 15-foot range and some flashes out to the three-point line. In post 1-on-1s, he had a good feel for how to create space for his turnaround jumper, which is hard to block at his release point. He moves very well for a player at his size and age, especially in the open floor as a rim runner. When players tried to challenge him at the rim, he stood his ground and blocked multiple shots. During scrimmages, Emmanuel hit some tough spin fades and scored over the top of smaller defenders in space. His ceiling is incredibly high as he puts all of his tools together.
Oliver Gray (6’4 SG, Barrington 2026)
Gray was dominant on the first day. Aptly known as an elite shooter, Gray’s long-distance prowess stood out throughout the camp. It only takes a split second for him to get his shot off and he was pulling from NBA range with ease. His ball-handling and comfort shaking defenders stood out as well. For a long-armed guard, he handles the ball low to the ground and knows how to use his hesitation well to get guys to overcommit in an effort to take away his pull-up. His pick-and-roll ability was solid for a player his age, aided by his threat to shoot it, get downhill, or make quick deliveries to others. Once he got a step, he finished with hook layups and spins at a high rate. Gray showed activity on the defensive end as well, staying in a stance as a primary defender and coming over to block some shots from the weak side. He’s got the game, composure, and length of a coveted prospect.
Phoenix Fisher (6’1 SG, St. Viator 2027)
Fisher has an advanced skillset for a freshman. When he had the ball in isolation situations, he had a good understanding for what moves to make and shot it well off of the dribble. His pull-up is fluid and repeatable from different spots on the floor and was a primary weapon for him in scrimmages. During the ball-handling warmup and 1-on-1 segments, Fisher got to his spots and hit the brakes to get separation. Also a plus athlete, he gets off of the ground well and moves pretty well at this stage. Fisher can really play.
TJ Williams (6’1 PG/SG, Glenbard West 2026)
It’s not often that players at showcases lean on their energy to make an impact, but Williams did just that. While he is capable of scoring at a high clip and did so at times with his right-handed drives, his rebounding and defensive tenacity were the best parts of what he did. Williams was grabbing rebounds on both ends and harassing guys as a primary defender. Highly active and athletic as well, Williams was blowing by guys on the offensive end and converted a couple of tough layups in crowds. If he brings that type of energy consistently with his talent that he has, he’ll have a bright future for Glenbard West.
Anton Strelnikov (6’7 C, Lake Zurich 2025)
I’m not sure if Strelnikov could have been any more dominant in the post. Whenever he wanted to, he buried defenders of varying sizes under the rim, showed his hands, and made a wide range of moves to finish. Although he often ended up coming over his left shoulder, the drop steps, up-and-unders, and step throughs that led to it were precise. He has a combination of footwork, sheer strength, and touch that you can’t really teach, even to kids at the college level. On the occasions when he did miss inside, Strelnikov was often the first one to the glass for second chances. He isn’t the tallest big, but Strelnikov is hard to move on the defensive end and has a long reach to block shots and go get misses. Strelnikov may be the best back to the basket player in the class and was awarded with co-MVP of the camp.
Bobby Vespa (6’5 SF, Lyons 2025)
For a portion of the station work, Vespa wasn’t missing from three. Even with defenders in his face, he hit some really tough shots. Vespa then attacked closeouts well to get some layups. He has the length and flashes of perimeter skill that make him an intriguing player on the wing. When scrimmages started, he knocked down some long threes and contested some shots well inside when rotating over. There is definitely some potential for Vespa if he is able to put everything together on a consistent basis and mature his complete game.
Brady Sehlhorst (6’7 SG, Notre Dame College Prep 2025)
Sehlhorst checks so many of the boxes that you look for when projecting out a scholarship-level wing. His athleticism is effortless, moving a lot better than most 6-foot-7 players and springing up above the rim quickly off of one or two feet. Outside of his fluidity as an athlete, Sehlhorst looked good during live segments handling the ball, sizing up defenders, and finding different ways to beat players off of the bounce. It’s also worth noting that there continues to be impressive development in his shot mechanics. He has been able to hit threes in the past, but his release point and elevation on his shot now makes his three-point range more translatable to the next level and allows him to hit those elbow pull-ups more consistently as he did during the camp. Sehlhorst has Division 1 upside without a doubt.
David Thomas (6’4 SG/SF, Richards 2024)
Thomas looked like the type of rangy defender who could be a wing stopper at the next level. He moved his feet well during drills and shot the gap to affect the passing lanes. Where he looked best in the scrimmages was when he was running his lanes, catching, and making quick decisions to attack on one or two moves. As a shooter, he has a solid follow through to work with and looked decent shooting off of the dribble during the shooting station. His best basketball is ahead of him, but Thomas has some appeal on both ends.
Derek Bishop (6’2 PG/SG, Mundelein 2025)
On the first day of the camp when Bishop was there, he was the best two-way player in attendance. His anticipation and IQ on the defensive end to force turnovers and speed guys up was good to see. He played with an edge that isn’t always seen from kids in showcase settings. Offensively, Bishop is a dynamo with the ball in his hands. He showed burst off of the dribble and evaded help defenders at the rim with different finishes against size and athleticism. Bishop gets off of the ground with some power at his size and should be living at the free throw line this season with the contact he draws. He’s also got a compact, balanced shot from the perimeter that doesn’t have much wasted motion. Bishop was one of the best guards in the Northern Suburbs as a sophomore. He could elevate into one of the more productive guards in the state this year.
Drew Bartolai (6’3 SG, Lane Tech 2025)
Bartolai took command with his voice and intensity during both days. He was one of the better talkers on defense and tried to control pace offensively. A very explosive leaper, Bartolai had a few highlight-reel dunks and blocks during the camp where it looked like he shot out of a cannon. Nothing came easy against him when he was defending, taking pride in staying in front of the ball and sprinting to get back into plays. Bartolai is a very good straight-line driver who has gravity on his drives sucking in help defense and still finding ways to score. There were some good stretches for him as a shooter as well, but the consistent competitive fire helped earn him Co-MVP honors with the older group.
Javerion Banks (6’0 PG/SG, Warren 2025)
One of the best athletes for the older group, Banks was having no problem getting into the painted area and making plays around the rim. He had multiple dunks throughout the two days of the camp, despite only being 6-foot, and had stretches where he was playing lockdown defense. Banks weaved into the lane and managed to make a couple of difficult finishes through contact while showing some one-on-one ability to create separation. He also showed some shooting range that could keep defenders honest.
Hudson Scroggins (6’7 SF/PF, Lake Forest 2025)
Scroggins showed a lot of skill at his size. The 6-foot-7 lefty has a smooth shooting stroke with good range and the ability to get into the paint and hit 10-to-15 foot jumpers over defenders. He made some nice counters in the post when he got the ball down low and had multiple finishes where he used his length to extend around other bigs. His perimeter game is very promising. Scroggins handles the ball and attacks closeouts effectively, particularly to his strong hand, and has footwork that is going to translate well to playing in space more as he refines his game. He’s also got a frame that should add substantial strength and improve athletically to help him be an even more versatile defender. Scroggins is a forward to track.
Sam Hanus (6’2 PG/SG, Deerfield 2025)
At 6-foot-2, Hanus does a little bit of everything. Even for stretches when he didn’t get a ton of touches, Hanus made an impact with quality defense and hustle. He moves well with and without the ball, gets to his spots, and makes the right decisions with the ball. Throughout the camp, he hit open threes with a one-motion shot and got inside to score with both hands. His size kind of gives him value to guard either backcourt position like he showed.
Tyler Thick (6’7 C, Hinsdale Central 2025)
Thick was one of the bigger players in the older group and used that to his advantage. His moves down low during the post station were deliberate but didn’t waste any motion. There is some touch within 10 feet to make jump hooks and also plenty of strength to make power moves. During the scrimmages, he worked as a screener and slot option at times and was a constant crasher on the glass. Thick is going to be a rock solid piece for Hinsdale Central this year.