A young player to really keep an eye on in South Carolina could be 2025 6’2 Keenan Arcega-Whiteside. If the last name sounds familiar, it should because he is the younger brother of NFL wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who is currently with the Philadelphia Eagles. JJ was a star football player at Dorman high school and then moved on to Stanford before playing in the NFL.
Now, his younger brother Keenan, who also plays basketball and football, is one to start tracking as it will be interesting how he develops and the road he takes. From what we saw though, on the basketball court, he has intriguing talent to go with his size already. He is a long, high-motor prospect that uses his length well, plays well defensively, and is known for his scoring ability on the court, as he led his team throughout the Phenom MDC just last week.
We recently spoke with head coach Zach Watson from Upward Stars Watson, who Keenan played with recently and he had this to say about what he has seen so far from the rising prospect.
“Keenan has the best motor for any kid I’ve seen at such a young age. He plays hard and full speed at all times. He is a great rebounder on both ends, can rebound, and go coast-to-coast with ease. Keenan thrives in transition and getting downhill to the rim. His length and athleticism, combined with his motor, make him a hard player to contain for an entire game on both ends. It will be exciting to see as his skill set develops what kind of player he can become.”
He has really captured some eyes with his play and it will be interesting to see how his game continues to grow. But he certainly is one to start putting on your watch list early for the class of 2025.