San Antonio, TX-

Our first exposure event is in the books. Fifty-six teams and plenty of ballers equated to no shortage of talent at The Launch. In no particular ranking or order, here's our first part in a breakdown of some of the top prospects of who stood out and why.

Zayden High, 6’8” Smithson Valley HS (2023)
Mark it down! Will be a mid to high major prospect and could very well be #1 in San Antonio if he continues to have showings like at this weekend’s Launch. Has developed a smooth, consistent, and deadly perimeter game. Showed off his athleticism and finished hard and high above the rim. He’s fully recovered from a lingering back injury that kept him off recruiting radars this past season. It's unbelievable the young man does not have an offer yet. That should change very soon.

Kevin Garcia 6’5” Wagner HS (2022)
Has fully transformed his frame is slender, agile, and like Zayden, cannot be left alone from outside. Showed above average handles and it lets him attack from the wing. At 6’5”, he shows an uncanny ability to crash the boards, and shows off nifty foot work when down low.

Jonas Carlisle 6’3” G South San HS (2021)
The unsigned senior turned in an impressive weekend for SA ProSkills. He was the catalyst of their perfect weekend, leading the team in scoring twice. Used his 6’3” frame to slither within traffic and finish at the hole.

LaVell “LJ” Brown 6’2” Johnson HS (2021)
Helped carry the scoring load, leading the team in two games as well with 17 and 18 points. He showed the range to sprinkle in some daggers from beyond the arc that helped keep defenses off balance and allowed Carlisle to dissect them off the bounce.

Jalon Munoz 5’11” G O’Connor (2023)
One of the more deadly shooters at The Launch. Connected on more than 10 three-pointers and proved that he’s not a one trick pony. As defenses attempted to tighten up, he easily put the ball on the floor and was more than capable of finishing when attacking.

Donavon Gomez 5’11” G Judson HS (2023)
If you try to contain Munoz, Gomez was right there to make defenses pay. He matched his Arnold Elite teammate, three-pointer for three-pointer, also connecting on 10 plus treys for the weekend. His ability to catch and let it fly with a hair quick trigger caused all sorts of problems. Has plenty of range up to 23-24 feet.

Braden Baum 6’6” SF Boerne Champion HS (2023)
Splashed onto the scene and is certainly a very intriguing prospect. Scored from all three levels, dropped a 30 piece in one of their wins, and added 4 treys in one game. An above average athlete who is awfully long, agile and can move. He showed a good touch and will be climbing our updated ’23 rankings later this spring.

Dakari Hodge 6’3” SG Champion HS (2023)
Had some onlookers asking us to check who was #11 in white. No need to check our rosters, he’s one of the Top 23’s in the Tri-Regions. Had a complete showing at The Launch. Athleticism, his shooting, attacking the hole off the dribble, finishing strong above the rim, and had an excellent rebounding performance as a two guard. Will be another stock-riser if his performance stays consistent.

Chris Johson 6’5” SF Ft. Bend Elkins HS (2023)
It didn’t take long to see why he’s considered a Top 5 State Prospect and potential 4-star recruit for the ’23 class. Is an elite athlete, has length for miles, runs the floor with ease, and will finish at the rim with his head near or above it. Explodes off his feet and shoots up as if he were using po-go sticks. If left open, we did see him on multiple occasions sink the uncontested and set three-pointer.

Austin Nunez 6’2” PG Wagner HS (2022)
The 4 -star Top 75 National prospect didn’t appear to miss a beat after sitting out the high school season. His game is so smooth and at times he makes it look easy. His feathery touch comes with plenty of range, and because of his smooth game, it looks as if he’s going half speed, but defenders can’t stay in front of him. His head is constantly up, surveying the floor, looking for the next pass or that crevice to attack. In our book, is the Top point guard in the Lone Star State for the ’22 class.

Marcel Bryant 6’7” F Cedar Ridge HS (2022)
Has a very solid frame, looks like a defensive end, and he’s a load in the paint. Led ProSkills Austin scoring in 3 of their 4 wins, averaged 19ppg, and was a vital part in them going undefeated. Once down low, he used his size, strength and athleticism to finish. After battering defenders, he punished the rim a couple of times. Has made himself even more intriguing, showed he’s not afraid to step out and use the set jumper from the mid-range to the 3-point line.

Jalen Bonds 5’10” PG SA Veterans Memorial HS (2021)
Is the definition of a scoring point guard. Yes he can score it, leading ProSkills Red Unsigned senior twice in that column, but was also the head of the snake. If he wasn’t bringing the ball up court, it got into his hand quickly once the team got into it’s sets. Is more than capable of handling the ball, and can heat up like a microwave. Uses a quick first step to his advantage and is a capable three-point shooter.

Larson Featherstone 6’5” F Round Rock HS (2021)
At 210lbs give or take a few, he’s a load down low for anyone. What’s even more telling with Larson’s game is that he’s improved it too where he's just not in the paint. He’s added a soft mid-range touch and opened some eyes with the ability and confidence to let the set three-pointer fly, and connect. In one game he drained a pair. He’ll bang down low, clean the glass, and then get out and run in transition. The big man can get above the rim and will thunder it down.

Be sure to check back this week for the next part in our "Prospect Breakdown" from The Launch.