GEICO Top Flight Invite: Players to Watch
With roughly a month to go until the official start of the high school basketball season, Las Vegas jumped the gun to bring the stars out in the GEICO Top Flight Invite which kicks off on Friday.
Eight teams from five states will bring some of the most dominant players in the country to Coronado High School to compete.
Here are the players you can’t miss in the loaded event.
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MJ Rice, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 2022, SG
College: Kansas
Why he’s must-see TV: Rice has quietly been one of the most consistently dominant players in the country over the last year. At 6-foot-5, he’s a bully of a guard who uses a special blend of brute strength and shiftiness to get into the lane and finish over defenders with authority. Rice guards multiple positions and knocked down the perimeter shot at a 44% clip on average over the last year.
Chris Livingston, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), SF
College: Kentucky
Why he’s must-see TV: Livingston is a dynamic do-it-all wing with great size and length. His ability to ignite the break, create for his teammates and guard multiple positions is what makes him effective. His relentless motor is what sets him apart.
Adem Bona, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 2022, C
College: Undecided
Why he’s must-see TV: Bona uses his brute strength to overpower bigs in the paint, but his agility and versatility is what makes him special. Bona’s quickness and ball handling ability allows him to get to his spots and finish with authority at the rim. His motor and precision as a shot blocker are exceptional and he’s a relentless rebounder.
Caleb Foster, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 2023, PG
College: Duke
Why he’s must-see TV: Foster is a smooth and methodical lead guard who rarely wastes movements and remains in attack mode on the offensive end. Foster’s ability to score on all three levels keeps the defense off balance and his improving ability as a playmaker is what is taking his game to the next level.
Judah Mintz, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 2022, CG
College: Pittsburgh
Why he’s must-see TV: Mintz is a fiery and energetic scoring guard who dominates the opposition in multiple ways at all three levels. Mintz showed the full-array of his offensive arsenal this summer at the Nike Peach Jam, pumping in 29.5 points over a torrid three-game stretch and finishing the Nike EYBL/Peach Jam averaging 18.2 points a game.
Mikey Williams is an influencer on social media with millions of followers on Instagram.
Williams Family
Mikey Williams, Vertical Academy (Charlotte, N.C.), 2023, SG
College: Undecided
Why he’s must-see TV: Williams is the most famous high school athlete in the country with more than 3.3 million followers on Instagram. From a skill standpoint, Williams is an exceptional athlete with three-level scoring ability and elite quickness; plus, he’s coming off a 50-point game in a win last week.
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Shaedon Sharpe, Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), 2022, SG
College: Kentucky
Why he’s must-see TV: Sharpe is an elite athlete who finishes through defenders at the rim but keeps defenses off balance with his ability to efficiently knockdown perimeter shots. Sharpe is relentless on the offensive end, constantly applying pressure and creating for himself and his teammates.
Yohan Traore, Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), 2022, F
College: Undecided
Why he’s must-see TV: At 6-foot-10, Traore is the full package, scoring in every way imaginable while owning rebounds and changing shots on the defensive end. Traore is extremely agile and mobile and is masterful at switching on the perimeter and recovering. His exceptional footwork makes life difficult for opposing bigs, out-maneuvering them to consistently set himself up for high percentage shots.
Amari Bailey, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 2022, SG
College: UCLA
Why he’s must-see TV: Bailey is a crafty playmaker who thrives in transition using his combination of elite speed, quickness and athleticism to get into the lane and finish with authority. Bailey plays with a relentless motor on both ends of the floor and plays with a toughness that becomes infectious among his teammates.
Dior Johnson, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 2022, PG
College: Oregon
Why he’s must-see TV: Johnson is the ultimate competitor with the ability to beat you in multiple ways all over the court. He thrives as a playmaker with exceptional vision and a high basketball IQ. Johnson is the type of point guard that thinks three plays ahead and can takeover the game when he needs to.
Isaiah Elohim, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 2024, CG
College: Undecided
Why he’s must-see TV: Elohim can dominate as a playmaker creating for his teammates or as a lethal scorer attacking at every turn. Elohim’s quickness allows him to get to his spots easily and his athleticism makes him an elite finisher in the lane. This summer he led the Nike EYBL E15 league in scoring averaging 28.5 points a game.
Jared McCain, Centennial (Corona, Calif.), 2024, SG
College: Undecided
Why he’s must-see TV: McCain is a marksman from the perimeter with ability to beat switches with his quick release and efficiency. He doubles as a capable playmaker with the ability to go by defenders and finish at the rim or pull up in the mid-range. McCain’s dominance has been on full display over the last six months winning a CIF Open Division title and a Peach Jam E16 title with Team Why Not.