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Paul Biancardi, Basketball Recruiting
The basketball summer circuit is in the rearview mirror, and the beginning of the high school basketball season is not far. The Wootten 150 camp annually serves as a fall preview of sorts, providing a two-day, invite-only platform for some of the top high school players in the country.
This year was no different. The camp hosted 29 NBA team representatives, McDonald’s All American committee members and national scouting services to evaluate talent. The camp was led and organized by Joe Wootten, chair of the McDonald’s All American game, and his wife, Terri Lynn Wootten, who is the game’s director. A mixture of terrific coaches from Nevada and the Washington D.C. area led their groups.
After a weekend of seeing all the players in action, here are the ones who stood out on the court. Production, basketball IQ, rebounding and defensive output were all taken into consideration, as were competitiveness, coachability and body language. Who could see an uptick in recruiting interest this year?
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 10 | SF | Notre Dame commit
Coming off his commitment to Micah Shrewsberry and the Fighting Irish last week, the 6-foot-7 wing played loose and free. Everything from his determination to his shotmaking and playmaking was on point. Haralson’s 3-point shooting had some strong moments, and his versatility and ability to function alongside anyone showed up both in transition and in the half court. His defense impressed when he locked in.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 35 | PF | Uncommitted
Khamenia’s overall strength gains stood out. He has leaner muscle mass and moves better, and his basketball acumen and shooting touch opened the eyes of NBA scouts. He reads the floor and effectively makes quick and accurate decisions. Khamenia displays shooting, scoring, passing and footwork. During game action, he played with an open mind and didn’t make predetermined decisions — a sign of his basketball awareness and IQ. He is considering Arizona, UCLA, Duke and Gonzaga.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 24 | SG | Uncommitted
Mullins’ consistency both defensively and without the ball separate him from his peers. He stays engaged and keeps the ball moving, even when he doesn’t get the ball or when he misses shots. As the camp progressed, especially in the 3-on-3 portion, he got more attempts and displayed his pure jumper. His decision will come down to UConn, Indiana and North Carolina.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 14 | SG | Houston commit
Harwell had been out for a while recovering from a torn ACL but looked like his old self in two sessions: He scored, defended and played with natural instincts. With terrific size and strength, he can back down his defender near the mid- and low-post area, showing another way he can impact the offensive end. His defense is coming back, too. Kelvin Sampson and Houston might have scored well with this recruiting pickup.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 8 | PG | Arkansas commit
The Fayetteville-bound Acuff displayed his dynamic scoring ability and, when dialed in, his playmaking skills in front of the McDonald’s committee and scouts. He makes it a point to find an open pocket of space to operate. On the defensive end in one game, he made a couple of beautiful blocks and timely steals, reminding us of his anticipatory senses off the ball. He ramped up his intensity on the final day during elimination games.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 25 | PF | Uncommitted
Bundalo was one of the more skilled, mobile big men at the camp. He drove the ball from the high post with some emphatic finishes and showed inside footwork, moves and touch. Bundalo was also an effective spacer, either with his lefty jumper or by setting ball screens to pop out or roll to the rim. He’s loaded with natural talent that continues to develop. He will choose between Michigan, Ohio State, Kentucky, Kansas, UConn and North Carolina.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 13 | PG | Kentucky commit
A big combo guard, Johnson displayed his rhythm scoring ability. He went anywhere on the court and was comfortable quickly taking advantage of space to score while demonstrating his long-range jumper, pull-up game and driving talent. Mark Pope and Kentucky have a homegrown national recruit with advanced scoring talent on the way.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 56 | SG | Miami commit
Able’s 3-point jumper was in rhythm, with Able at times catching fire and hitting consecutive jumpers. On top of his shooting, he showcased a notable energy and was engaged while being coached. Overall, he showed he was more than a shotmaker after a great summer. The Miami-bound guard is in the midst of a climb reminiscent of Anthony Black.
2025 ESPN 100 ranking: 42 | C | Uncommitted
Staton is rapidly progressing. He rejected shots all camp while running the court with long strides and displaying agility in traffic. Staton maintains his skill offensively and even sprinkled in a 3-point shot. He’s a teachable prospect who has Michigan, UNLV, Stanford and BYU all in the mix.
UNDERCLASS STANDOUTS
2026 ESPN 60 ranking: 52 | SG | Uncommitted
Lanier was poised, productive and a steady contributor all camp. The 6-5 Arkansas native showed sharp decision-making instincts and length as a scoring guard. He didn’t force attempts or try to make plays that weren’t there, making him more effective. He is all business on the court. The Arkansas Razorbacks and others are monitoring.
Arafan Diané
Unranked in the class of 2026 | C | Uncommitted
The Guinea native, who just moved to the United States, was both the biggest prospect — he stands at 7 feet, 293 pounds — and the biggest surprise at the Wootten 150. His footwork, positional awareness and post moves are still raw, but he does have a soft touch when he’s not dunking on opponents. He puts in work on the glass and quickly proved himself as a formidable screener. As he learns to stay on the ground to be a paint protector, he will avoid foul trouble. Don’t be surprised if you see Diané in the next ESPN player rankings update.
2027 ESPN 25 ranking: 19 | C | Uncommitted
Ekezie is a physical presence who shows touch and plays hard. He runs well, rebounds, has capable hands and is super coachable. Ekezie is a rim presence defensively with the mobility to hedge hard on ball screens if needed. He played very well, staying in the paint and at the rim. Ekezie’s father played at Maryland.
Honorable mentions:
Shon Abaev (2025 ESPN 100 No. 29)
Cornelius Ingram Jr. (2025 ESPN 100 No. 61, Florida commit)
Acaden Lewis (2025 ESPN 100 No. 28)
Trey McKenney (2025 ESPN 100 No. 16)
Darius Adams (2025 ESPN 100 No. 19, UConn commit)
Mason Abittan (Unranked in the class of 2025)