Thoughts on the 2026 Jordan Brand Classic Game

August 9th, 2026

By Alan Lu

I took the time to watch the 2026 Jordan Brand Classic, as I was able to see this with thanks to YouTube via qwik11hoops.  This was just to get a glimpse of each of the prospects’ skills for the 2027 draft, and some of the players were featured extensively, while others were not featured much at all.  There were many strong performances in this game, and Tyran Stokes arguably had the best one, as he scored 29 points to get Team Flight the 135-133 win on April 17th. For those that are interested in the box score, here is the link, courtesy of Dinos Trigonis via X. Here are my thoughts on how he and other prospects fared, as well as how they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA.

Tyran Stokes had a superb all-around game to help Team Flight get the win.  The 6-7 Kansas forward showed a knack for scoring quickly off the dribble, as he has very good speed, strength, and finishing ability.  He showed a knack for throwing down high-flying dunks off of motion plays.  He also can utilize nifty dribble moves and his footwork to score consistently out of the post. He also can easily knock down step-back threes, as he has good footwork to get his shot off, though he was a little more streaky from the outside.

He also did a great job of passing the basketball.  Stokes has great court sense, and he consistently made great passes off the dribble and in ransition, and he also can throw lobs to set up scores for his teammates.

Plus, he also did a very good job of rebounding the basketball, and sometimes he would push the pace after getting defensive boards.  He also defended fairly well.  Stokes was active in getting steals and blocks, and he would get his hands in the passing lanes.  Sometimes though, he would struggle to stay in front of his man, which would lead his team to allow scores.

Overall, Stokes put forth a great performance to help Team Flight get the win.  He showed a really good skill set and feel for the game, and he is a really talented prospect that could end up being the top pick of the 2027 draft, as he could end up being similar to former Indiana Pacers’ forward, Paul George or current Toronto Raptors’ superstar forward, Scottie Barnes in the NBA.

Tajh Ariza is a very athletic, 6-9 freshman forward that will play at Oregon.  He had a strong all-around showing in this game.  He showed a knack for using quick, strong moves to score on tough layups and dunks off the dribble.  He can score on off-ball, motion plays.  Also, he was able to use a crossover to make a step-back three to showcase his shooting skills.

He also displayed decent playmaking skills. He can make an assortment of passes, as he can find teammates on the move to set up scores for them.  However, sometimes he can struggle to protect the basketball, which can lead him to commit some turnovers.

He also rebounded very well.  He also will hustle and chase down loose balls to get steals.  In summary, Tajh Ariza played very well, and he is a very talented prospect that could end up being a lottery pick in 2027.

Bruce Branch III also played very well in this game, as he especially excelled as a shooter and scorer when he was on the floor. He is a 6-7 forward that will play at BYU, and he showed a knack for making outside shots off the catch, and he would run the floor hard to score and throw down emphatic dunks.

Plus, he is an unselfish player that can find teammates on the move to notch assists. But sometimes he would throw hasty passes that would lead to turnovers. Branch also did a tremendous job of rebounding the basketball.  He would contest shots to force some misses.  On the other hand, he also would get beat off the dribble sometimes, which would lead his team to allow scores.

Overall, Bruce Branch had a strong showing in this game, and he is a versatile player that can put the ball in the hoop and rebound. He is a talented prospect, and he could end up being a first round pick in 2027.

Brandon McCoy Jr. is a 6-5 guard that will play at Michigan, and he did a good job of scoring and rebounding the basketball.  He did some of his best work at scoring in transition and off the dribble, and he did a good job of catching lobs and scoring. He also would throw down high-flying jams, and he even was able to score on an impressive, windmill dunk.  He also was able to make a long two to showcase his burgeoning shooting skills.

He also is an unselfish player that can find the open man to get assists, but he also was turnover prone.  McCoy did a very good job of rebounding the basketball.   He was able to intercept a pass to get a steal.  Sometimes though, he would be late to close outs and he also ended up fouling out.

Overall, McCoy is a very athletic, energetic guard that can slash to the basket to score and rebound the basketball.  He is a very talented prospect that could end up being a likely first round pick in the 2027 draft.

Jaxon Richardson is a very athletic swingman that will play at Alabama, and he did a great job of scoring off of cuts and rolls to the rim, as he would frequently throw down high-flying dunks.  He was able to score on a nice windmill dunk early on, and he also caught a lob to score on a reverse alley-oop dunk. 

He has great hands to catch lobs, and he’ll also grab some rebounds and block some shots. He’ll need to improve his long-range shooting, but he is a very talented prospect that could end up being a likely first round pick in 2027.

Jason Crowe Jr. is an athletic 6-3 point guard that will play for Missouri. He did a very good job of passing the basketball and running the point.  He can throw a crisp lob pass, and he excels at making passes off the dribble and finding teammates on the move.  He also defended well, and he can get steals and blocks.

He wasn’t quite as efficient as a scorer, but he can do so in a variety of ways. Crowe is quite adept at scoring off the dribble, and he can frequently score in traffic. He can split a double team to score in traffic. He can knock down a contested three.  He also was able to run the floor to score on an emphatic dunk.  However, he didn’t shoot as well from the outside, and sometimes he’ll take tough shots that will lead to misses.

Overall, Crowe had a fairly solid showing in this game. He’ll need to be a more consistent shooter and scorer in this game, but he is a skilled playmaker that could end up being a first round pick in a future NBA draft, especially if he works hard to develop and hone his overall game.

Miles Sadler also played well, as he excelled as a scorer and facilitator in this game.  West Virginia’s incoming 6-0 point guard showed a knack for drawing and making free throws, and he also made a smooth stepback three.  He also did a good job of passing the basketball, and he also poked a ball away to get a steal. 

Overall, he is an athletic playmaker that will likely be very productive at the collegiate level, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Carlos Medlock is a 5-11 point guard that will play at Michigan State.  He is an agile, skilled playmaker that did a good job of running the point. He showed a solid ability to score off the dribble, as he has a solid first step, and can shield the ball and score in traffic.  He has a good set of moves that he can use to get past his man.  He also can make shots from the outside, although he struggled to make threes consistently.

Plus, Medlock also did a good job of making passes off the dribble and in transition to rack up assists.  He also was able to get his fair share of boards.  He also defended well, as he was able to alter a two-point shot to force a miss, and he also poked a ball away to get a steal. Overall, Medlock is an energetic point guard that can make hustle plays on both ends of the floor. He’ll need to improve his jump shot, but he is a promising prospect that could end up being a solid backup point guard in the NBA.

Adonis Ratliff is an athletic 6-11 big man that will attend USC.  He did a very good job of shooting and passing the basketball.  He showed a knack for making spot-up threes, and he also showed the potential to excel as a movement shooter.  He also can pass and handle the basketball, as he can push the pace, and he can throw crisp, accurate long passes, and he can throw a lob to set up a score for a teammate on the break. He also was fairly active on the boards.  Overall, Ratliff is an athletic, skilled big man, and he has a promising set of skills that could allow him to be a first round pick in 2027.

Cameron Williams is an athletic, 6-11 forward that will play for Duke.  He did a great job of making shots to score the basketball, and he quietly had a very solid all-around showing.  Williams showed a knack for throwing down dunks off of backdoor cuts. He can also knock down mid-range jumpers and score on put backs after grabbing offensive rebounds.  Overall, he is a versatile player that could end up being a first round pick in 2027.

Darius Ratliff is an athletic 7-0 center that also will play at USC.  He had a solid showing in this game. He was able to make a spot-up three to showcase his range, and he also scored on a put back.  He was able to grab some rebounds. Plus, he also defended well. He managed to stay with an opposing ball handler, as he blocked a shot hard when defending off the dribble.  He is a talented prospect, and he could end up being a first round pick in 2027.

Austin Goosby is an athletic 6-5 guard that will play for Texas. He quietly had a solid all-around showing.  He showed a knack for throwing down dunks off of cuts.  He rebounded and passed the ball well.  He also used a crafty pump fake and drove and kicked it out to a cutter to notch an assist.  Goosby is a talented prospect that has solid playmaking and defensive skills, and if he can improve his jump shot, he could end up being a first round pick sometime in the future.

Tarris Bouie is a 6-5 guard that will play at Alabama.  He excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game, and he did a good job of grabbing offensive boards.  He is a skilled prospect that could be a potential first round pick in a future NBA draft.

Colben Landrew is a 6-6 forward that will play for UConn.  He excelled as a rebounder, facilitator, and defender. He can get to the free throw line and score the basketball, but he will need to improve his jump shot. He is a talented prospect that could be a player to watch in the future.

Quentin Coleman is a 6-4 guard from St. Louis that will play for Illinois.  He excelled as a rebounder, facilitator, and defender.  He showed off versatile scoring skills, but will need to be a more efficient shooter in games.  He is a talented prospect that could be a player to watch in the future.

Vaughn Karvala is a 6-7 forward that will play for Indiana. He excelled as a rebounder and facilitator.  He showed off versatile scoring skills, but will need to be a more efficient shooter in games.  He is a talented prospect that could be a player to watch in the future.

JJ Andrews is a very athletic 6-6 forward that played fairly well in this game.  He showed a knack for throwing down dunks off of cuts and in transition, and he has good hands to catch lob passes.  He also excelled at grabbing offensive rebounds, and he also managed to get a steal. Sometimes though, he would get beat off the dribble, which would lead him to allow scores.  He is a talented prospect that will need to refine his jump shot and defensive skills, but he could be a player to watch in the future.

Elijah Williams is a 6-6 forward that will play for Baylor.  He can draw and make free throws, and he showed some passing and rebounding skills, but he will need to improve his jump shot and be more assertive on offense.  He could project to be a 3 and D player in the NBA.

Dakari Spear is a 6-5 guard that will play for Texas Tech. He did a good job of making twos, but he was unable to make a three-pointer, and he struggled to take care of the basketball.  He’ll need to refine his overall game, but he could end up being a 3 and D player in the NBA.

Bryson Howard is a 6-5 guard who is the son of former NBA player Josh Howard, and Bryson will attend Duke.  He did not play well at all, but he showed that he can get steals in games.  However, he didn’t shoot well nor take care of the ball, and he had the worst plus-minus of any prospect in this game.  Still, he could end up being a 3 and D player in the NBA sometime down the road.

Quinn Costello is a 6-10 forward that will play for Michigan. He didn’t seem to do a whole lot in this game, but he was able to throw an outlet pass to showcase his passing skills.  He’ll need to be more assertive on offense, but his ability to move the ball could enable him to be a prospect to keep tabs on sometime down the road.

Dionte Neal is a 5-10 point guard that will play for UNC Greensboro.  It was surprising that he ended up being invited to this game, but he was able to hold his own at this event. He is an agile point guard that was able to make a deep, step-back three to show his handles and shooting skills.  However, he didn’t shoot or pass quite as well in this game.  Still, he is a promising prospect and he could end up having a good collegiate career, which could lead him to having a solid professional playing career in the future.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how players fared in this game. Thanks for reading.