By: Cooper Hart
6’6” ’25 Levi Beckwith (All Carolina/Heritage)
Beckwith possesses a ridiculous amount of intrigue thanks to his size, skillset, and motor. It’s rare to see a big that sees the game as well as he does. He operated as a passing and creation hub for All Carolina this weekend, initiating the offense and creating plays for himself and his teammates at the point of attack. He has a shifty handle, especially for someone his size, and he showed serious signs of future shot-making prowess. Arguably his biggest strength is his motor. He plays incredibly hard and is always in motion. He is as good as anyone I’ve seen at reading misses off the rim and getting to the ball first.
6’3” ’25 Gordon Balas (Durham Hurricanes/Sanderson)
Balas impressed me this weekend with his length, versatility, and feel. He displayed incredible defensive versatility, guarding the 1-5 and seemingly switching assignments by the possession. His long frame and elite instincts give him a defensive advantage over guards and bigs alike. Offensively, he operated well as a secondary creator, handling a bulk of the lead guard duties down the stretch of their Sunday win. Balas played with great patience and didn’t force anything, instead reading the defense and waiting for any advantage he could capitalize on. He scored in multiple ways and made a handful of live dribble passes that led to open looks.
6’5” ’25 Elijah Melton (Garner Road Select/Pinecrest)
Melton stood out as one of the better low-maintenance bigs in the 16U division this weekend. He plays with great energy and understands how to get into position on both ends. Whether it’s blocking shots, finishing through traffic, or being the best rebounder on the floor, Melton impacts every single possession with his motor, instincts, and strength. He thrived as a consistent double-double threat and was a mismatch for each opponent that Garner Road Select played. Melton averaged a double-double at Pinecrest this past season and look for him to take another jump in production in his junior campaign.
6’3” ’25 Will James Jr. (Strong Center/Holly Springs)
James Jr. continues to have a wildly productive travel season with Strong Center. His athleticism and strength have taken a leap in the last 12 months and he’s learning how to use that growth to his advantage. His skillset continues to progress with the biggest improvement coming from his expanded scoring arsenal. He was comfortable scoring in the midrange and mixed-up speeds with his improved handle to get to his spots. He’s already one of the most intriguing wing prospects that we’ve seen this Summer and as the shot creation continues to develop his stock should rise even more.
6’6” ’26 Aidan Rousseau (WCBA/Cary Academy)
Rousseau never seems to have a bad game and is always able to make a serious impact regardless of the circumstances. That high of a floor is incredibly enticing in a young prospect. His shooting progression has taken big strides in the past few months, and he’s gone from possibly making a three per game to being an efficient volume threat if left unguarded. That combined with his interior footwork, motor, mobility, and touch around the rim makes him arguably the best prospect on this loaded WCBA 2026 roster.