2026 Names to Monitor During/After April Live Period

The first Evaluation Period of the travel ball season is quickly approaching and takes place on April 25-27. This will be the first time Division 1 coaches can watch kids with their travel teams in-person. In a time where it's becoming increasingly more difficult for high schoolers to get recruited at the highest levels, there are still players that can make an impact at any level if they get out of the D1 or bust mentality. We've seen players dominate D2, transfer up from JUCO, or wait their turn at a D1 and make that impact even if it wasn't immediate. Regardless, here are some names that I believe have D1 talent and should see their recruitment pick up this summer:    Lovely plays for Essence Prime only because the posts that Essence have on their EYBL team are elite. Playing for this team allows for Lovely to get a lot of run and showcase her abilities. She has great size and body control which makes her an obvious prospect for colleges. Her touch around the rim is fantastic & she has a nice shot that she can hit at a solid percentage from the mid-range. On the defensive end, she controls the glass and blocks a ton of shots or at least deters them with her presence.     Darleska already has a few D1 offers (UCF, Siena, Sacred Heart) and I fully expect her to get a few more on a team that I believe will do well on the Select 40 circuit. She hails from Venezuela and brings international playing experience which is evident in her game. She also has a strong fame that already looks college ready. Her game is smooth, she plays with confidence, her basketball IQ is high, and she can score it in a variety of ways.     Gabriela has a great opportunity to shine on the EYBL circuit this summer as one of two posts on the [program_tooltip program_id='713522' first='Miami' last='Suns'] Team Fowles roster. She's already turned some heads at the Sunshine State Showdown and now at Made Hoops in DC this weekend. Her size, frame, mobility, and international experience with Paraguay will make her a huge draw for college coaches. She excels in pick-and-roll situations, has a good basketball IQ, and passes it well from the post position.     It's hard to say a kid that is nationally ranked and sitting in our Top 5 is under-recruited, but I believe Missy will be an immediate contributor at a P4 school when she gets on campus. Her size, skill, and versatility is relatively unmatched. She can knock down the three ball, and she can power herself to the rim against any opponent. Her footwork, passing, and mid-range game are next level too. The sky really is the limit for this dual-sport athlete.     Jaelynn is not a new name to many people, but I really think her game has gone to the next level. She has quite a few offers from mid-major programs and some P4 schools as well, and I think that number will only continue to climb this summer. She's coachable, plays hard on both ends of the floor, and is an elite talent. Her shot from deep is looking better each time I watch her, and she is not afraid to lock someone up on defense or finish strong at the rim.     I will personally be watching Myanna and CFE as I head to Rock Hill for this first, April Eval Period. Her game is versatile with her length and height which makes her a big target for college coaches. She plays against high level competition year-round, so her game continues to improve with her ability to score it at all three levels especially. She's active on defense with her length and awareness that leads to blocks, steals, and deflections. I think this CFE team is really talented, so Myanna should have a lot of coaches on her courts all summer.

The first Evaluation Period of the travel ball season is quickly approaching and takes place on April 25-27. This will be the first time Division 1 coaches can watch kids with their travel teams in-person. In a time where it's becoming increasingly more difficult for high schoolers to get recruited at the highest levels, there are still players that can make an impact at any level if they get out of the D1 or bust mentality. We've seen players dominate D2, transfer up from JUCO, or wait their turn at a D1 and make that impact even if it wasn't immediate. Regardless, here are some names that I believe have D1 talent and should see their recruitment pick up this summer: