News & Events

The Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, one of the most coveted awards in American sports, is the culmination of the NBA playoffs. Over the next two months, 16 teams and more than 200 players will battle for the trophy.

This year, 15 former Grind Session stars across 10 different teams are among those looking to lift the championship hardware in June. Four of those teams have multiple Grind Session alumni on their postseason rosters, led by a trio of alumni on the Denver Nuggets. The Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and Minesota Timberwolves feature two Grind Session products apiece.

The NBA Playoffs tipped off with intensity and excitement over the weekend, and several Grind Session alumni were front and center in the action. From breakout performances to tough losses and sideline decisions, former stars of the Grind Session showed the impact of elite high school preparation on the game’s biggest stage.

The journey of Kuany Kuany is a story of perseverance, family, and the transformative power of basketball. Born in war-torn South Sudan and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Kuany’s path to professional basketball wasn’t paved with ease—but through resilience and the support of a loving host family and trusted mentors, he achieved dreams that once seemed distant.

The 2025 NBA Playoffs officially tipped off Tuesday night with a doubleheader in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, and several Grind Session alumni were in the spotlight as their teams fought to keep their championship dreams alive.

Orlando Magic Dominate Hawks Behind Banchero and Carter Jr.

The first game of the night saw the Orlando Magic roll past the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 at the Kia Center in Orlando. The Magic’s duo of Paulo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., both Grind Session alumni, led the way in the convincing win.

Shaquille O’Neal’s daughter, Me’Arah O’Neal, praised the Grind Session’s Nyadieng Yiech following her performance at the 2025 Women's Nike Hoop Summit, which took place at Moda Center in Portland on Saturday. Yiech, who spent her final two high school seasons with Fort Erie International, represented Team World in their matchup against Team USA.

Although Team World came up short in the elite showcase of tomorrow's college and WNBA stars, Yiech performed well. The 6-foot-3 forward and Florida Gator commit dropped eight points to go along with four rebounds in 16 minutes in the 90-78 loss.

Former Arizona Compass Prep star was taken by the Seattle Storm in the third round of the 2025 WNBA draft.

Madison Conner made history on Monday night, becoming the first Grind Session player ever selected in the WNBA Draft. The former Arizona Compass Prep star and TCU guard was picked in the third round, 29th overall, by the Seattle Storm.

The best high school basketball players in the world took center stage on Saturday night at the Nike Hoop Summit. In the end, the Grind Session’s three participating stars in the men’s game – AJ Dybantsa (Utah Prep) Mikel Brown, Jr. (DME Academy), and Ikenna Alozie (Dream City Christian) – lived up to their hype.

Dybantsa and Brown starred for Team USA, while Alozie impressed as a member of the World squad.

After an intense 82-game regular season, the NBA Playoffs are set to begin tomorrow with the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, kicking off what promises to be another unforgettable postseason. From April 15th to the Finals beginning on June 5th, all eyes will be on the hardwood as 20 teams begin their quest for the NBA’s ultimate prize.

Portland, OR – April 12, 2025
The 2025 Nike Hoops Summit lit up the Moda Center—home of the Portland Trail Blazers—with an unforgettable night of elite-level basketball and standout performances by some of Grind Session’s brightest stars. This year’s event saw five Grind Session athletes take the court, representing both the USA and World teams across the boys’ and girls’ games.

247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein announced Wednesday that Prolific Prep’s Darryn Peterson will finish as the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2025 when the final rankings come out in May. The Kansas commit will jump fellow Grind Session standout and Utah Prep star AJ Dybantsa for the top spot. 

Dybantsa has held the No. 1 ranking ever since he reclassified from the 2026 class back in October 2023.

Grind Session star and USF commit was also named All-Canadian Boys Player of the Year at halftime.

What a weekend for the Grind Session’s Tristan Beckford Tristan Beckford on Instagram.

The Fort Erie International forward led his team to victory at the CWENCH All Canadian Games, dropping a game-high 26 points to go along with 13 boards. For his efforts, Beckford became the 11th Grind Session player to be named MVP of the annual all-star game that has drawn comparisons to America's McDonald's All-American Game.

AJ Dybantsa, Mikel Brown Jr, Ikenna Alozie, Bella Hines, and Nyadieng Yiech to battle this weekend in the elite showcase of tomorrow's college, NBA/WNBA stars.

Five Grind Session stars have been named to the USA and World rosters for the 26th Nike Hoop Summit, which features a men's and women's game between the top high school seniors in the country and the best prospects from around the world.

Fishers, IN — Prolific Prep’s unforgettable season came to a close Friday afternoon in Indiana, as they fell to Dynamic Prep 83-64 in the semi-final round of the Chipotle Nationals. The game marked the final high school appearance for Kansas commit Darryn Peterson, who once again delivered a brilliant performance on the national stage.

In a game that lived up to every bit of the hype, Prolific Prep edged out Long Island Lutheran 81-80 in overtime at the 2025 Chipotle Nationals, formerly known as the GEICO Nationals. The win marked a major milestone for Head Coach Ryan Bernardi, who earned his first victory in the event after two straight first-round exits.

Two former Grind Session players will also join the star-studded lineup of top high school hoopers.

AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Bella Hines are headed to our nation’s capital to play in the Jordan Brand Classic. The trio of current Grind Session players will join a star-studded lineup of top high school hoopers in the premier showcase on April 18 at the CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C.