Five-star UK recruit, future Auburn guard among standout prospects in closed-door scrimmage

Most prep basketball summer showcase events follow a similar pattern.

A few days of drills and skills events are followed by a behind-the-scenes scrimmage, and then a big, public all-star game to cap the week.

This was the itinerary last week in Atlanta for the Under Armour Next Elite 24 event, which featured 48 of the best high school boys’ and girls’ basketball players.

But the initial days of practice time the players got at the CORE4 Atlanta facility in Chamblee, Georgia, proved to be the most meaningful work of the week: Saturday night’s all-star games, held outside, were washed out by a rainstorm.

The boys’ game didn’t even make it to halftime before being called off. The girls’ game was canceled completely.

As such, additional focus can now be placed on what took place Friday morning at CORE4, when both the boys and girls played scrimmages in front of an audience of media members and professional scouts.

On the boys’ side, several NBA teams had scouts in attendance, including the Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, among others.

Here are some of the standout boys’ players from the closed-door scrimmage, and the potential ramifications from their performances against other budding basketball stars.

Caleb Wilson

Let’s start with the player Kentucky fans are most interested in.

Wilson, a 6-foot-9 power forward in the class of 2025 who is from Atlanta, told the Herald-Leader on Thursday that he will be taking an official visit to Kentucky this fall, along with unofficial visits to Alabama and Tennessee.

A five-star prospect who is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 4 player in the 2025 recruiting class, Wilson’s recruitment could become a blue-blood affair given that he also has scholarship offers from Duke and North Carolina.

It’s easy to see why so many big-name schools are interested in Wilson.

He already has elite court vision for such a young player at his position, and his deft passing touch was on display all week in live basketball settings.

Wilson told the Herald-Leader he believes his passing is a trait that sets him apart from other class of 2025 players at his position. His ability to maintain this skill as he continues to grow — Wilson said he could reach 7-foot-2 — is something to watch closely.

Wilson has all the mechanics to also become a reliable shooter from distance, although he struggled to find consistency last week with his perimeter shot.

Flory Bidunga

On a national level, Bidunga made the biggest headlines during the Under Armour Next Elite 24 event.

While the logistics and execution of Saturday night’s rain-affected games were troublesome, Bidunga went through on his plan to use the occasion to announce his college commitment.

The 6-10 center, who plays high school basketball in Indiana, committed to Kansas from a final list that also included Auburn, Duke and Michigan.

Bidunga is ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 center in the 2024 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite. Bidunga is the first class of 2024 player to commit to head coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks.

His ability to affect the game around the rim at both ends of the court is unquestioned: Bidunga knows where to be, has the athleticism to burst upward to the basket and can finish through contact and with an array of maneuvers.

Whether as a defensive anchor or a rim-running big man, Bidunga’s athleticism is his most impressive trait, and one Kansas will now be able to build around.

Tahaad Pettiford

A one-time Kentucky recruit who committed to Auburn in February, Pettiford was consistently one of the most competitive players throughout the week in Atlanta.

Whether it was locking in during passing and shooting drills or encouraging his teammates during team shooting contests, Pettiford was a vocal presence in a setting where using your voice stands out.

A five-star recruit and the No. 2 point guard in the 2024 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite, Pettiford has deep range with his three-point shot, possesses a creative array of dunks and has an intense on-court motor that should bode well for his upcoming time at Auburn.

This is the second straight year that Pettiford — a 6-foot-1, left-handed guard —has been a standout performer at the Under Armour Next Elite showcase scrimmage.

Last year in Chicago, Pettiford went viral for a vicious dunk over current Louisville Cardinal Trentyn Flowers.

Chase McCarty

A 6-6 small forward in the 2024 recruiting class from Alabama (but who recently transferred to IMG Academy in Florida), McCarty was a force during his minutes in Friday morning’s scrimmage.

McCarty battled hard for every loose ball on his way to being one of the most productive players in the scrimmage, despite being far from the most heralded (the 247Sports Composite has McCarty as the No. 79 recruit in the 2024 class).

McCarty has a good shooting motion and good basketball instincts, which were on display when he used defensive positioning and active hands to break up a three-on-one while playing transition defense.

He’s already taken official visits to Houston, Kansas and Ole Miss, and McCarty has an upcoming official visit to Tennessee.

Cameron Drummond

Lexington Herald-Leader

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Cameron Drummond works as a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader with a focus on Kentucky men’s basketball recruiting and the UK men’s basketball team, horse racing, soccer and other sports in Central Kentucky. Drummond is a second-generation American who was born and raised in Texas, before graduating from Indiana University. He is a fluent Spanish speaker who previously worked as a community news reporter in Austin, Texas. Support my work with a digital subscription