5 Class of 2028 Prospects Who Stole the Show at Nike TOC Chicago

Every year, players leave Nike Tournament of Champions Chicago with their stock soaring—and this year's Class of 2028 group was impossible to ignore. Whether it was elite athleticism, next-level size, relentless competitiveness, or polished skill sets beyond their years, these prospects consistently separated themselves against some of the nation's top competition. College coaches should be clamoring to get these five players on the phone.    Few players impacted their games with as much athleticism and energy as Clardy. Her long frame and smooth movement allowed her to swoop in for rebounds that most players wouldn't even have a chance to contest, and she repeatedly outworked taller opponents by tipping loose balls to teammates. She pairs that physical ability with outstanding defensive instincts. Her eyes shift side-to-side and she's constantly aware, not just of the player she's covering, but what's happening across the floor. Clardy could get more consistent with her free throws, but there's no question that she's an elite athlete, top two-way player, and an electric playmaker with the chance to go far.     Schmidtlein's 6 foot size immediately catches your attention, but it's the combination of fluid movement and toughness that makes her such an intriguing prospect. She runs the floor with long, gazelle-like strides while playing with a toughness and edge that feels like she's going into battle. In her team's win against Proformance, she displayed a smooth, efficient shooting stroke, going 3-4 from the field and hitting all but one free throw. Schmidtlein also got consistent elevation on her rebounds, giving her the foundation to impact the game in multiple ways. Definitely a prospect to watch.     Sullivan immediately stands out with a next-level frame and the type of size that college coaches covet. She displayed soft touch and creativity around the rim as a shooter and had her way on the glass. I counted three separate times Sullivan simply stepped in front of an opposing player to snag a rebound against a talented and athletic Proformance team. Sullivan also showed out on defense, coming up with a steal and perhaps most importantly drawing only one foul, proving that she's a high-motor player who can also stay on the floor.     Perhaps no player raised her stock more at this year's EYBL in Chicago than Bralyn Birmingham. Birmingham was the unquestioned catalyst for [program_tooltip program_id='712377' first='All' last='Iowa Attack']'s offense and she did a little bit of everything. Birmingham goes hard to the hoop - at times, she was impossible for the defense to stop and they fouled her so many times that Birmingham attempted 14 free throws in the game, making 86% of them. In addition to weaving her way through the defense and slashing to the hoop, Birmingham exhibited a strong pull-up game leading to 21 points in the Championship game against Exodus NYC. She made passes the length of the court and played the role not just of floor general, but an Assistant Coach on the court. You can see Birmingham's drive for excellence from miles away. If I was a college coach, I'd be picking up the phone to see how to get her on my team.     Arenas is the type of player every coach wants on their roster—a fierce competitor whose leadership and relentless motor set the tone for her team. While many players bring either skill or hustle, Arenas consistently delivers on both. She possesses both the handles and confidence to generate offense on her own and her ability to create off the dribble is special. The next step in Arenas' development is resisting the urge to carry the offense herself and learning when to trust those around her, as she occasionally tried to do too much and could have powered her team through assists and distribution, not just points.

Every year, players leave Nike Tournament of Champions Chicago with their stock soaring—and this year's Class of 2028 group was impossible to ignore. Whether it was elite athleticism, next-level size, relentless competitiveness, or polished skill sets beyond their years, these prospects consistently separated themselves against some of the nation's top competition. College coaches should be clamoring to get these five players on the phone.