Under Armour Elite 24: Five Practice Session Standouts
ATLANTA, Ga.—Under Armour has brought their Elite 24 event to Atlanta. 24 of the better prospects in the country have gathered for three days of competition that will culminate in an outdoor game in Midtown Atlanta.
Before the UA Next brand infiltrates Atlantic Station, there are practices and scrimmages being held in the Core4 facility in Chamblee.
Thursday saw a duo of two hour practice sessions to kick off the festivities. Here are some of the day’s standouts.
To avoid repetition over the next couple of days, this is purposefully not going to be a comprehensive breakdown.
As has been the case more often than not this summer, Auburn-committed guard Tahaad Pettiford shined in a camp setting. His game translates well to a more open environment, and it’s showing again so far here in Atlanta. Pettiford showed a sample of what he does well with bursts of speed, finishes at the rim, confident 3-point shooting, and disruptive defense.
Auburn is known for the freedom they allow their guards, and after a full slate of summer camp data, Pettiford looks like he’ll fit in nicely when he gets to campus.
Through two practices, Jackson has shown why he’s such a well-regarded guard prospect. Jackson made terrific passing reads and showed multi-level scoring. Jackson is a speedy, active guard who was able to get into the teeth of defenses where he shined as a distributor above all else. Throughout both sessions of drills and five-on-five games, his jumper was working well for him.
Jackson is committed to North Carolina.
There aren’t many players at this level who can hang with Flory Bidunga, but 2024 forward Derik Queen was more than ready for the challenge during five-on-five sessions. Queen showed off his advanced footwork and good hands in the post with creative finishes and by reliably handling passes thrown his way. On the glass, Queen held down his area well. He continues to show that he’s one of the best big men in the country.
While his options are strong, it seems like Maryland could have the edge in his recruitment.
Because he hasn’t been as available as some of his peers, seeing Bryson Tucker is a treat. It never takes him long to remind evaluators why he’s ranked, esteemed as highly as he is. He has such a mature game on both ends of the floor. His offense was led by a poised charge with the ball in his hands and consistent shooting. Defensively, he used his physical attributes—length, positional size, strength—to keep a variety of opposing players at bay.
Moustapha Thiam has been a perpetual standout since I first saw him back in the spring. His size, his mobility, his defense all add up to him being one of the more interesting players in the 2025 class. He’s a player that’s still putting the pieces together, but a little is added to his game with each viewing. On Thursday, the offensive potential he’s shown over the last several months showed signs of materialization with some quality post moves and made jumpers. While Thiam is still a ways away on that end, he’s progressing.
