ATLANTA, GA - In the midst of high school live period events lies one event that produces more offers and interests than any other: the JUCO All-American Showcase. The yearly event brings together the top junior college players from around the country, each one of them hungry to prove to the more than 300 coaches in attendance that they have what it takes to make the leap from JUCO to a four-year institution. This year, more than 180 of the best JUCO talents in the country were able to show up and show out. This is the first batch of guys who got it done this weekend: 

FULL THROTTLE FORWARDS

The event brought in some high-level forward talent that turned heads. By far the greatest stock riser of the weekend was Raysean Seamster, a do-it-all forward from Eastern Arizona. The 2024 grad is a mobile big who can extend his range and put defenders in tough positions with his combination of athleticism and IQ. He was rivaled for the most poised prospect by Butler’s newest addition JaMichael Stillwell. He will be one of the most sought-after players in JUCO this year because of his D1-ready body and budding skill set. Tavion Banks was another stellar prospect whose weekend went according to plan, walking out of the weekend with offers from Xavier, George Mason, and St. Louis. The mobile big excels with his back to the basket but has the athleticism and feel to play on the perimeter as well. He’s a tough-nosed guy who can guard and score inside and out: a true do it all kind of guy. Chidi Obichere, his teammate at NWFL State, also showed his ability to play inside out. A quiet athlete with a reliable stroke, Obichere showed that he’s an up-and-coming forward with the size and skill to score with the best of them.

GAME TIME GUARDS/WINGS

These were some of the event’s best guards in Atlanta over the weekend. Nick Woodard of Southwest Tennessee CC is a wing/forward who is a lights-out shooter with incredible size at 6-7. He showed early why he is one of the best JUCO players in the country, as his unique size and guard skillset made him hard to slow down. Tajuan Simpkins walked away with a few offers this weekend, but the Northwest Florida State guard did more than his part to make his name known. He has a great feel and can threaten to put defenders in the basket if they’re not careful. Hill College’s Gob Gob was one of the best passers of the weekend and a reliable offensive talent when needed. His hesitation moves and deep bag of combos made him one of the standout guards of the event. He picked up an offer from UMKC amongst others. 

UNDER THE RADAR GUYS

One of the best parts about these showcases is highlighting some under-the-radar talent. While he’s not exactly under-the-radar, I was much more familiar with Kilgore’s Joshua Meo after the weekend. The electric scoring guard was a gifted presence on both the interior and exterior and was one of the most seamless offensive presences of the entire event. Polk State’s Jeremiah Russell has shown massive improvement in his one season at Polk State. The long and strong guard/wing has shown flashes of developed shooting to match with his high-level defense and reliable rim finishing. Three Rivers’ Caleb Young played incredibly well. He’s a developing exterior scorer with a lot of moves going to the rack and has become a much better facilitator in the half-court. Spartanburg Methodist’s Daniel Mayfield was a big-time stock riser who showed that even at 6-8, he moved like a guard and could defend like one too.