Under The Radar Prospects In The '26 Class

Don't Underestimate these young ladies. I'm telling you that for a reason. This class has too many solid players and a lot of depth, however these young ladies may get overlooked. It's not that they are bad, but they might be overshadowed. It could be that their team or district is loaded with tough competition. It could be based on location. It might even be the system they are playing in. Who knows. What I do know is this, these ladies bring their lunch pail and hard hat to the floor every time the ball tips off. They compete! They are fearless competitors who do their job and do their job well.   Here are some under the radar prospects from the 2026 class who might be flying low now, but will appear very soon to become household names.   [player_tooltip player_id='513245' first='Natavia' last='Alber'] (6'1/PF/ Northview Academy)- Another big who gets after it. Has great size and length and uses it to her advantage. Finishes well around the rim and in the mid-range area. An enforcer on defense, she swats away the opposition's shots and gains rebounds. She is a tough interior presence and will be the anchor for the NA attack next year.   [player_tooltip player_id='816585' first='KJ' last='McNealy'] (6'0/SG/ Farragut)- A gutsy player who just competes on both ends of the floor. She is a multi-level scoring threat who isn't afraid of contact. A heady ball player who knows how to pick apart the opposition. A student of the game who has all the intangibles to be a strong prospect at the next level.   [player_tooltip player_id='782176' first='Abi' last='Alexander'] (5'6/G/ Cannon Co.)- Kid plays with a motor and is always at the right spot at the right time. Can play on or off the ball, but scores at a high clip. Inside or out, the ball finds the bottom of the net. She is a tough competitor who isn't afraid to mix it up. Look for her to add more tools to her arsenal as she competes at a high level this travel ball season. Once that's over, look for this district player of the year to pick up more accolades and then some.   [player_tooltip player_id='636402' first='Caroline' last='Kieffaber'] (6'0/F/ Father Ryan)- A heady basketball player who just plays her role well and to the best of her ability. She does what is asked of her and really excels at it. If you need a bucket on the interior, she will get it. Rebound, she has you. Lock up on D, she is up for the assignment. This kid is a selfless leader who always puts the team before herself. She's the glue and if any college is looking for an upstanding kid who works her tail off, this is the one.   [player_tooltip player_id='816653' first='Kaliah' last='Crawford'] (6 '2/C/Rockvale)- Call her Baby Diesel (her favorite player is Shaq), she is an anchor in the paint on both ends of the floor.  On the offensive end she has nice back to the basket moves that enables her to finish around the rim. She will step out and shoot it, but inside is where she makes a living. Defensively, she is going to block shots and own the boards, making it difficult for the opposition to operate. Once it all clicks for this young lady, she is going to be a force to be reckoned with.   Illianis Rodriguez (5'7/G/ Cleveland)- In my mind, she is just a throwback kind of player who just loves to hoop. She can score it from all 3 levels, but it's the little things that come to mind she does well. Timely assists, setting her girl up for a backdoor cut when she is off ball, locking up on D, diving for a loose ball, little things like this she brings to the game and she does them well. I can't forget her handles, when she is attacking the rim her head is up and she is going to make the right play. Solid kid who will continue to grow and be a building block for a solid Cleveland program.   [player_tooltip player_id='816630' first='Cecilie' last='Brandimore'] (6'2/ C/ Franklin)- She's like a mini Cameron Brink. Nice mid-range and block to block game. Runs the floor well. Blocks shots, heavy on the boards. She competes and does it with a passion. Has great size and knows how to utilize her height to take over a game. When her team needs a bucket, she will get it. She plays with a lot of energy and effort. A solid prospect with a high basketball IQ.   [player_tooltip player_id='900275' first='Kieren' last='Smith'] (6'2/F/ Memphis East)- An intriguing prospect who is going to excel once it all clicks. She is in a great program that will be an incubator for her to take her game to the next level. She has all the intangibles and the make up to be on the next prospects from the Memphis East program. She has the makeup with the size and wingspan. She finishes on the interior, she is tough on D. Once it all comes together, this kid is going to be tough to deal with. Look for her to take the next steps and be a name not only thrown around Memphis but all of Tennessee.

Don't Underestimate these young ladies. I'm telling you that for a reason. This class has too many solid players and a lot of depth, however these young ladies may get overlooked. It's not that they are bad, but they might be overshadowed. It could be that their team or district is loaded with tough competition. It could be based on location. It might even be the system they are playing in. Who knows. What I do know is this, these ladies bring their lunch pail and hard hat to the floor every time the ball tips off. They compete! They are fearless competitors who do their job and do their job well.