The Peach Jam, one of the most prestigious events on the Nike EYBL is currently in full swing. Many of the biggest players from the next three or four cycles of collegiate recruits and battling it out in South Carolina. 2023 marks the 27th edition of the Peach Jam and the third that allows scouts to attend. NBA scouts were present in North Augusta from July 3 while college scouts will begin attending on July 6.
The U16 division primarily comprises the Class of 2025. It's a stack class, led by Cameron Boozer and Cooper Flagg. Boozer is the son of two-time NBA all-star Carlos Boozer. “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.” Meanwhile, Flagg is widely considered the best rim defender at the high school level, regardless of class. However, another player getting plenty of attention is Bryce James. The second son of LeBron, James is ranked #81 in his class. However, that didn't stop him from getting plenty of looks from NBA scouts. That was followed by his dad giving his team a little coaching help.
LeBron Coaches At Peach Jam
While not present from Bryce's first game of the tournament, LeBron rolled up to South Carolina in time for the Wednesday game between SFG and Florida Rebels. However, LeBron did a lot more than just watch from the sidelines. Multiple videos, primarily provided by Yahoo Sports' Krysten Peek, showed LeBron coaching players and drawing up plays on the sideline. He even had an elite assistant in two-time NBA champion Rajon Rondo.
However, the LeBron-led SFG weren't able to land the win. They fell 72-67 to the Rebels, putting them at 1-1 with two games to play in the pool stage. The Rebels are led by the #17 prospect in the 2025 class, Jamier Jones. However, the leading scoring for the Rebels in their win over SFG was Jalen Reece, ranked at #59 in the country by Rivals. Reece had 18 points in the win. Meanwhile, Bryce James had 9 points on 4-for-11 shooting. However, there will be an opportunity for a bounce-back game for Bryce and SFG. They play the winless Mokan Elite on July 6. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, Thursday is an especially important day given that college scouts will be in attendance.
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