CUMMING, Ga. — The calendar has officially turned. The Opening is the South’s official start to the travel season. It also kicks off the OTR Circuit schedule. After three days in the gym, here’s who stood out: 

Ethan Smith - Sewer South 16U - 2028

Ethan is definitely a diamond in the rough. He is a 6-foot-4 burst of energy, who talks on defense, handles the ball well, and has great positional strength. He will be going into his junior season with the Grayson Rams next year and I expect him to pick up big minutes, and being a key factor on one of the top teams in the state. He has tremendous upside.The more he gets comfortable he will for sure be one of the OTR Circuit’s top prospects.

Micah Jones - Club Orange - 2026

MJ is the definition of a BIG GUARD. With his size and skillset he can easily run your offense and make plays for others. He has a solid frame and a nice handle. He shoots the ball efficiently, plays hard on both ends of the floor, rebounds the ball, gets into the paint, plays off two feet consistently and has a high IQ. I’ve been watching Micah for a couple years now and I’ve seen nothing but growth each year. Congrats to MJ on leading North Gwinnett to the GHSA 6A Elite 8 and making the All-County Team!

Iverson Freeman - World Smash Pro 17U - 2027

As I stated in my previous evaluation, Iverson is one of the most complete point guards on the OTR Circuit. Iverson plays with a lot of passion and leaves it all on the floor. He embraces the big moment, doesn’t shy away from the lights and lives to be on the main stage. I had a couple conversations with Coach Rideout about him before “The Opening” and Iverson definitely lived up to the hype. He can be instant offense or be your traditional PG and set up his teammates for success. He plays the passing lanes at a high level and turns defense into offense. 

Noah Joseph - Norcross Heat - 2029

Noah had an impressive weekend at “The Opening”. He displayed having soft hands and good footwork with his ability to catch, secure and pivot through doubleteams, great mobility, and efficient outside shotmaking in pick and pop situations. Noah is definitely a glass cleaner, rim protector, and has adequate defensive foot speed. I spoke to Coach Rick and he stated that, “He’s a great kid on and off the floor”. Noah will become a known name as he gets more comfortable. 

Cameron Blackmon - HWPO - 2028

Cam is great at stretching the floor, creating space, and finding others. He has a very polished game already. Cam also brings poise, elite shotmaking and confidence to the table. He is very exciting to watch, a tough shot maker, and will most likely come up big in clutch moments. He has the ball on a string and nearly never turns the ball over. Cam has a great mentor in Coach Trey so I only expect for him to keep trending upward. 

Messiah Lancaster - AEBL - 2030

As a top ranked kid in the state, I didn’t expect anything less than a great showing from Messiah. Even with playing up with 2029 for the weekend he showed why he is a top prospect. Messiah is extremely skilled, very smart on both ends of the floor, has amazing poise, and can get to his spots with ease. He was clearly the most polished talent within the 2029 class at “The Opening”.

Remington Akins - Georgia Vipers - 2027

Remington can really put the ball in the basket. Having a high IQ, length at the guard position, and his ability to play off the ball showcases his versatility. He has a very mature game for his age. He can score the ball on all 3 levels, get downhill and finish at the rim with both hands. His offensive feel for the game is unmatched. 

Gabriel Winston - DPC - 2029

Gabriel impressed me with his amazing motor. He really played hard the entire game.Very smart on both ends of the floor, just a high level all-around player. Having a great work ethic is one of his many skills, along with having the character to go with it. He will defend, rebound, assist, score, dive on the floor for loose balls. Gabriel literally filled the stat sheet for his team. He is very coachable and plays the correct way. 

Fortune Hicks - Gold Elite - 2027

Fortune is a college ready player right now. Probably had the prettiest shooting form in the entire event. But it's not for show, the kid can play. He has a great shot IQ, very efficient and knocks down open shots at a high clip. He has a strong handle, gets into the paint, has great ball security, makes the correct read and loves getting others involved. He has an elite running mate G Michael Wright and they are definitely one of the top 3 backcourts on the OTR Circuit.

Chai Haywood - Norcross Heat - 2027

Talking to Coach Marshawn, he had nothing but great things to say about his starting point guard Chai Haywood. Watching Chai literally put his team on his back late in a game showed me why. There’s nothing like having a PG that can be your QB on the court. Giving him the keys to your team, giving him confidence, letting him play through mistakes, and him learning on the fly and making the proper adjustments. He may not be the fastest, he may not be the most athletic, but give me a floor general that’s going to be an extension of me on the court, shows composure under pressure and plays winning basketball.