ROCK HILL, S.C. — It’s easy to get caught up in the bubble of New England basketball. We live here, after all.
Since the focus of my coverage revolves around our region’s talent, I can find myself being a little narrow-minded sometimes. New England is certainly one of the best regions for high-level high school basketball, but it’s not the only one.
I already knew that, of course, but it was staring me in the face last week at the Adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships, one of the best grassroots events annually in the country that attracts waves of talented stars. Not including New England recruits, I counted at least 10 players in the 2026 class on the Adidas circuit who are nationally-ranked by ESPN, and there are several more rounding out the other classes. The circuit is no joke. Most of the recruits who played in Rock Hill last week are Division 1-caliber.
Most of my time and attention last week in South Carolina was spent on watching the New England programs, but I also kept a close eye on the rest of the talent. I don’t get to see them play in person often, so I couldn’t pass up that opportunity. Here are 10 non-New England future stars to remember on the Adidas circuit.
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Christian Wiggins, D1 Minnesota 17U
Class of 2026, 6-5 guard
Hometown: Wayzata, Minnesota
NCAA: Iowa State
Wiggins caught my eye in D1 Minnesota’s quarterfinal victory over BABC, when he went for 30 points and 10 rebounds while hitting four 3-pointers. He led them to the 17U championship game, where he scored another 19 on four triples and nearly helped pull off an upset victory. D1 Minnesota was down 17 in the first half when Wiggins went on his own 11-0 run to get them close before they ultimately lost by one. The top recruit from Minnesota, Wiggins averaged 17.3 points per game and shot 46.3 percent from downtown in Rock Hill, where he showcased his strong two-way ability that should translate well to the Big 12.
Ashton Meeks, Team Loaded 17U
Class of 2026, 6-0 guard
Hometown: Hyattsville, Md.
Meeks may be generously listed at 6-foot, but he packs a big punch as a small guard. He took over late in a round of 16 victory over Wildcat Select, hitting two 3-pointers and finishing an almost impossible drive under a bigger defender to put Team Loaded ahead for good. After his last pull-up 3, he had something to say in celebration; Meeks clearly has a swagger and high competitive spirit. He possesses a vicious crossover and can get anywhere on the court he wants with his quickness, dribbling ability and low center of gravity. His size might scare some programs away, but he’ll help teams win at the college level.
Nasir Anderson, Game Elite 16U
Class of 2027, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Norcross, Ga.
Anderson played on Game Elite’s 16U squad, but that’s probably only because their 17U team (which won the championship) was so stacked, because he’s certainly good enough to play at the top level right now. A physical, athletic guard with an elite handle, Anderson was almost impossible for defenders to keep in front of. He got to the rim, drew fouls, and if a shot wasn’t there, he created for others; I saw him hit a teammate on a cross-court skip pass. He erupted for 27 points against Midwest Basketball Club. Anderson is considered the top-ranked 2027 point guard by ESPN.
Deron Rippey, New Heights 17U
Class of 2026, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
It’s no secret why the likes of Alabama, North Carolina and Kentucky are after Rippey’s services. Regarded as the best point guard in the 2026 class, he produced 17 points and 7.2 assists per game to lead New Heights to the 17U quarterfinals. He’s one of the most exciting prospects in the country – proven by the full arenas for his games in Rock Hill – but he doesn’t just dazzle with highlight plays, like the one play where he pumped-faked a defender out of his shoes and electrified the crowd by driving for a two-handed layup. He’s an athletic scorer who pressures the rim with dunks and acrobatic finishes, and he a quick burst off the dribble where he lives in the paint and has the vision to find open teammates. Defensively, he recorded a handful of big blocks over the week. Rippey is still an emerging outside shooter, but he should be an impact player at the next level with his skill set.
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Bruce Branch, Compton Magic 17U
Class of 2027, 6-5 forward
Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
One of the top-ranked players nationally in the 2027 class, Branch helped Compton Magic reach the final 16 of the 17U tournament as he played up, and his week included a 28-point effort against Southern Assault in which he hit six 3-pointers. The Prolific Prep transfer is long, athletic and silky smooth with a strong handle and the ability to score from all three levels.
Jalen Brown, Power 5 16U
Class of 2027, 6-4 guard
Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wis.
Brown is something of an under-the-radar name to know in the 2027 class; he’s not ranked but holds offers from Mississippi State, Georgetown and Wisconsin. He caught my eye in Power 5’s victory over BABC on Thursday when he scored 18 points in a victory. He’s a long, athletic and explosive lead guard with a good handle, strong stroke from deep and ability to play above the rim. He went on to have a 29-point performance against Team Loaded and averaged 19.2 points per game for the week.
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Neiko Mundey, New World 17U
Class of 2026, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Olney, Md.
One word comes to mind when watching Mundey: Bucket-getter. He scores in bunches and is an impossible task for defenses with his skill, quick first step, athleticism and shot-making ability. He had one play against Compton Magic when he stole a pass and took it coast to coast, spinning at the rim and making an incredibly off-balanced finish while crashing to the court for a three-point play. He finishes tough plays consistently, and has a fun charisma about him. Mundey averaged 20.2 points per game in Rock Hill, including a 31-point effort to beat the Atlanta Celtics to advance to the 17U semifinals.
Luke Ertel, Indiana Elite 17U
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Mount Vernon, Ind.
NCAA: Purdue
I got a peek at a piece of Matt Painter’s future backcourt at Purdue, and I think Ertel will be a nice boost in 2026-27 after the departure of program great Braden Smith. Whenever I watched Indiana Elite – which also boasts Top 10 recruit Anthony Thompson – Ertel was making a ton of plays; tough buckets near the rim, drawing fouls, finding teammates, hitting from 3-point range or grabbing offensive rebounds. The 6-foot-2 guard is just incredibly confident. He finished the week with averages of 19.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game as he led Indiana Elite to the 17U semifinals.
Caleb Holt, Game Elite 17U
Class of 2026, 6-5 forward
Hometown: Loganville, Ga.
The top-ranked player on the Adidas circuit – Holt is currently No. 5 in ESPN’s Top 100 – didn’t disappoint as he averaged 18.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals while leading Game Elite to a 14-0 record in circuit play and the 17U championship. My first impression of Holt was his defensive disruption; his active hands forced steals, and he had great instincts to anticipate passes. Offensively, he’s as calm, cool and collected as they come. He never gets sped up, finds his spots and looks mature beyond his years. I saw him make solo runs by himself to extend leads and come up with big plays when his team needed, like grabbing an important offensive rebound in the final minute of a close win over Garner Road.
Holt is poised in those critical moments. In Game Elite's championship win over D1 Minnesota, there was one play where he got the ball with the shot clock winding down. Instead of rushing a bad shot, he never panicked and calmly found a teammate for a 3-pointer to go up double digits.
Anthony Thompson, Indiana Elite 17U
Class of 2026, 6-8 forward
Hometown: Hudson, Ohio
The 14th-ranked recruit by ESPN, Thompson is a matchup nightmare who can score at all three levels. In some ways, he reminds me of BABC’s Alex Egbuonu with his skill at his size. He also adds a 7-foot-3 wing span that makes his shot, both from beyond the arc and the mid-range, nearly impossible to be bothered. There was one sequence he had where he effortlessly finished a reverse layup off the window in transition before drilling a trail 3-pointer, which speaks to his offensive versatility. He went off for four 30-point games at the 3SSB Championships, including a 35-point, eight-rebound performance against New World in which he went 5-for-6 from deep.
