AAU Season: EYBL Nike Nationals - Five More Showstoppers

Continuing my coverage from a few weekends ago at EYBL Nike Nationals, I wanted to speak on five more individuals that everyone should be aware of on a national level, if they aren't already. Each prospect is someone that showed out in big ways over their four days of competition, producing at a high rate in one way or another on the hardwood.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    As a Freshman at Des Moines Valley, [player_tooltip player_id='677842' first='Tylee' last='Weite'] lit it up on the offensive end for the Tigers and she has seemingly done the same this AAU season with her [program_tooltip program_id='712377' first='All' last='Iowa Attack'] EYBL team. Weite has better than average size at 5'9-5'10 for her position, she is knock-down from deep off the dribble or catch, and she doesn't force action but more-so takes what the defense is giving her. Defensively, her length plays to her advantage where she can stick with smaller defenders or get deflections at the hoop against someone that maybe bigger. At Nike Nationals, the AIA showed out as a program in total and Weite had her arsenal on full display. She is a Top 10 rated player out of the 2027 Class in her home state and she showed off why at this event.     If you have been following Women's Basketball the past few years, you know about Jayla Forbes out of Alabama. Forbes has jumped off the screen ever since she was in middle school because of her size and future potential on the basketball court. She has been fielding D1 offers from a young age and those offers seem to keep pouring in as of late. In Chicago, Forbes was dominant at the hoop against everyone who matched up with her. She killed it with her ability to take up space from block to block, her ability to get stops defensively, and because of how much she is to handle near the bucket on the offensive end. I'm not sure who is going to snag Forbes at the end of her high school journey but whoever it is, is getting someone that is going to be a difference maker at the college level, no matter where that is at.     Tatianna Griffin is a mixture between a Small Forward and a Shooting Guard because of her ability to attack the paint and her ability to shoot the basketball. Griffin is the next up. She is someone out of the 2028 Class, that was competing with Team Taurasi 17U EYBL team this season and competing as one of their best prospects. Which says everything because this is a high level team on the Girls EYBL Circuit. She may only come in at 5'8 but she is the definition of lethal on the offensive end. Trust me, If you don't know about her yet, do some research because you will soon.     Smith brings fundamentals, coordination, soft touch on the ball, situational awareness of the game, and fantastic footwork to the floor. At this event, Smith was someone that had all of her abilities on full display for her Philly Rise EYBL program. When you consider everything I mentioned above and add in that she is 6'2 and works relentlessly in the post, you understand how productive she could be with other noteworthy athletes on the court with her. The state of New Jersey must be STACKED with talent because Smith coming in at #32 out of the 2026 Class after what I saw in Chicago is tough. She was truly one of the best Power Forwards that competed there on the EYBL Circuit and that is a hard complement to grab with there being over 7000+ players in attendance .     Are you a collegiate recruiter, looking for a dominant force to be reckoned with at the Forward position out of the 2026 Class? Look no further than Taylor Sofikanich of The NJ Gems EYBL. Sofikanich can play with her back to the basket, she can pass out of the block or mid-post, she has several skilled counter moves to trick her defender into a poor defensive decision, and she can finish going through contact or fading away out of the Post going over either shoulder. This is someone that checks off a lot of boxes as it pertains to competing at the next level. I'm not sure who has interest in her at this point but I'm sure it's several prestigious programs because this one can hoop at an elite and efficient level.

Continuing my coverage from a few weekends ago at EYBL Nike Nationals, I wanted to speak on five more individuals that everyone should be aware of on a national level, if they aren't already. Each prospect is someone that showed out in big ways over their four days of competition, producing at a high rate in one way or another on the hardwood.