Shaquan’s Prime Performers (ATL HOOPFEST – 2025-2026)
Khaven Cochran | GA Travelers | 6’1″ | 2025
Cochran is a scoring guard that plays well off the bounce or off the catch. He showed his ability to heat up once he got into a rhythm. Knocking down three points shots in transition, getting to his mid-range pull-ups and even showing his ability to get to the basket with his underrated athleticism. Cochran’s ability to set his feet coming off of ball screens were amazing to see with such an unorthodox like jump shot that’s pure. Outside of being a pretty good jump shooter, Cochran also got out in the open floor well and looked to play above the rim as he had number of dunks in his first game of action. He’s a talented guard in a talented 2025 class to look out for moving forward.
Gavin Cooley | GA Travelers | 6’3″ | 2025
Cooley is a southpaw two-way wing that used his body well when he attacked defenders to finish at the rim. He’s a strong finisher and had no problem playing through contact. Cooley has sneaky athleticism that he was able to show a few times and even he even caught an alley-oop dunk during one possession. He also showed his ability to knock down spot up three point shots. Playing an efficient game, Cooley took all high percentage shots and didn’t force anything. Defensively, he has a quick vertical leap to block multiple shots in one possession or to alter shots like he did a few times. His on ball defense was also pretty good being that he moved his feet well and kept guys in front of him.
Cooper Heller | Reid Fundamentals | 5’10″ | 2025
Heller can really shoot the ball from the outside and becomes really dangerous when he’s feeling it. The guard knocked down 7 three pointers in his very first game of action notching a game high 25pts effortlessly. Heller knocked down shots off the bounce really well and when the plan became to keep the ball out of his hands he played well off the ball using pin downs and back screens well to get off. Heller sets his feet well and shoots the same pure jump shot every time. When they started to run him off the three point line he showed his overall ability to get to the mid-range shot, his floater game opened up and even his ability to be a playmaker. He knew he was hot and had the attention on him so he demanded the ball. Something that’s going to take him a long way.
Dorian Starks | Team Pressure | 5’10″ | 2025
Starks looked like a man on a mission when I caught him in action against a hard playing Crystal Coast Thunder team. Starks did an outstanding job of putting pressure on the opposing team guards with his relentless attacks. Starks got all the way to the cup for finishes, showed his nice touch floaters and even buried a triple on his way to a game high 23pts to lead his team to victory. Starks scored 9 of his 23pts in the fourth to keep his team ahead and was solid at the charity stripe. While Starks did a lot of his scoring in the 2nd half, early on his paint touches were giving his teammates open looks from the outside. As Starks mid-range game fully opens up he’ll be really tough to stop.
Chase Taylor | Team Pressure | 6’3″ | 2025
Taylor is a solid forward that also a football player and with his strength and athleticism it wasn’t hard to figure out. Taylor was a strong presence inside for his team finishing lay-ups in traffic and through contact, gaining offensive and defensive rebounds and being a back line voice for his team. Taylor had a solid 13pts in his team’s victory and showed that he could knock down shots from the outside with a nice shooting touch and a high arc. Defensively, Taylor was a solid shot blocker and he did a good job of altering shots. Depending on how serious Taylor looks to take basketball, he could be a solid wing being that he could shoot a bit and he isn’t afraid to make strong drives to the basket.
Hady Diane | MB Elite | 6’1″ | 2025
Hady Diane is a special talent in the class of 2025 that college coaches should be taking note of. The 6’1 guard has a pretty good feel for the game. He shoots the ball well from the outside, is a slithery finisher in the paint, looks to play above the rim and has superb court vision. Playing up with guys in the class of 2023, Diane was able to hold his own against some tough competition showing his ability to be a great combo guard. He’ll most certainly be a prospect to monitor moving forward.
Maguire Evans | CCT | 6’1″ | 2025
Evans was one of the most advanced three point shooters in action at the ATL Hoop Fest. His ability to move, get to open spots, be prepared and the fluidity in which he shoots the ball with was on full display. He made guys pay for leaving him too open or giving him just enough space to get his shot off. Evans wasn’t the strongest of the ball handlers but he was a savvy guard when it was time to put the ball on the floor to make a play outside of attempting a three point shot. Evans has the confidence to know that if he’s missed three consecutive shots that his next one is going in. He was very proficient from three and was able to show that in two games of action.
Dwayne Lawton | Promise Elite | 6’2″ | 2026
Lawton is a wing with really broad shoulders and nice size that he used to defensively harass his opponents on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Lawton used his long wingspan to defend the ball making it feel swarming to the ball handlers, pressuring the ball nonstop, forcing turnovers and getting on ball deflections. Offensively, Lawton showed his continuous ways of dicing defenders up with his simple ball handling moves to get to the basket at will. Lawton used his strength and athleticism to finish around the basket and when he couldn’t finish he made extra passes to his open teammates. Lawton’s energy and effort for Promise Elite was unmatched.
Oziah Cobb | Promise Elite | 5’10″ | 2026
Cobb plays the game with a lot of energy and great speed just like his teammate Lawton. Cobb is really quick and has a shifty handle that he used to shift defenders in order to get paint touches before finishing himself or making strong passes to his open teammates. Cobb has a solid floater game, can knock the both the mid-range and three point shot and he did a good job of keeping his teammates engaged. Defensively, Cobb used his active hands to come away with on ball steals and he even showed his quickness when jumping the passing lanes.
Jalen Kelly | Atlanta Kings | 5’9″ | 2026
Kelly had it going from the outside when his feet were set. His shot mechanics looked pure, he was always shot ready and he never hesitated or passed up open looks when his point guard found him. Kelly moved well without the ball and did a good job at attacking close outs getting to his mid-range jump shot. His ability to shoot the ball and create separation on his mid-range jump shot allowed him to avoid going into the paint and taking hits to the body. Kelly is a great outside threat for an Atlanta Kings team that’s thrives well getting to the basket
Kamari Brown | Promise Elite | 6’3″ | 2026
For some players the game just come to them naturally and Brown is one of them players. The lead guard did a good job of handling the ball against pressure and never showing any signs of panicking or being in a rush to break free. He ran his offense the way he wanted to, got deep into the paint at will and finished himself with his nice acrobatic finishes or he made good reads and found his open teammates. Defensively, Brown showed really active hands and his ability to dictate what was going to be his opponents next pass to steal or move to cut them off. He was one of the calmest prospects evaluated.
Marcus Moore | Promise Elite | 5’9″ | 2026
Moore showed his true shooting stroke against GSW(Black) knocking down three threes all of the catch that didn’t even touch the rim. Moore has a really nice shooting stroke from three and made it known that he wasn’t to be left open. Moore scored 17pts in a comfortable 20pt victory but used his outside shooting to open up his driving game and his playmaking abilities. It wasn’t hard to tell that Moore is a really good shooter and that wasn’t just a one game thing. He moved well to get to open spots to be seen and took the best shots possible. I’d love to catch Moore in action again.
Alex Pace | Mpire Elite | 6’0″ | 2026
Pace has the overall offensive package of an elite guard. He can shoot the ball really well off the bounce or the catch, he has a bag of ball handling moves, the court vision and passing skills to go with it and he’s a pretty good on ball defender to match his offensive game. Pace exploded for 37 of his team’s 58pts in a game against AE5. Despite falling short 68-58, Pace did all he could do for his squad unleashing a bag of moves from all over. Great footwork into mid-range pull up and some tough acrobatic finishes at the rim with either hand. Pace was one of the most impressive players to watch and I’ll be looking forward to catching him again.