Malachi Flynn, the Tacoma native and current Toronto Raptor, had his first invite only elite camp in Tacoma, WA last weekend. It was great to see him take the time to organize the event and have a hands-on approach with the players. He invited 35 of the best boys and girls from across the state and the turnout was outstanding. I would love to see more pro players give back to their community in this way. I look forward to attending his camp next year.
2025 Legend Smiley 6’5 SG (Garfield High School) Seattle, WA
I love his name! This young fella has already reached legendary status at one of the most prestigious basketball high schools in Washington state and in the country by being named 2023 state tournament MVP. He has a lethal jump-shot from deep. If he’s left alone, he’s going to make you pay. He’s worked on his handles and has improved attacking the basket. I like to see him more aggressive attacking and finishing with authority. He seems to only have begun to tap into his potential.
2024 Trevor Henning 6’4 SG (Mt. Si) Snoqualmie, WA
He was the surprise of the camp for me. Now in the state of Washington he’s not a secret as one of the most explosive scorers, on one of the best teams in the state. Unfortunately, he suffered a fracture in his lower back and it has deterred his recruitment in the process. He has a quick first step, explosive off the bounce and can score at all 3 levels. Add to that, he’s an aggressive defender. I would be surprised if he didn’t get his team over the hump and win the state tournament.
2026 Lattimore Ford 6’6 WF (Mt. Si) Snoqualmie, WA
I saw Ford two years ago and I was impressed by his potential. Two
years later that potential is showing through. I was feeling his energy and his ability. He plays beyond his years with his ability to score and get his teammates involved. He has good size and length and an evolving skill set. When it’s all said and done, he should be a high major plus recruit.
2024 Ju Ju Irvin 6’8 CF (North Central) Spokane, WA
Coming into the weekend this was one of the players I was very interested in seeing. On Saturday he was a little disappointing but day two, it was something different. Sunday, I saw the athleticism and effort to go along with his length and skill. He was very aggressive attacking the basket yesterday and very active on the defensive end. His talent is not in question, consistency and focus will be key.
2024 Blake Forrest 5’11 PG (Mt. Si) Snoqualmie, WA
Forrest is the consummate point guard with high IQ. He plays with great pace, handles the ball on a string and has great court vision. He can shoot from deep and very seldom took a bad shot. Recognized as one of the best point guards in the state, look for some movement on his recruitment in the fall.
2025 Martin Kaupanger 6’5 SG (Annie Wright) Tacoma, WA
He came in with the least amount of fanfare and winded up one of the most
productive players in the camp. He was aggressive on both ends from the start of play. He scored in bunches and at all levels, in a variety of ways. In consecutive plays he knocked down the NBA three and then went baseline for the slam. He was just as focused and aggressive in station and drill work.
2026 Traymaine Belanger 6’4 SG (BFL) Seattle, WA
As the kids love to say, he’s a bucket getter. He plays with physicality and knows how to get to his spots. His ability to knock down the long range jumper, opens up drives lanes, making him hard to guard. He brings the same intensity on both ends and his game is fundamentally sound. I look forward to watching his development over the next two years.
2024 Devin Whitten 6’2 G (Curtis) Tacoma, WA
He doesn’t have a game that awes you, he just seemed to always make positive and impactful plays. He took good shots and knocked down a good percentage of them. On the other end he’s a physical on-ball defender. You can classify him as a player that makes winning plays.
2025 Romeo Webber 6’7 CF (Silas) Tacoma, WA
He oozes potential. He’s long, bouncy and athletic but will tease you with his play. He’ll get you excited, making a few aggressive plays and then fade back to quiet mode. He has two years left and it’s time for the light to come on. If that
happens it will be something special to see.