20 Top Junior Boys Basketball Players to Watch in South Florida in 2024-2025

These new upperclassmen are ready to assert themselves as future college stars during their junior year of high school basketball

St. Thomas Aquinas' Zane Elliott (1) is a 6-6 combo forward who can score on three levels. He is one of the top junior players in the state of Florida and one to watch in 2024-25. / Alan Youngblood/For the Star-Banner | USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2024-2025 High School Basketball season is approaching in the Sunshine State. High School On Si will be breaking down the top 10 players to watch for in specific regions across the state. We will start with our freshman class and finish with the senior class. Check out our list of juniors from the Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. Any and all nominations can be sent to rossvdg14@gmail.com.

Ayden “AJ” Ambrose, Cardinal Gibbons

Height: 6’0

Position: Point Guard

The 6-0 guard has one of the highest IQs I’ve seen. Ambrose doesn’t light up the scoreboard with his scoring, but he is a crafty passer who gets his teammates good looks to score. Ambrose plays smoothly when he is around the rim and is unafraid to finish while absorbing contact from stronger defenders. On the defensive end, Ambrose is quick and shifty where he can stay in front of opposing guards limiting the opposition from getting a solid shot off.

Isaiah Brown, Stranahan

Height: 6’9

Position: Power Forward

Brown does a great job when it comes to blocking shots around the rim on the defensive end. Offensively, he can become a threat as well where he finishes strong with either hand above the rim. Going to have huge upside heading into the upcoming season.

Sam Cano, North Broward Prep

Height: 6’5

Position: Combo Guard

The 6-5 guard is the definition of a true effort player where on defense he does a great job reading the next pass as well as getting timely block shots and rebounding from each side. On offense, he is a gifted finisher where he is strong on the attack and does a great job at drawing fouls earning trips to the free-throw-line.

Alex Constanza, Westminster Academy

Height: 6’9

Position: Small Forward

The 6-9 wing has a smooth touch to his game whether it’s his shooting on the offensive end, or his ability to keep possessions alive on the glass. Constanza has the handles of a guard where he can dictate the offense as his IQ continues to rise. On the defensive end, Constanza is unafraid when it comes to guarding bigger players as his footwork is also impeccable and is a high-level matchup every time he steps onto the floor.

Kaleb Corbitt, Blanche Ely

Height: 6’7

Position: Power Forward

The 6’7 forward has a smooth jumper to his offensive skill set as well as the ability to pass from the blocks. On the defensive end, he has a high motor where he gets timely blocked shots and is very effective at running the floor in transition.

Zane Elliott, St. Thomas Aquinas

Height: 6’6

Position: Small Forward

A 6-6 combo forward who can score on all three levels with a ton of confidence. Elliott has good footwork on the interior as well as playing with a ton of physicality where he can score at the rim against multiple defenders. He has also added a nice dribble-drive game where he can get to the front of the rim from the perimeter with a quick step. He is a very active defender where gets tips and deflections leading to transition points on the offensive end.

Jayquan Freeman, Hialeah Educational Academy

Height: 6’8

Position: Power Forward

Freeman does a great job when he’s finishing above the rim and is a menace on the defensive end. He uses his length and athleticism when it comes to challenging shots as well as his shot-blocking ability. He needs to be a little quicker when it comes to defending out on the perimeter but has the intangibles to become a big-time prospect in the South Florida area.

Stefan Frisby, Western

Height: 6’2

Position: Point Guard

The 6-2 guard plays with a ton of confidence on the offensive end where he can get his teammates involved with his pass-first abilities. He is unafraid to finish at the front of the rim on the attack where he muscles his way to score against bigger defenders. His on-the-ball defensive skills have continued to improve as he has a good skillset of speed and strength where he can guard out on the perimeter.

Mason Fuentes, Riviera Prep

Height: 6’2

Position: Point Guard

The 6-2 point guard has a smooth fundamental feel for the game as he can impact the game in a variety of ways. His shooting touch on the offensive end has been impeccable to where college coaches have started setting their eyes on him. He currently holds offers from Albany, Jacksonville, Radford, Stetson, and UCF.

Jasen Lopez, Chaminade-Madonna

Height: 6’0

Position: Combo Guard

Lopez is a high-level athlete with a good amount of speed and the ability to play above the rim. He causes havoc in the paint defensively with his twitchy hands and feet movement where he is in the right position most of the time. He has a great amount of body control and a strong IQ where he could be a huge factor in his team’s success this season.

David Nealy, Sagemont

Height: 6’3

Position: Combo Guard

The 6-3 combo guard provides instant energy coming off the bench where he shows quickness and athleticism to get into the passing lanes on the defensive end. He plays under control and can get to the front of the rim finishing strong with either hand.

James Osborne, Key West

Height: 6’3

Position: Combo Guard

Osborne is coming off a stellar sophomore season where he averaged 17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game for the Conchs. He is a fearless leader on both ends of the floor who has a strong knack for guarding on-the-ball where he gets steals which lead to scores on the other end.

Collin Paul, Calvary Christian Academy

Height: 6’7

Position: Small Forward

The 6-7 wing is a rim protector and a dominant rebounder for his size, as well as running the floor exceptionally well. He is a traditional back-to-the-basket type of player who has great footwork and hands on the interior. He is also gaining more confidence in his mid-range game and will look to expand his game into becoming a true three-level scoring threat. On the defensive end, Paul has expanded his range when it comes to guarding multiple positions as he has solid length where he can challenge shots at all three levels.

Jaxon Richardson, Columbus

Height: 6’6

Position: Shooting Guard

The 6-6 guard has been high-flying this season where he can impact the game in a variety of ways. Richardson does a lot of the dirty work where he makes hustle plays on both ends of the floor whether it’s keeping possessions alive on the offensive end or going after a loose ball on the defensive end. Jaxon plays with a high motor and good energy, and he has a huge upside for the next two years. On the glass, Jaxon is long and bouncy where he will limit the opposition from getting a second chance to score.

Calvin Russell, Miami Northwestern

Height: 6’6

Position: Small Forward

The 6-6 wing has very good intangibles in running the off-ball guard position on the defensive end. Russell is quick and athletic where he can guard against the perimeter or on the interior contesting tough shots. He is a perennial shot blocker and rebounder on the defensive end where he is quick to get the basketball in transition.

DJ Sandi, St. Thomas Aquinas

Height: 6’2

Position: Point Guard

The 6-2 point guard plays with an aggressive mindset when he has the basketball in his hands. Sandi plays with a high IQ when it comes to decision-making and gets to the free-throw line frequently. He is also considered to be an underrated passer for his size and can knock down perimeter shots with space.

Lloyd Swan, True North Classical Academy

Height: 6’2

Position: Point Guard

Swan is a fearless guard with quick hands and feet on the defensive end, where he gets into the passing lanes using his length to get tips and deflections at a high level. Offensively, Swan likes to depend on the mid-range and deep 3-ball whether it’s off the bounce or catch he can make defenders pay.

Kevin Thomas, Sagemont

Height: 6’7

Position: Small Forward

The 6-7 forward is emerging as one of the top two-way prospects in the class. He plays with a ton of length at both ends of the floor where he can score off putbacks or lobs thrown at the rim. Thomas also has a dangerous catch-and-shoot release when it comes to scoring from the perimeter. On the defensive end, Thomas is an elite shot blocker and rebounder which is one of his underrated values in his game.

Jabari Washington, Plantation

Height: 6’3

Position: Shooting Guard

Washington is a natural three-level scorer where he doesn’t need to be the primary ball-handler in order to have success. As a sophomore last season, Washington averaged 16.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game for the Colonels.

Christian Yeargin, Stranahan

Height: 6’3

Position: Small Forward

Yeargin is a long and improving wing with a tendency where he can score on all five positions as he has a dangerous mid-range game scoring off the catch and bounce. As he continues to grow, expect him to be more aggressive when it comes to finishing around the rim where he can draw contact as well as finishing above the rim.