2026 Draft Watch: Evaluating the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit Game

April 15th, 2025

Recently, I took the time to watch AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Team USA square off against Tounde Yessoufou and Team World in the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit that took place on April 12th. USA had gotten off to a sizable lead, but the World team rallied back to force overtime due to the clutch play of Yessoufou. In overtime, Darius Acuff and others made big shots to help Team USA get a close win. There were many solid performances, and to me, the standout performers of this match looked to be Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Tounde Yessoufou, Bogoljub Markovic, and Darius Acuff Jr. Here are my thoughts on how they and other prospects fared in this game, where they may stack up as prospects for the NBA. For those that are interested in the box score of this game, here is the link.

Strong Performances (11)

Team USA’s Cameron Boozer scored 22 points, and had a whopping 16 rebounds, as well as 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in his team’s 124-114 overtime win. (Photo: Soobum Im/Getty Images)

Duke’s incoming 6-9 freshman forward, Cameron Boozer had a tremendous all-around showing to help lead his team to an overtime win in this game. He scored 22 points, made 2 threes, and he also had 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block to help his team get the victory.

Boozer did a very good job of scoring off the dribble, as well as out of the post. He had good footwork and scoring touch that allows him to utilize quick, crafty moves to finish plays around the basket, and he also can take on the contact to get extra foul calls. He has a solid spin move, and he can finish plays above the rim. He also shot the ball well, especially from beyond the arc, as he showed a knack for making spot-up threes off the catch. He also was active in scoring on hustle plays, and Boozer was able to run in to score on a strong tip slam once off of an offensive rebound.

He also showcased very good playmaking skills. Boozer showed a knack for making very good reads and passes, as he was able to make a wraparound pass off of an offensive rebound to find an open shooter to notch an assist, and he also excelled at making drive and kick passes, as well as finding teammates on the break to set up scores for them. He generally took very good care of the basketball, but there was one play where he had a ball ripped away from him to commit a turnover.

Plus, Boozer did an excellent job of rebounding the basketball. He hauled in many boards on both ends of the floor, and he was like a chairman of the boards in this game. He also defended very well. Boozer showed a knack for rotating to block shots to help his team protect the paint, and he also would often get his hands on passes to get steals and deflections. He also was able to contest mid-range shots to force misses. Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to be out of position defensively.

In general, Cameron Boozer played terrific basketball to help his team get an overtime win in this game. He was superb in all aspects of the game, and he is a very skilled forward that could contend to be the top pick of the 2026 draft, as he could end up being a star player in the NBA.

AJ Dybantsa scored 24 points, and had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals to help lead Team USA to a 124-114 overtime win over the World team on April 12th. (Photo: Soobum Im/Getty Images)

BYU’s incoming 6-9 freshman swingman, AJ Dybantsa also played very well to help Team USA get an overtime win in this game. He is a tremendously athletic swingman that did a great job as a scorer, facilitator, and defender when he was on the floor.

Dybantsa did a very good job of scoring off the dribble. He has great speed and athleticism, and he is an excellent downhill driver that can quickly get to the rim to score consistently. He also has smooth ball-handling skills and can knock down mid-range jumpers and score on high-flying jams, and he was able to drive up court to score on a thunderous windmill dunk once.

He also showed a satisfactory ability to knock down jumpers. He excelled at making pull-up, mid-range jumpers, and he also can take on the contact to draw fouls to get to the free throw line. Dybantsa also was able to make a corner three. He also was able to draw three free throws on a step-back, corner three, and he was more effective in taking corner threes, though he struggled to make three-pointers more than when he would take two-point shots.

He also showcased good playmaking skills. Dybantsa is an unselfish player that can make passes off the dribble to find the open man, and he showed a knack for finding open shooters to set up scores for them. Sometimes though, he would be careless with the basketball, which would lead him to commit turnovers.

Also, he did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball, and Dybantsa was able to haul in plenty of boards, especially on the offensive end to help his team out on the glass. He also defended well, and he was able to run in to intercept a pass to get a steal.

In summary, Dybantsa played very well to help Team USA get an overtime win in this game. He is a very talented prospect that could end up being a superstar in the NBA, and he would likely end up being a top 5 pick in the 2026 draft.

Tounde Yessoufou scored 24 points, made 2 threes, and had 3 assists, and 2 steals for the World team in this game, as he was able to make a key bucket late in regulation to send this game to overtime.
(Photo: Getty Images, via Sportskeeda)

Baylor’s incoming 6-6 freshman swingman, Tounde Yessoufou also had a strong showing for the World Team in his team’s overtime loss in this game. He played very well on both ends of the floor, and he is a very athletic, energetic player that showed a knack for making tough shots and strong defensive plays when he was on the court.

He did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball. Yessoufou shot the ball well from downtown, and he was able to utilize a pump fake to score on a smooth, step-back three once. He also excelled at scoring out of the post as well as off the dribble, and he has good footwork, athleticism, and body control to consistently score on those plays. He also was able to score on a high-flying dunk on the break, and he has a very good first step to the hoop. Sometimes though, he would take tough, contested mid-range shots that would lead to some misses.

Also, he showcased solid playmaking skills. Yessoufou is an unselfish player that would find the open man to notch assists. Sometimes though, he would over-dribble, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers. Despite being a tremendously athletic swingman, Yessoufou was unable to grab a rebound in this game.

He also defended very well. Yessoufou did a great job of poking balls away and getting his hands on passes to help his team get steals and deflections, and he is an active, athletic defender that did a great job of making it difficult for his opponents to handle the ball or get their passes through.

Overall, Yessoufou had a strong showing in his team’s overtime loss to Team USA. He played very well, and he is a very athletic, skilled swingman that could be a top 5 pick in the 2026 draft, as he could end up being a star player in the NBA.

6-11 Serbian big man, Bogoljub Markovic also played very well for the World team. He is a mobile, skilled player that especially thrived on offense, and his play was superb and impactful throughout this game.

Markovic is a very skilled stretch big that shot the ball very well from the outside. He showed a knack for making smooth jumpers, especially from beyond the arc, and he would run the floor to score on the break. He also was able to throw down a high-flying dunk to showcase his athleticism.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills. He excelled at using his quickness and ball-handling skills to make a pass off the dribble to a teammate ahead on the break to notch an assist, and he would throw accurate passes to find teammates on the move. On one play when posting up once, he threw a hasty pass that got intercepted.

Plus, Markovic also did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He also played adequate defense in this game. He was able to block a shot to prevent an opponent from scoring on the break. On another play though, he spaced out and allowed his man to catch a lob to score on a dunk that time.

Overall, Markovic had a strong showing to help his team on both ends of the floor. He especially excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game, and he is a talented prospect that would be a very good value pick for an NBA team in the first round of the 2025 draft, as he could end up being a solid player in the NBA.

Arkansas’ incoming 6-2 freshman guard, Darius Acuff Jr. played very well to help Team USA to get the win in this game. He did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball, as he showed a knack for making smooth spot-up threes off the catch, and he also was able to make some tough shots off the dribble.

Plus, he also was able to make some solid passes off the dribble, and he also split a double team and threw a lob pass to notch an assist once. Sometimes though, he would over-dribble, which would lead him to commit turnovers. He also is an active defender that would intercept passes and poke balls away to get steals. However, sometimes he wouldn’t always move his feet well defensively, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Darius Acuff Jr. had a strong showing, as he especially excelled as a shot maker, especially in overtime. He made clutch shots to help his team get the win, and he is a very talented prospect that could end up being a lottery pick in the 2026 draft.

6-5 Italian guard, Dame Sarr had a solid showing for the World team in this game. He is an athletic, skilled playmaker that especially thrived as a shooter and scorer, and he also defended well when he was on the court.

He is a fleet-footed playmaker that excelled at scoring on quick drives to the hoop, and he also was able to make a bank shot on a mid-range runner. He also made a deep three to showcase his range and shooting skills. He also defended well, as he would get his hands on passes to get steals and deflections. On one play early on though, he got outmuscled when defending an opponent off the dribble, which led him to commit a foul and allow a score that time.

Overall, Dame Sarr played well in this game, as he is a smooth scorer that excelled at making plays with the ball in his hands. He’ll need to take better care of the basketball and he’ll need to improve his free throw shooting, but he is a talented prospect that could end up being a first round pick in the 2025 draft.

Cincinnati’s incoming 6-7 freshman swingman, Shon Abaev played well for the World team in this game. Representing Israel, he is a skilled, mobile player that did a great job of making shots and passing the basketball.

He shot the ball very well, especially from downtown. Abaev was able to make a smooth, step-back three while getting fouled. He also ran off the ball to make another three to showcase his movement shooting skills. He also excelled at scoring on strong drives to the hoop, and he passed the ball well.

On the other hand, he did not grab a single rebound in this game. Abaev was able to get a steal defensively. However, there was one play where he closed out too aggressively and fouled a three-point shooter in the corner once.

Overall, Abaev had a strong showing to help the World team in this game, and he is an athletic, skilled swingman that could end up being a lottery pick in the 2026 draft, as he could end up being a very good player in the NBA.

6-8 Chinese forward, Boyuan Zhang played very well, especially in the first half for the World team. He showed a knack for scoring on strong drives to the hoop, as he showed good footwork, shooting touch, and balance to do so. He also ran the floor to score on a high-flying dunk to showcase his athleticism. He also passed and rebounded well. Overall, Zhang is an athletic scorer that can put up points in a hurry, and he could end up being a first round pick in the 2026 draft.

Louisville’s incoming 6-2 freshman point guard, Mikel Brown Jr. is an athletic, skilled playmaker that did a great job of scoring and defending when he was on the court. He is a free throw merchant that lived on the floor throw-line, and it was both surreal and uncanny as to the frequency of calls in which he was rewarded to get there. He didn’t shoot nearly as well from the outside, but Brown is a quick guard that can consistently get to the rim, which also allowed him to score on a running layup while getting fouled once.

He also was able to make a nice pass to find an open corner shooter to get an assist. Plus, he also defended well. He also would use his length and quickness to apply pressure to opposing ball handlers, which enabled him to steal a ball away once, and he also contested a three to force a miss another time. On the downside, he didn’t rebound very well in this game.

Overall, Mikel Brown Jr. had a solid showing, as he was tremendous at getting to the free throw line, and his free throw generation skills was James Harden-esque in this game. He didn’t stand out nearly as much in the other areas, but he is a speedy point guard whose hard driving style and tremendous free throw generation skills, combined with his ability to run the team and upside could enable him to be a first round pick in the 2026 draft.

Michigan’s incoming 6-4 freshman guard, Trey McKenney quietly played very well to help Team USA get the overtime win in this game. He is a strong, athletic combo guard that had a very solid all-around performance to help his team get the victory.

McKenney shot the ball very well off the catch, especially from beyond the arc, and he also ran off of a ball screen to make a smooth mid-range shooter to showcase his movement shooting skills. He also excelled at scoring on strong, quick drives to the hoop, and he showed good balance, body control, and athleticism to consistently finish plays around the basket.

He also excelled as a passer off the dribble and rebounded well. He also played decent defense in this game. He was able to poke a ball away to get a steal. On one play though, he closed out too hard, which led him to foul a three-point shooter and allow a score that time.

Overall, McKenney had a very solid showing in his team’s win in this game. He is a sharpshooter that had a solid all-around game, and he could end up being a solid pick for an NBA team in the first round of the 2026 draft.

UConn’s incoming 7-0 freshman center, Eric Reibe played well, as he did a great job as a scorer and rebounder for the World team in this game. He showed a knack for scoring off the dribble as well as on hustle plays, and he is a strong finisher around the basket, as he can score on powerful dunks. He has good hands that enable him to quickly score on tip shots off offensive rebounds, and he also passed the ball well, as he threw a lob pass to get an assist.

He also rebounded very well. Reibe also defended well. He managed to stay with his man on a drive to block a shot due to possessing solid length, timing, and instincts. Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to pick up fouls.

Overall, Reibe had a solid showing, and he is a skilled, high-motor big man that thrived at making hustle plays to help his team, especially on offense. He’ll need to continue to improve his outside shot, but his ability to score and make plays to shore up the interior could enable him to be a first round pick either in 2026 or in a future draft.

Mixed Bag (4)

6-8 forward, Tajh Ariza had a decent showing for the World team in his team’s overtime loss in this game. He is a very athletic, energetic player that was able to make some impressive plays on both ends of the floor and he defended well, but he struggled to make plays consistently down the stretch.

Ariza is a rangy defender that has very good footwork, athleticism, and instincts that enable him to get blocks, steals, and stops for his team. He also showed a knack for scoring on impressive, athletic plays off the dribble, as he can finish plays above the rim, and he also made a smooth, step-back mid-range jumper once.

However, he would take some tough shots that would lead to misses, and he did not make a single three-pointer. He also tended to over-dribble, which led him to commit turnovers. In addition, he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game.

Overall, Tajh Ariza is a very athletic, talented prospect that played very well in the first half, but he struggled to make plays in crunch time. Still, he is a promising player that could end up being a lottery pick in the 2027 draft, and he could end up being a star player in the NBA.

6-3 Nigerian guard, Ikenna Alozie played fairly well in his team’s loss to Team USA. He is a very athletic, energetic playmaker that rebounded and defended well, and he is a fleet-footed point guard that can cover a lot of ground defensively, and can quickly get to the rim to score the basketball. He also excelled at making passes off the dribble, as he can throw crisp, accurate passes to rack up assists.

However, he didn’t shoot well from the outside, as he missed all of his three pointers. He also was turnover prone, as he can sometimes struggle to take care of the basketball. Overall, he is a talented prospect that will need to improve his jump shot, but his strong athletic gifts combined with his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor and upside could enable him to be a first round pick in 2026.

Houston’s incoming 6-11 freshman big man, Chris Cenac Jr. is an athletic, energetic player that excelled as a scorer and rebounder, but he really struggled with turnovers in this game for Team USA. He showed that can comfortably score out of the post, as he was able to score on a smooth, turnaround jumper. He also is an active help defender that will get his hands on balls to get steals and blocks. Overall, he played fairly well, but he’ll need to add a reliable outside shot to his arsenal and take better care of the basketball, but he could be a first round pick either in 2026 or in a future draft.

Illinois’ incoming 6-9 freshman forward, David Mirkovic had a decent showing for the World team in this game. He is a fairly athletic, skilled player that showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays, and he was able to catch a lob to score on a dunk. He also threw an accurate lob another time, and he also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Overall, he played fairly well in limited minutes, despite not making a three-pointer, and he could end up being an effective role player in the NBA someday.

Lackluster Performances (9)

Kiyan Anthony is a skilled, mobile point guard that showed off some offensive skills for the World team in his team’s overtime loss in this game. Anthony was able to use a crafty pump fake to draw free throws on a pull-up, mid-range jumper, and he’s already shown advanced foul drawing skills. He also was able to make a patient drive and kick pass to notch an assist. Anthony did a very good job of distributing the basketball.

On the other hand, he didn’t shoot the ball very well, and wasn’t nearly as impactful on the boards as the other players. Overall, Anthony didn’t have his best game, but he is the son of Syracuse legend and former NBA star and recently inducted Hall of Famer, Carmelo Anthony, and Kiyan Anthony could end up going in the late first to the second round range for the 2026 draft.

Duke’s incoming 6-4 freshman guard, Cayden Boozer had his ups and downs in Team USA’s win in this game. He excelled as a playmaker and defender, and he showed some ability to score off the dribble, but he didn’t take many shots on offense, and he also didn’t rebound very well. Still, he is a second round prospect for the 2026 draft, and he could project to be a game-managing, backup point guard at the NBA level.

6-3 Israeli guard, Omer Mayer had his ups and downs in the World team’s overtime loss to Team USA. Mayer did a very good job of distributing the basketball, and he excelled at making pocket passes and interior passes to rack up assists. However, he did not shoot the ball very well, and he was held scoreless in this game.

Overall, Mayer is a skilled playmaker that has promising offensive skills, but he’ll need to be a more consistent player in games, but he is a second round prospect that in a favorable scenario, could end up being an effective role player in the NBA someday.

Duke’s incoming 6-8 freshman forward, Nikolas Khamenia had his ups and downs in Team USA’s overtime win over the World Team. Khamenia was able to score on a couple of aggressive drives to the hoop, but he didn’t shoot the ball well, as he missed all of his three-point shots. He also was able to find a teammate ahead on the break to set up a scoring chance for him that time.

On the other hand, he didn’t rebound the ball well. On another play, he closed out too hard and fouled a three-point shooter to put his opponent on the foul line. Overall, Khamenia didn’t have his best game, but he is a mobile, skilled forward that has some offensive skills. He’ll need to improve his jump shot, but he could be a prospect to watch in the future.

6-7 forward, Jaion Pitt didn’t make much of an impact in this game. He is a fairly athletic forward that was able to throw a long pass to show his passing skills, and he excelled at rebounding the basketball, but he didn’t shoot the ball well at all. He’ll need to improve his jump shot, but he is a player that would likely project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level.

6-9 swingman, Nate Ament was basically a non-factor in Team USA’s win in this game. He didn’t attempt a single shot on offense, but he was able to make a skip pass to notch an assist once, and he also poked a ball away to nearly get a steal another time. Still, he was held scoreless and didn’t rebound the ball well. He’ll need to be more assertive on offense, but if he can improve his skill set, he could end up being perhaps a coveted, 3 and D role player in the NBA someday.

Kentucky’s incoming 6-11 freshman center, Malachi Moreno didn’t seem to make much of an impact in this game. He is a tall, mobile big man that rebounded really well, but he did not attempt a single shot on offense. Overall, he will need to improve his skill set offensively, but he could be a prospect to watch in the future.

Notre Dame’s incoming 6-7 freshman swingman, Jalen Haralson didn’t have a great game in Team USA’s win over the World Team. Haralson rebounded really well in limited minutes, but he didn’t make any of his shots, and he was held scoreless in this game. He’ll need to improve his jump shot, but he is a player that would likely project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level.

Kentucky’s incoming 6-4 freshman guard, Jasper Johnson didn’t play well or make much of an impression in this game. He missed all of his shots, but he was able to do a decent job of rebounding the basketball in limited minutes. Overall, he’ll need to improve, especially on offense, but he could be a prospect to keep tabs on sometime down the road.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Tounde Yessoufou, and other prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.