Global Grassroots had players from across the Southeast gathered in Albertville, AL, at their Pre-Draft Camp. The talent was across the age divisions, and the players used the camp to showcase their game. Here are my immediate takeaways. Jacob Zhu (5’8/Combo…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inGlobal Grassroots had players from across the Southeast gathered in Albertville, AL, at their Pre-Draft Camp. The talent was across the age divisions, and the players used the camp to showcase their game. Here are my immediate takeaways.
Jacob Zhu (5’8/Combo Guard/2026)
School: N/A
Instagram: Jzhuu__
Twitter: @lilzhu1
Let me start off by saying if anyone made their case as the top player in the camp, it was Jacob. After the first two games on one court, I walked by one of the photographers, and they asked me if I had seen this kid Jacob. I told her not yet, and she looked at me and said, go watch him. What I saw was very impressive. He dominated with his offensive prowess. He had the toolbox on full display. Step-back treys, floaters, deep range from behind the arc, facilitating and creating.
He was the most prolific and productive player at camp and is taking the stage as one of the emerging talents coming up in GA.
Just watching him throughout the day was a testament of how his peers respect Jacob on and off the court. He is a player who will have to learn his comfort level and balance over the next few years between high usage and high efficiency, as he will be invited to many events, and he will have a lot of coaches pulling at him. I encourage his circle to get a tight grip as the calls are about to start if they haven’t already. Opportunity for Growth: With all the things that Jacob does well with the ball, he is going to have to hit the weight room as he prepares for life at the high school level, where the game will be stronger and faster.
Anthony Knight (6’1/Power Forward & Center/2028)
School: Amana Academy (Alpharetta GA)
Instagram: Eboogie_tsf2028
Twitter: N/A
Anthony just towered over most in his age division. I would have liked to see him bumped up to the 2027 group as he was just physically too dominant for the rest in his grade. He was pretty much unstoppable, as no one could defend him. He showed that he can play with his back to the basket and play out of his face-up game around the elbow area. Once he attacked off the bounce, no one was getting in front of him.
As you can imagine, he dominated the boards and challenged shots on the defensive end.
It was not his fault for the size differential, and he did what he was supposed to do, go out and play his game and punish the smaller guys. Opportunities for Growth: I will definitely be looking for an opportunity to watch Anthony again as I want to see him matched up with players his size and see what unfolds. With all players at this age, I encourage Anthony to continue to work on all aspects of their game, but for Anthony, I would say keep working on his handles and his perimeter game for his game after middle school ball.
Serenity N. Rutledge (5’4/Point Guard/2028)
School: Moody MS (Moody AL)
Instagram: Elisha.wren
Twitter: @Roll_Tide_2006
Let me introduce you to Serenity, one of several girls at the pre-draft camp. Let me just say on the court, there is NOTHING serenity about Serenity. She was one of the toughest players at camp, that was giving it her all on both ends of the court. Offensively, she came at the boys off the bounce with aggression and purpose. She was getting to the rack, initiating contact, and finishing through contact. If at any moment a boy felt he should take a step back and not defend her as hard, he quickly learned that was a mistake.
She got to the rack off the bounce numerous times and pushed the rock in transition, and made good decisions with the ball in her hands.
She has a good skill set, can handle the rock, and has a good IQ. She was tough on the boards several times, snatching the rock from the fellas. Defensively, she sat down and locked up and moved her feet well, and got several rips. I was impressed with her game and the physical play that she brought to the court. Opportunities for Growth: Serenity has to get in the lab and become more consistent with her jumper. If she can get that going over the next two years, watch out.
Nathan Earl (6’0/Combo Guard/2026)
School: East Cobb MS (Atlanta GA)
Instagram: nate2tufff
Twitter: N/A
Nathan was one of the most complete offensive players at the camp. He has a balanced floor game and has a good balance between facilitating and scoring. If I had to lean to one over the other, I would say that scoring is the strength of his game. His handles were tight, and he used them to get to where he wanted to be on the court. He can kick it into another gear when the ball is in his hands, but he also knows how to change pace and direction that keeps defenders off balance.
He is a three-level scorer and was one of the best in iso situations that I saw.
He is a high-level scorer that just has a remarkable ability in scoring the rock in a variety of ways. He is a fearless competitor that is on a trajectory to be a player that will make a lot of noise at the next level. At times, Nathan made it seem effortless, but maybe that was because he was just simply head and shoulders above others on the court. Opportunities for Growth: As with most of the 2026 players that I saw taking the stage at the high school level next year, they have to get in the weight room and prepare for the game’s strength and speed difference. Nathan is no exception.
Keegan Keeton (5’2/Combo Guard/2028)
School: Carbon Hill Elementary (Carbon Hill AL)
Instagram: keetonkeegan
Twitter: @N/A
One of the best shooters at camp was Keegan. It was as if the basket was the ocean, and whatever he was putting up was going in. I have covered Keegan at several camps and tourneys and had a chance to see him play with his current team on Saturday and at the pre-draft camp on Sunday. There was a considerable difference in the twenty-four-hour span as Keegan looked like a player that couldn’t find his rhythm and was playing tight on Saturday, to a player with all the confidence in the world, stroking the rock better than anyone at the camp on Sunday. What was the difference between the two days? Only Keegan knows.
Still, if he can ever play as he did on Sunday consistently, he will be one of the emerging prospects coming out of Alabama, but that’s a narrative waiting to be written until the real Keegan stands up and play.
The one I saw on Saturday or the one I saw on Sunday. The jury is out on that, but one thing is for sure, he is one of the best young shooters in the state of Alabama. Opportunity for Growth: Keegan has to get more comfortable and confident in handling the rock, as he will definitely be run off the line as he continues to play.
Stay tuned as more is coming from the pre-draft camp.
