The Geico Nationals concluded over the weekend after four days of action in Fort Myers, Florida. Ten of the top high schools in the country participated, with many of the best prospects in America going head to head in one of the most competitive settings we've seen at this level of basketball since the onset of the pandemic.
Montverde Academy defeated Sunrise Christian 62-52 in the final to win its fifth Geico Nationals championship.
This model of elite high school teams competing against one another in organized settings is rapidly emerging as the preferred method for showcasing the top prep stars of the future for companies such as Nike. A new league starting next season featuring at least a dozen teams is expected to be announced in the near future.
Which prospects moved the needle? Here's our look at the standouts.
MORE: Rankings for Class of 2021 | 2022 | 2023
Jalen Duren | Jr. | C | Montverde Academy
No. 2 in ESPN Class of 2022
The 17-year-old Duren, who stands 6-foot-10, had a quietly productive showing. He averaged 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks in 24 minutes per game, earning a spot on the all-tournament team for the event champions.
One of the most physically gifted big men in the high school game, Duren is still figuring out how to consistently use his ability to his advantage. Sometimes he goes through stretches in which he isn't assertive enough at making his presence felt. Like many big men his age, he can be a little mechanical with his moves at times as he continues to work on his coordination and balance.
While he doesn't play above the rim as frequently as you might hope, Duren has excellent hands and is a terrific target for lobs, showing impressive power when he can catch the ball with a head of steam and explode off two feet. He also shows flashes of touch on short-range jumpers that hint at good things to come down the road.
Duren gets criticized at times for not playing hard enough. There's some truth to that, particularly in his lack of physicality while setting screens and sealing off opponents. However, that's not the case on the defensive side of the ball, where he really shines at the moment. He has excellent feet and overall mobility, shows impressive versatility hedging and switching on ball screens and is extremely difficult to shoot over both on the perimeter and interior.
His size, wingspan and solid timing make him a consistent presence as a rim-protector, and he's very difficult to post up due to his strong frame and patience staying down on fakes. A tick slow to react at times, Duren will need to continue to improve his technique and maintain a high level of intensity to reach his potential as a defensive anchor, but he's well on his way to doing so and is already far more impactful on this end of the floor than similar prospects, such as James Wiseman, were at the same stage.
Becoming a more modern big man, especially as a passer and shooter, should be considered a long-term goal as his career moves on. Duren is expected to be a major target of the G League Ignite program in a year's time but is also exploring college options, where he'll have his pick of suitors.
Caleb Houstan | Sr. | SF | Montverde Academy
No. 8 in ESPN Class of 2021
The Michigan-bound Houstan earned a spot on the all-tournament team by leading Montverde in scoring and coming up with several clutch baskets in both the semifinals and finals, something that has become routine for him over the years. He made a name for himself early in his career for his perimeter shooting ability and backed that up by making 41% of his 3-pointers and 82% of his free throws in the 25 games this season for which we have data (per Synergy Sports Technology).
Where Houstan really shined most vividly was with his work on the defensive end, where he displays the maturity, technique and awareness of a player in his late 20s rather than someone who just turned 18. With the size to defend guards, wings and forwards alike, Houstan covers ground extremely well, plays with strong intensity and shows an excellent understanding of his team's schemes, particularly with the rotations he makes off the ball.
While not quite the same player, Houstan will remind Michigan fans of Franz Wagner with the pace, efficiency and approach he brings to the table. Due to his role and the amount of star power on Montverde, Houstan doesn't see all that many opportunities to create for himself or others out of a ball screen or in one-on-one situations, something scouts will want to see more of as his career moves on.
Kennedy Chandler | Sr. | PG | Sunrise Christian
No. 10 in ESPN Class of 2021
Chandler capped off an outstanding senior year by leading his Sunrise team to the championship game while earning a spot on the all-tournament team, delivering plenty of fireworks along the way.
Chandler proved to be arguably the best pick-and-roll point guard in the high school game while playing a brutal schedule that pitted his team against elite-level competition on a nightly basis. He's one of the quickest end-to-end players you'll find outside the NBA ranks, and he significantly improved as a perimeter shooter, hitting 41% of his 3-pointers on the season, per Synergy, with a significant chunk of his attempts coming off the dribble when opponents went under on ball screens. While not blessed with great size, Chandler has the ability to get anywhere he wants on the floor. He can stop and start with a change of pace and has elite footwork and ballhandling skills. That, paired with the fact that he can make every pass in the book using either hand and on both sides of the floor, gives him significant potential to grow into. He's disruptive and engaged on the defensive end as well, often using his quickness and anticipation skills to get in passing lanes and generate turnovers and surprising at times getting off his feet for blocks.
Like many smaller point guards, Chandler will need to continue to fine-tune his game, be it seeing the floor in traffic, finishing around the basket in a crowd or adding bulk to not be pushed around by stronger players. His physical abilities, the way he sees the game and his mentality will lead him very far regardless, drawing comparisons to the likes of Mike Conley.
TyTy Washington | Sr. | PG | AZ Compass Prep
No. 34 in ESPN Class of 2021
Washington has had arguably the biggest breakout season of any player in high school basketball, going from borderline top-100 recruit to a five-star-caliber prospect. Based on what he showed in Fort Myers, that might still be underselling his potential. Washington had a far bigger impact and looks to be a superior prospect than several of the top-10 recruits who were in attendance. He led AZ Compass Prep to a 28-2 record and its first invitation to the Geico Nationals, where Washington was named to the all-tournament team.
Washington has excellent size for a point guard, standing 6-foot-4 with a strong 190-pound frame and long 6-foot-9 wingspan. While not blessed with elite quickness or explosiveness, he plays with a natural pace that allows him to get anywhere he wants on the floor, especially operating out of pick and roll using changes of speed and hesitation moves. Washington does a great job of reading defenses and making the right basketball play, showing the ability to get teammates involved unselfishly using both sides of the floor while also scoring from all over the court. He has deep range on his pull-up 3-pointer, plays out of step-backs naturally and excels in midrange spots.
As talented an offensive player as Washington is, there's a casual aspect to his game that can work to his detriment at times on both ends of the floor. Many of his shots come with a high degree of difficulty, and he can get sloppy with the ball at times. It took him time to get going in both of the Geico games he played in, and, like many players his age, he isn't the most committed or intense defender. He stands around off the ball, doesn't display enough urgency getting over screens and has a tendency to gamble excessively for steals. With the size, length and instincts he displays, he has the potential to be very impactful on this end of the floor as his career moves along, but that isn't the case at the moment.
Having decommitted from Creighton last month, Washington is considered one of the top available recruits and is also reportedly considering professional options, including the G League Ignite. Wherever he elects to play, he'll enter next season as a strong one-and-done candidate.
Stefan Todorovic | Jr. | SF | Prolific Prep
Unranked in ESPN Class of 2022
The 6-foot-8 Todorovic, who arrived in the U.S. from Serbia last summer, led Prolific Prep in scoring in their two games at Geico. He also displayed some other notable parts of his game that could bode well for his future.
Nearly automatic with his feet set, Todorovic is also adept at running off screens and getting into his jumper effortlessly with impressive footwork and balance -- a great skill to have from a player his size. When defenses close out too aggressively on his jumper, he can attack a closeout and pull up sharply in midrange spots or find the open man on the move. His team runs a decent amount of offense through him, and he showed the ability to make good decisions, though that aspect of his game is still a work in progress.
Defensively, Todorovic is a mixed bag. On one hand, he has the size, strength and competitiveness to be very effective. However, he doesn't have the quickest feet, the longest arms or the best overall physical skills, struggling to turn his hips and stay in front of smaller or faster players he'll encounter on the wing.
Todorovic is currently a high school junior but might opt to return to his original high school class and enroll in college this summer. He was recently named to the Nike Hoop Summit World Team.
Adem Bona | Jr. | Center | Prolific Prep
No. 24 in ESPN Class of 2022
Bona arrived in the United States from Turkey this past summer after he'd established himself as one of the top international prospects in his class with outstanding showings at the FIBA level. If his play at Geico is any indication, he's en route to doing the same among his stateside peers. He posted 10 blocks in 47 minutes of action along with several impressive dunks.
Quick off the ground, with outstanding end-to-end speed and the agility and fluidity needed to consistently use his physical skills on both ends of the floor, Bona is a rare type of player. While he's listed at 6-foot-9 and doesn't have the biggest frame at 210 pounds, his huge wingspan allows him to play much bigger than his size when combined with the incredible energy he displays.
He's not only a terrific presence as a rim-protector, but he has the ability to defend on the perimeter as well. He can cover ground quickly, hedge on ball screens and recover back into the paint to make plays with excellent timing. He proved capable of defending smaller players on switches as well in small doses, even blocking 3-pointers at times in impressive fashion.
Offensively, Bona is a major work in progress. His hands aren't incredibly reliable, his touch around the rim is inconsistent, and he can be very sped up with his decision-making, looking out of control trying to make too many things happen at once. He is a major target for lobs, an outstanding finisher around the rim as a cutter or roller, and shows promising mechanics from the free throw line that can hopefully be harnessed over time.
Players in Bona's mold are difficult to come by, even if he doesn't possess prototypical size for a center. He has a chance to develop into a very interesting NBA prospect over time if he can iron out the rough edges and add some polish to his skill set.
Milos Uzan | Jr. | Point Guard | Prolific Prep
Unranked in ESPN Class of 2022
Ranked outside of the top-100 by all major recruiting services, Uzan isn't the type of player who would normally expect to find his name on this list. His performance at Geico wasn't particularly notable, posting 10 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds and 5 turnovers with inefficient shooting in 56 minutes over a pair of games. And yet, Uzan really stood out, displaying several key traits NBA scouts actively seek out in young prospects long term.
Standing 6-foot-3, Uzan impresses with the fluidity he displays playing out of a ball screen, changing speeds elegantly and showing the ability to pass off a live dribble with either hand. He has excellent timing and creativity with the way he gets others involved, using bounce passes or lobs while whipping the ball to both sides of the floor, sometimes looking overly unselfish to a fault but showing an excellent feel for the game.
Still at a very early stage of development physically, Uzan has a thin frame that lacks strength. He doesn't do a good job of playing through contact at the moment, actively avoiding it at times. Inside the lane, he mostly settles for floaters, which he can knock down with very soft touch. However, his heavy reliance on them prevents him from getting to the free throw line.
His jump shot is not very consistent either. He sports a low release and would much rather probe with the ball despite showing solid mechanics and overall touch, especially when defenders go under a ball screen.
Defensively, Uzan is a little too casual with his approach and can get taken advantage of by stronger players, but he does show some instincts and occasional fight when challenged.
Projecting as a likely multiyear college player, Uzan has a long ways to go to reach his potential but could emerge as an interesting prospect in time as his body develops and his skills evolve.
Matt Cleveland | Sr. | SF | Pace Academy
No. 30 in ESPN Class of 2021
Cleveland's Pace Academy team was invited to the Geico Nationals after winning the Georgia championships, one of the few invites that went out to non-basketball factories. Cleveland responded with an outstanding showing against traditional power Oak Hill Academy, posting 30 points on 12-for-18 shooting, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in a narrow loss.
At 6-foot-6 with long arms and a strong frame, Cleveland is somewhat of a prototype for a Florida State commit. He barely needs any dribbles to make an impact, scoring mostly in the open floor, off cuts, while attacking closeouts and when crashing the offensive glass. Sporting long strides and excellent body control, he's a creative and reliable finisher around the basket, using both hands and soft touch off the glass.
Not known as an outside shooter, converting just 14-of-41 3-point attempts in 30 games this season per Synergy, Cleveland hit several jump shots in his lone game at Geico, showing a glimmer of hope in that facet. His mechanics will need some work long term. He has a fairly stiff release through his elbow, struggling to reliably make jumpers with his feet set. Just an average ball handler, Cleveland isn't much of a shot-creator in the half-court either.
Cleveland's willingness to do the little things and his role-player potential are what should get him on the floor early in his career as his offense evolves. He's a multi-positional defender with the strength and length needed to defend most power forwards, and has quick enough feet to contain guards and wings alike. He's also an active and engaged rebounder who makes the extra pass willingly and is happy to operate within a team concept.
Caleb Foster | So. | Point Guard | Oak Hill
Unranked in ESPN Class of 2023
One of the youngest players to see major minutes at the Geico Nationals, Foster had an outstanding showing. The 16-year-old dropped 42 points on 26 shots to go along with 14 assists and just 3 turnovers in 63 minutes in a pair of games for Oak Hill.
Foster looked like one of the purest shooters/scorers at the event, making eight of his 15 3-point attempts, many coming off movement pulling up off the dribble, operating off step-backs or running off screens. When defenders closed out aggressively on his jumper, he showed the ability to attack off closeouts too, changing speeds off hesitation moves and mixing in midrange jumpers or floaters while also getting all the way to the rim and finishing with either hand around the basket. Playing with a unique pace for a player his age, rejecting screens skillfully and finding angles to the rim using crafty ballhandling skills, he showed he can make the extra pass as well, finding shooters or cutters on the move, mostly in simple fashion.
Despite possessing outstanding size for a point guard, Foster has some questions to answer about his long-term upside due to his lack of elite quickness or explosiveness, which forces him to play mostly off the ball. Still, you don't normally see players his age demonstrate this level of feel and skill, and he has two more years of high school basketball left to continue to improve.
Ryan Nembhard | Sr. | PG | Montverde Academy
Unranked in ESPN Class of 2021
Nembhard had a similar showing to what we saw in January at the St. James NIBC Invitational, posting 22 assists against just 9 turnovers in 3 games, and going 5-of-6 on 3-pointers to earn MVP honors at the Geico Nationals.
He rarely puts up big scoring numbers but always somehow ends up making big, winning plays on both ends of the floor that help decide games, helping Montverde finish the season 24-1 with a national championship under its belt.
Considered a streaky shooter earlier in his career, Nembhard made major progress in that area this season. He converted 46% of his 3-pointers in 25 games, according to Synergy, mostly in catch-and-shoot situations. His 3.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio on the season is another accurate reflection of the role he plays, as he's incredibly sure-handed with the ball and takes his responsibility of getting the many stars on his team involved very seriously. He's also an outstanding defender thanks to his toughness getting after opponents on the ball and the awareness he shows off it.
While Nembhard doesn't ooze NBA upside and will surely be winning games at Creighton for quite some time, it would be a mistake to rule him out as a prospect entirely. We've seen players in his mold -- think Monte Morris, Tyus Jones or Jordan McLaughlin -- find ways to make an impact with similar attributes.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and international teams.