Team Trae Young Tryouts: The 2026’s
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As I’ve mentioned numerous times over the past few weeks, the class of 2026 is absolutely loaded in the state of Oklahoma and of course, that means that a team the caliber of Team Trae Young is going to be…
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Continue ReadingAs I’ve mentioned numerous times over the past few weeks, the class of 2026 is absolutely loaded in the state of Oklahoma and of course, that means that a team the caliber of Team Trae Young is going to be brimming with athletes. Here are a few that really jumped out at me on Sunday. I promise you, there are definitely more to come. This is just scratching the service of this class and this team!
It’s like my knowledge of the class of 2026 was building to a crescendo as I reintegrated back into the world of Oklahoma high school basketball. It all built and built until it it became the chorus of “ohh’s” and “ahh’s” that surrounded every court that Maddi was playing on this past Sunday. I mean, when you’ve got Trae Young’s Father visually excited about your ability, you’re clearly doing something right… and Maddi does a whole lot of stuff right. To begin with, her sense of timing and the speed she plays with is otherworldly. There are top-ranked seniors in Oklahoma who still don’t know how to throw defenders off with the hesitation moves she has. Stewart is a star and undoubtedly one of the top two or three players in the class of 2026. She will be a High DI player by the time 2026 rolls around.
I am really excited to see Bella on the court for Tulsa Union this season, especially after what I witnessed this past Sunday. To begin with, she was absolutely lights out from behind the arc. More than that, she played like a senior leader out there. Her defense was on point and she was a vocal leader during every drill and scrimmage. She’s a natural leader, a smooth ballhandler, and a very, very good defender. Bella has been to several elite camps including Oral Roberts, Northeastern State, and Southern Nazarene. I expect a big high school season this year and then the offers will be pouring in.
Highlights
Where do I even start with, Da’Nae? It’s rare enough at one of these things that you have one player that gets everybody talking, but Team Trae Young had multiple players with that ability, and Jefferson was a big part of that. She was doing things out there that people just were not used to seeing. She can jump out of the gym. That’s where it all starts. So, she pulls down some unbelievable one-handed rebounds that nobody else could get to. She blocks shots that seem unblockable. Then you see her speed and handles on the offensive end and you understand the buzz that resonates throughout the gym anytime she is on the court. Da’Nae is yet another 2026 who looks to already be a DI lock at this young age.
It’s pretty much perfect that the best photo I got of Slatey to add as her profile picture here on the site is of her diving on the floor. She may have spent more time on the hardwood, like actually ON the hardwood, than any other player on Sunday. If there was a loose ball, Slatey Jo Free Slatey Jo Free 5’6″ | CG Howe | 2026 State OK was on the ground battling. Most of the time, she made it hers and kicked it to an open teammate. She is a hustler with tons of heart. Free is a smart player who just has that “wants it” factor that is going to make her standout whether the tryout has 10 participants or 200. The three-ball is where she really makes her money scoring-wise. But, she is just a winner for doing all of the small things. That is why she will play somewhere in college.
Hannah definitely stands out because of her size, but there are plenty of “bigs” out there who don’t know what to do with that size. She’s not one of them. There are even more “bigs” out there that can’t move and she is far from being one of them. In the picture I chose to use for her profile pic, you can see her bringing the ball up the court, which she did plenty of. She did it deftly and with her eyes up the floor. She can also shoot it from long and mid range. Hannah is a great all-around player who also loves going down low and doing all of the tough stuff under neath. She’s not afraid to bang on the defensive end. Hannah Bond Hannah Bond 6’1″ | PF Locust Grove | 2026 State OK is a tremendous all-around prospect and I am really excited to check out a game from perennial favorite Locust Grove this season!