The Hoop State League has been tremendous so far… a lot of talent, a great chance to watch these teams in action early on, and players are competing. Trust me, there are a lot of names that have been catching my eye so far, which is why I wanted to share JUST A FEW NAMES that have really stood out to me through two weeks at the Hoop State League. Check out the guards that have impressed me so far that I’ve been able to see.
2025 Derek Ross Jr (Wildcats): Quick, explosive first step to get by defenders. Electric with the ball in his hands and extremely crafty in seeing the floor or creating for himself.
2025 Miles Leaks (Panthers): Poised and under control, he is a player who gets overlooked at times but plays with a high IQ, can score the ball really well, and makes everyone else better.
2024 Delani Hammonds (Purple Knights): Expect a big year from the senior guard, as he has been scoring, facilitating, and much more so far through two weeks. Really filling up the stat sheet.
2026 Rassell Young (Mavericks): Electric guard to really watch for. Shows a ton of potential with his scoring capabilities, is shifty in creating, and can really fill it up at times.
2024 Quasim Oden (Harvest Development): Strong, physical, downhill type of guard that attacked defenses well, created contact, and has shown some terrific athleticism in his game.
2024 Steven McLeod (Harvest Development): Loved what he provides on both sides of the ball. High energy, competitive, never quits defensively, and an absolute pest on both ends of the court.
2025 Trevor Best (Word of God): Best showed that he can help take over a game, creating his own shot, getting to his spots, knocking down tough shots with range, and being that player that can get into opponents’ heads.
2024 Grant Hamilton (Warriors): High IQ guard who continues to shine with his ability to mix it up nicely on the court. Can hurt you from the outside, or create and get paint touches. But he also makes everyone else better on the court.
2027 CP Perry (Team USD): Young guard that plays with a ton of poise. Intelligent in seeing and reading the court, finds the open spots, doesn’t force shots, and sees the court really well for a freshman.
2024 Champion Hayden (NCL National): Physical guard who can score in bunches and has done so consistently. Can bully his way through the defense, finish through and over defenders, as well as create space to knock down shots.
2025 Darnerian Gibson (WS Regional): Crafty and shifty point guard that knows how to play the position. Loves to be the spoon that stirs the drink, finding and setting up his teammates, but also can step up as an offensive shot-maker when needed.
2024 Chase Daniel/ 2024 Carson Daniel (NC Vikings): The two-headed monster for the Vikings helps lead the charge for this team. They can do it all; scoring, facilitating, creating turnovers… These two can make an opponent’s day turn bad quickly with their swarming mentality.
2024 Elijah Green (Roarasone): Greene continues to produce and help lead this team. Gritty guard who competes, battles offensively, and can create for himself, but also helps run the show for his team. Also liked his presence on the defensive end.
2025 Dylan Craven (Combine): High IQ point guard who loves and understands how to play the position. Incredibly feel and court awareness, loves to set up his teammates and run the show, and makes tough passes look easy. Crafty handles in his game.
2026 Nick Arnold (Dive On It): Gritty and tough is how I would describe Arnold. He should be a big part of Lake Norman’s success this year with his ability to run the show, make smart decisions, create on opportunities, and be a leader on the floor.
2024 Langston Boyd (Team Teal): Boyd has been tremendous throughout the Fall League, continuing to show why he is one of the top scoring guards in the state. Terrific mid-range game, creates well for himself, gets downhill with ease, and can fill it up.