Peach Jam: NBA scouts pack the gym for A.J. Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg and other top players
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Nike's Peach Jam is the most competitive AAU event of the summer with several future NBA players taking the court at the Riverview Park Activities Center for the next week. There are 84 teams total spread over four divisions from 15-under to 17-under. The top two players in the 2025 high school class, Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer, are both competing for a 16-under title with Boozer's team (Nightrydas Elite) winning their division last year. Both Tyran Stokes and A.J. Dybantsa (top two players in the 2026 class) are playing up at the highest division for the 17-under and are two of the best players on the circuit.
This is the third year that NBA scouts are allowed to watch games in person. At least one scout from every team (some teams rolling four scouts deep) were evaluating the talent on the floor for the first day of games. College coaches will arrive and are allowed to watch and scout starting Thursday. Yahoo Sports runs down players NBA scouts were making a priority and getting early eyes on at Peach Jam.
Cooper Flagg
Flagg is coming off an MVP performance at the NBPA Top 100 camp last week and showed, once again, why he's considered the best rim protector in the country, regardless of class, recording 10 blocks in the 57-39 Maine United win over Mac Irvin Fire (Chicago) on Monday afternoon. He struggled offensively, netting only seven points in an unusual off-night shooting, but NBA scouts know what he's capable of doing after he became the first player ever to score 50-plus points during an EYBL game in April.
Flagg and Boozer will square off Wednesday morning for the second consecutive time during the Peach Jam tournament and the duo went head-to-head last week at the NBPA Top 100 camp in front of several NBA scouts and college coaches. Both Flagg and Boozer had games at the same time Monday with many scouts splitting their time watching a half of each. The Knicks, Pacers, Nets, Kings, Pistons, Warriors, Thunder, G League Ignite and Spurs all watched Flagg's first game.
A.J. Dybantsa
The game between Team Takeover (Virginia) and Expressions (Massachusetts) was the most-packed gym Monday night with multiple high-major players on the court. Dybantsa was the main attraction for NBA scouts who took up every seat lining the sideline with 2025 top-20 wing Joson Sanon and 2024 center Patrick Ngongba II also playing. Team Takeover won 64-60, but it was close all game and Dybantsa scored at all three levels, including a contested 3-pointer in the corner to make it a one-point game with under two minutes to play.
Dybantsa is currently in the 2026 class, but could reclassify up to 2025 class this fall. The 6-foot-8 wing finished with 21 points, six rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. At least one scout from the Nets, Wizards, Cavaliers, Jazz, Rockets, Thunder, Timberwolves, Clippers, G League Ignite, Knicks, Spurs, Magic, Hawks, Warriors, Mavericks, 76ers, Blazers, Bulls, Pistons, Heat, Kings and Grizzlies was watching.
Cameron and Cayden Boozer
The Boozer twins are looking to repeat their Peach Jam title and are the early favorites after dominating competition during the regular EYBL season and handling business early in a 30-point win (91-61) over Proskills (Texas). Cameron finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks, while twin brother Cayden added 13 points, six rebounds and four assists in the win.
The duo make it look so easy on the court and know where each other are going to be before anyone else. Cameron is comfortable pushing the ball up the court after a missed shot. His handle and decision-making has improved. Cayden is patient with the ball in his hands and makes good reads as the primary ball-handler.
"You could put Cam Boozer on any college roster right now and he would be impactful," one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. "If he gets to 6-10 with the way he's playing right now, he'll be a problem in the league."
Scouts from the Magic, Thunder, Hawks, Bulls, Heat, Pistons, Timberwolves, Clippers, Mavericks, Jazz and Nets were some of the scouts watching from the sidelines.
Tyran Stokes and Vegas Elite
Vegas Elite is loaded with talent, and Stokes is the headliner with his size, physicality and the way he gets to the rim. The rest of the roster is sprinkled with dynamic shooters like John Mobley Jr. (Ohio State commit) who had 25 points and shot a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range in a commanding 93-76 win over The Family (Michigan).
Aiden Sherrell, a 2024 center, also made a strong statement in front of NBA scouts where he stepped into a couple 3-pointers out of the pick-and-pop with confidence (hitting one) and finished with an efficient 22 points. Stokes added 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes.
On the other side of the ball was 2025 five-star guard Trey McKenney, who had an impressive offensive showing while his team couldn't really find rhythm. McKenney is a 6-5 big guard who was productive from different spots on the floor and played with great pace. He finished with 24 points (3-for-5 from 3, 8-for-14 from the field).
The gym was packed for this game with multiple scouts from the Nets, Timberwolves, Jazz, Magic, Clippers and Thunder in attendance and a scout from the Lakers, Bulls, Kings, Raptors, Pacers, Spurs, Rockets, Bucks, Suns, Hornets, Hawks and others filtering in throughout the game.
Bryce James
The youngest son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made his Peach Jam debut Monday afternoon and finished with 12 points (2-for-6 from 3, 4-for-9 from the field) in the Strive For Greatness (California) win over Expressions in the 16-under division, 78-69. The gym was packed with fans and LeBron was noticeably absent from the sidelines, but is expected to show up later this week to support his son. A 6-4 shooting guard, James has excellent shooting mechanics and a high release. He's getting to the rim a bit easier and has found a second burst in transition.
Elzie Harrington, a 2025 five-star guard, had a solid first game, a player ranked just outside the top 10 in a loaded incoming junior class. Harrington finished with 16 points, four assists, two blocks and two steals in the win and holds offers from UCLA, USC, Arizona State and Stanford. Rising top-40 junior Brayden Burries led all players on Strive For Greatness with 20 points and added three assists. Kansas, UCLA, USC, Houston, Arizona State and Cal have offered the 6-5 guard.
Scouts from the Lakers, Magic, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Heat, Knicks, Suns, Hawks and other teams all made James a priority on Day 1 of games.
Carter Bryant and Jase Richardson
Most scouts flocked to the gym where there was supposed to be a headliner matchup between two of the top incoming seniors (eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft), Dylan Harper and Tre Johnson, but both players were absent, making their way back from Hungary after a fourth-place finish for Team USA in the U19 FIBA World Championship.
For those who made their way over to Court 2, they got a real treat watching Paul George Elite (California) versus Boo Williams (Virginia). The great Boo Williams was actually coaching and former NBA player Jason Richardson was an assistant coach for Paul George Elite, coaching his two sons Jase and Jaxon. Five-star Arizona commit Carter Bryant first came on NBA scouts' radar after an impressive showing during an exhibition game at Nike Hoop Summit. The 6-8 point-forward is one of the best passers in his class and sees the floor extremely well. He finished with six points, four assists and four blocks in the 69-55 win.
Richardson had an efficient shooting night, connecting for 21 points and led all players in scoring. He's patient on offense and plays the right way. The 6-3 point guard has his dad's athleticism and finishes above the rim in transition. He loves to get out and run to advance the ball after missed shots on defense. Richardson holds offers from Michigan State, Arkansas, USC, Alabama, Cincinnati, Stanford, Kansas and more.
Scouts from the Rockets, Spurs, Thunder, G League Ignite, Jazz, Nets, Kings, Cavaliers and Timberwolves were all watching.
