Rosters for the 2023 UA Next Elite 24 have been announced, revealing a collection of 48 prep stars from across the country that will showcase their talents to an ESPNU national television audience at Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta on Aug. 12.
Top prospects from the Class of 2024, 2025 and 2026 are part of this year’s roster, which will include dozens of players ranked in the top 25 of their respective classes. The second annual Girls Game is set for 6 p.m. ET and will be followed by the 13th edition of the Boys Game at 8 p.m. ET.
The 2023 girls roster features 19 players that are ranked in the top 30 of their respective classes, including nine of the top 30 prospects in the Class of 2024, eight of the top 30 in the Class of 2025 and a pair of top 10 prospects in the Class of 2026, according to ESPN Hoopgurlz. The top three players in the Class of 2024 – No. 1 Joyce Edwards, No. 2 Sarah Strong and No. 3 Jaloni Cambridge – will all compete in the game for the second time. The trio is part of a group of nine players that are playing in the event for the second straight year (Dee Alexander, Jasmine Davidson, Blanca Thomas, Maddy McDaniel, ZaKiyah Johnson and Olivia Olson). Five top-10 prospects from the Class of 2025 are on the roster, including No. 2 Davidson, No. 3 Johnson, No. 4 Alexander, No. 5 Sienna Betts and No. 10 Mia Pauldo, while two top-10 players from the Class of 2026 – No. 9 Jacy Abii and No. 10 Kelsi Andrews – will participate.
Five of the top six boys in the Class of 2024, according to 247Sports, are part of the UA Next Elite 24 roster, including No. 1 Dylan Harper, No. 2 Ace Bailey, No. 4 Flory Bidunga, No. 5 Ian Jackson and No. 6 Derik Queen. The group is part of 16 players that appear in the top 25 in either the Class of 2024 or 2025. Five more players appear in the top 25 from the Class of 2024 (No. 13 Zoom Diallo, No. 18 Jamari Philips, No. 23 Khani Rooths, No. 24 Tahaad Pettiford and No. 25 Bryson Tucker), while six players are in the top 25 from the Class of 2025 – No. 5 Bryson Tiller, No. 6 Caleb Wilson, No. 7 Isiah Harwell, No. 11 Mike Brown Jr., No. 14 Tyler Jackson and No. 18 Moustapha Thiam. Jackson, Queen and Tiller are three of the six players that are participating in the event for the second time, alongside Vyctorius Miller, Pettiford and Tucker.
Each team will be led by current or former professional players, in addition to prominent coaches from the UA Next grassroots circuit. Longtime NBA veteran Pat Beverley and 2023 NBA Draft pick Jarace Walker will be part of Team Spawn and Team FUTR, respectively. Winfred Jones, Director of ATL Xpress, and Donald Thomas, Director of Team Thrill, round out the Team FUTR coaching staff, while Chris Skinner, head coach of Canada Elite, and Mike Rice, Director of NJ Shoreshots, make up the Team Spawn coaching staff. Ty Young, a 12-year WNBA veteran and 2008 Atlanta Dream draft pick, will serve as Team Ascent head coach, while Christy Winters Scott, who played professionally in Europe and was a four-year standout at Maryland, will lead Team Breakthru. Natalie Morse, Director of Indiana Girls Basketball, will serve as an assistant on Team Breakthru and Ashley Rivens, Director of Team Curry, will be part of the Team Ascent coaching staff. Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookLET’S GOOO!!! Elite 24 is going down in Atlanta on August 12th‼️Team Spawn or Team FUTR… who ya got?! pic.twitter.com/vWTiap5K3o
— Boys UAA (@UANextBHoops) August 2, 2023
