The summer is not officially over, but for the sake of local amateur basketball, the grassroots season is in the rearview mirror and players are looking ahead to the fall season as they return to school.
That makes now a perfect time to look back at which players had big springs and summers. Over the course of the last five months – between the AAU season, some prep school showcases and even international competition – there have been hundreds of players throughout New England who have made big strides in their development and elevated their individual profiles. Some have boosted their stock more than others.
Pinpointing the biggest stock risers is by no means a perfect process, and there’s certainly room for plenty of subjectivity. Boosts in college recruitment and consistent, eye-opening performances are a good starting point. Add in some of my own observations, and the picture becomes clearer.
With that being said, here are eight of the biggest boys stock risers who caught my eye this summer.
Dywane Chess
Class of 2026, 6-4 guard
St. George’s/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Bethlehem, Pa.
Middlesex Magic director Michael Crotty has had no shortage of talented guards come through his program, and Chess is no exception. The rising junior will be a fixture of Crotty’s 17U squad next year, especially after a standout summer for the 16U team in which he took his strong two-way game up a level. Chess is a big-bodied, three-level scorer who has an endless motor on both ends of the court, and colleges have taken notice. Holy Cross, Albany and Hofstra offered him scholarships this summer and there’s certain to be more on the way as he continues his development as an upperclassman.
Alex Egbuonu
Class of 2026, 6-6 forward
Lawrence Academy/BABC
Hometown: Nashua, N.H.
It’s hard to find many rising juniors in New England with more potential than Egbuono, who’s become a two-way monster with his size, strength and versatility. He was among the most efficient scorers nationally on Adidas’ 16U 3SSB circuit this summer as he averaged 18.8 points per game for BABC. Egbuonu was named second team all-circuit and invited to Adidas’ prestigious All-American camp in July. His recruitment is heating up, with offers this summer from Xavier and Mississippi State that are almost certain to be the first high-major programs of many to be interested in his services.
Ryder Frost
Class of 2025, 6-6 wing
Phillips Exeter/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Beverly, Mass.
Frost is no secret anymore, one of the best shooting prospects in not only New England, but the country. But it was only last June when he received his first Division 1 scholarship offer from Le Moyne. Since then, he’s racked up more than 25 offers, made official visits to Syracuse and Penn State, and has several more high-major visits planned this fall. He finished his career with the Magic as the best shooter and most efficient scorer on the Under Armour circuit this summer, per Synergy, as he continued to elevate his game and stock to new heights. He was also invited to the NBA Top 100 camp. Over the last calendar year, no one has boosted their stock more than Frost.
Antonio Pemberton
Class of 2027, 6-1 guard
Brewster Academy (EYBL)/Mass Rivals
Hometown: Methuen, Mass.
Get familiar now with Pemberton, who might be the best rising sophomore in New England and whose stock has been growing rapidly over the last six months. He was a key contributor as a freshman in Bradford Christian’s NEPSAC Class AA title run before announcing his transfer in April to Brewster Academy, where he’ll play for head coach Jason Smith’s national team as a sophomore. Pemberton played two levels up for Mass Rivals’ 17U squad on the Adidas circuit this summer and more than held his own as a confident scorer and shooter with a high motor defensively.
Pemberton is firmly on the national radar, earning a No. 48 ranking in Rivals’ first 2027 rankings that were released this week. A high-major college destination is a reality in his future.
Daithi Quinn
Class of 2025, 6-5 guard
Tabor Academy/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: North Quincy, Mass.
Quinn has always been one of Crotty’s most hard-working players, but the Middlesex Magic coach noticed something about the guard’s demeanor this season. “He’s fierce and tough, but then occasionally he’ll look over and give you a smile. He didn’t used to do that,” Crotty told me. Quinn, who Crotty described as a “quiet killer,” developed more joy with his game in addition to some more vocal leadership. The result was his strongest summer yet. Quinn, a bulldozing downhill driver, was the third-most efficient scorer on the Under Armour circuit as he added more than 20 Division 1 offers.
Abdou Toure
Class of 2026, 6-6 wing
Notre Dame West Haven/Expressions Elite
Hometown: New Haven, Conn.
Toure might not end up taking his talents to a prep school, but it shouldn’t matter. He’s already established himself as one of the best 2026 players in New England after a huge summer that included a breakout performance on the global stage. Suiting up for Guinea – where his parents are from – at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey, Toure broke the tournament record with 50 points in one game on an astonishing 21-for-27 shooting, and he led the tournament in scoring at 23 points per game. He now holds scholarship offers from several high-major schools including Alabama, Texas A&M and most recently, Arkansas.
Alex Wilkins
Class of 2025, 6-5 guard
Brooks School/Middlesex Magic
Hometown: Charlestown, Mass.
Shockingly, Wilkins didn’t hold a single scholarship offer entering this grassroots season after being named a Class B All-NEPSAC selection for Brooks last season. But he’s certainly been noticed now. He has more than 25 scholarship offers, mostly from mid-majors like Duquesne, Louisiana Tech and Charleston, after a strong summer on a loaded Magic 17U squad and some standout performances at the NEPSAC showcases, where he displayed his unique playmaking skills and scoring ability. There’s still plenty of room for growth for Wilkins, and with a strong senior year for Brooks, there could certainly be some high-majors knocking on his door.
Tony “Butta” Williams
Class of 2025, 6-1 guard
Putnam Science Academy/New Haven Heat
Hometown: Norwich, Conn.
Williams first caught my eye at June’s “Boston Shootout,” where he wore different-colored shoes and played with swagger in a stellar performance against BABC. A strong scorer, he plays with a calmness and ease on the ball and he’s a relentless defender. His talent showed through with a standout summer for New Haven Heat as he made the MADE Hoops’ circuit first team and racked up a handful of mid-major offers. Williams is still under the radar; he’s a name to watch on a stacked Putnam Science squad this winter.
Five more stock-risers: Amir Jenkins (Worcester Academy/BABC), Ty Tabales (New Hampton/Middlesex Magic), Javon Perry (MacDuffie School/Expressions Elite), Sam Fleming (Wilbraham & Monson/BABC), Brayson Green (Rothesay Netherwood/Mass Rivals)
