New Mexico is not normally thought of as a hotbed for hoops, however, the emergence of programs like JB White and the Albuquerque basketball club, have provided a platform to showcase the state’s hoop talent. This weekend, I was in…

Access all of Prep Hoops Next
Subscribe for access to all premium articles and rankings.
Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inNew Mexico is not normally thought of as a hotbed for hoops, however, the emergence of programs like JB White and the Albuquerque basketball club, have provided a platform to showcase the state’s hoop talent. This weekend, I was in Albuquerque checking out some of that talent, as ABC put on their Back 2 School event, which featured programs from around the Southwest. In this article, we take a look at some of the players that stood out during pool play action.
Donevan Ricletre 6’3 C NM Mamba 2026 – The big man was good for Mamba. He rebounded well, sprinted the floor and showed a surprisingly soft touch around the rim. It’s fair to say that he’s raw, but if he plays with the consistent motor he played with during pool play… lookout.
Christian Smith 5’6 PG West Texas 2027 – Smith was one of the top young prospects I saw on the weekend. All you have to do is watch him play a couple of possessions to realize, he’s a coach’s son. The lefty was good at attacking the rim, but his best trait was his vision and passing. Smith showed that he could deliver accurate passes off the dribble and wasted little time in finding and distributing to open players.
Hunter Aime 6’3 C NM Fierce 2026 – This kid’s going to be good. There’s something about his overall skill set that forces you to keep your eyes on him. He’s a good at every not great at any type player, except for the fact that he’s a high-level rebounder. He’s also extremely fluid as he showed with a nice Euro step during the game I saw.
Taysen Combs 5’11 SG West Texas 2026 (featured image) – If you follow my writing you know I give bonus points for guys that can show out-of-area skills. Today that guy was Combs. The athletic wing grabbed multiple out-of-area rebounds, going through defenders to snag boards. He also had a ridiculous block shot, where he came from seemingly nowhere to block a 3 point attempt. With his size, length, and athleticism he is definitely a potential prospect to watch.
Kamal Stith 5’1 PG NM Mamba 2026 – Fastest player I saw end to end. Stith just kept growing on me throughout the weekend. Mamba didn’t finish with the greatest of records, but his speed and wiggle were undeniable, and certainly more than enough to earn him a place on this list.