The Under Armor Rise circuit or UA Rise, is home to a wide variety of intriguing prospects from across the country and North America. There’s talent for every level of college basketball, headlined by the duo of high major prospects in Davis Fogle (Seattle Select) and Jordan Scott (VA Elite). While much of the attention that UA Rise receives is given to the 17u level, the 15u division introduced a plethora of intriguing prospects to a national stage. Today, I want to talk about a few of the 2027 prospects who I expect to make waves on the UA Rise circuit over the next few years.
6’7″ 2027 Davis Cochran (STARS Basketball (TN) / Brentwood (TN))
Cochran’s combination of size, ball skills, feel, and upside make him arguably the best prospect in the entire division. He has great size and length with a frame that looks likely to fill out. He’s a quality shooting threat with mechanics that project well. He’s near automatic when stepping out to the corners from the dunker spot and is growing rapidly more comfortable both in pick-and-pop and face-up situations. Along with positive shooting indicators, Cochran is comfortable with his back to the basket, displaying good footwork, patience, and touch around the block. He’s a good enough athlete for his size and age, able to contest shots around the basket at a high level and finish above the rim when left uncontested. He’s a good passer out of a variety of situations, most notably the high post. He has good vision and makes quick decisions with the ball.
6’3″ 2027 Mason Martin (Breakaway Basketball (IL) / Neuqua Valley (IL)
Martin was arguably the best shooting prospect in the 15u division this summer, thanks to his high level mechanics, touch, and confidence. He has a high release point and a quick, fluid motion that allows him to get his shot off against defenses that are actively trying to limit his attempts. His footwork is advanced and highly efficient as he understands how to come off screens and is comfortable when shooting out of traditionally “awkward” situations for players his age (transition, off balance, contested, etc). On top of his shooting prowess, Martin possesses an obvious amount of feel for the game, evidenced by his ability to make plays when attacking closeouts. He makes good decisions against weak side help and has shown intrigue as a passer. His shooting touch translates to his ability to finish around the rim and he makes a habit out of playing off two feet. Given all of his intriguing offensive traits, combined with his positional size, it’s easy to see Martin becoming a scalable and valuable college player in the coming years.
6’6″ 2027 Mmesoma Ndubisi (Northern Kings (CAN) / CALI Prep (CAN))
Ndubisi shined throughout the summer thanks to his explosive athleticism and intriguing physical tools. He dunks everything around the rim, plays with a consistently good motor, and is a great screen setter. What sets him apart offensively as a prospect are the indicators that he will be a quality shooter in the long term. He’s already comfortable now stepping out and knocking down an open jumper and his mechanics suggest that he’s able to take on more volume whenever he’s ready. He has good touch around the basket and his confidence should only continue to grow as he develops. He has great timing when defending the rim and is able to slide his feet well enough to compete with guards on the perimeter. His two-way impact and overall interior presence make him a great prospect as is, but his shooting indicators, motor, and room for physical development make him a tantalizing player to track long term.
6’4″ 2027 Oladeji Olarungbohunmi (St. John’s College (DC) / Team Accelerate (NC))
Olarungbohunmi is one of the most physically imposing prospects in the entire division. He has great positional size and athleticism on the wing, especially for his age, and understands how to take full advantage of it. He’s frankly an awesome defender who plays hard and guarded 1-5 this summer at a high level while also attacking the glass hard on both ends, filling the stat sheet with rebounds, steals, and blocks. He’s a prolific scoring threat who’s mostly known for his ability to get downhill and finish through contact but he also flashed the ability to step out and hit jumpers when left open. He’s efficient around the rim and draws a good amount of fouls thanks to his aggressive nature and ability to handle physicality. His willingness to rebound, defend, and play extremely hard really allows him to stand out amongst his peers, on top of his ability to score and his physical tools.
5’10” 2027 Ty Cobb (STARS Basketball (TN) / Upperman (TN))
Cobb was the key cog in STARS Basketball’s championship run, producing at a high level and acting as the clear leader for his team. He isn’t your typical high level prospect as he doesn’t have eye-popping measurables, but he makes up for that by being one of the toughest and most productive players in the gym, every single weekend. He’s a great shot maker who thrives in the mid-range, but is able to create for himself at all three levels. He acts as the primary creator for this STARS group but is capable of playing on or off the ball. He’s a quality passer who knows where his reads are supposed to come from. He does a great job of getting his eyes on back line defenders and making early decisions that put them into duress. He’s an explosive athlete in space, evidenced not only by his highlight dunks but also by his quick first step and ability to slide his feet defensively. Cobb’s production level, ability to scale his role, feel for the game, and overall toughness make it easy to believe that he’ll be one of the top guards on UA Rise’s platform for the foreseeable future.