Top High School Basketball Prospects Playing in Charlotte This Weekend

Some of the country’s best prep basketball players are playing in Charlotte this weekend.

The Grind Session, a winter circuit of elite high school basketball events across the U.S. and Canada, will host a three-day showcase at Harding University High School from Saturday through Monday.

To put into perspective how good the Grind Session is: the circuit has produced nearly 3,000 players who have gone on to play collegiate or professional basketball, including more than 20 first-round NBA draft picks. That list includes Charlotte Hornets stars LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, and Josh Green.

The upcoming event will feature 21 teams from 10 states, 21 games, and an impressive list of some of the country’s Top 100-rated prospects in the ’25, ‘26’ and ’27 classes.

Four North Carolina programs are competing in the showcase, including 1 of 1 Academy, Winston Salem Christian, Quality Education Academy, and Moravian Prep Regional.

Among the top prospects competing this weekend include:

• Mikel Brown, Jr. – DME Academy – Class of 2025 #11 prospect (ESPN)
• Paulo Semedo – West Oaks Academy – Class of 2025 #77 prospect (ESPN)
• Brandon Lee – The Patrick School – Class of 2025 #89 prospect (Rivals)
• Jacob Lanier – DME Academy – Class of 2026 # 46 prospect (On3)
• Willie Burnett III – West Oaks Academy – Class of 2026 #60 prospect (ESPN)
• Marcis “Baby Shaq” Ponder – West Oaks Academy – Class of 2026 #58 prospect (Rivals)
• Yohance Connor – 1 of 1 Academy – Class of 2026 #82 prospect (247Sports)
• Martay Barnes – Academy of Central Florida – Class of 2027 #17 prospect (ESPN)

The showcase opens with six games on Saturday, continues with 10 games on Sunday, and concludes with five games on Monday.

Here’s the full schedule:

Main Gym

Saturday, January 18

3:00 p.m. – 1 of 1 Academy (NC) vs. Colorado Prep (CO)

4:45 p.m. – Balboa School (FL) vs. West Oaks (FL)

6:30 p.m. – DME Academy (FL) vs. Winston Salem Christian (NC)

Sunday, January 19

10:00 a.m. – Skyline Prep (AZ) vs. Colorado Prep (CO)

11:45 a.m. – Academy of Central Florida (FL) vs. DME Academy (FL)

1:30 p.m. – Winston Salem Christian (NC) vs. Balboa School (FL)

3:15 p.m. – West Oaks (FL) vs. The Patrick School (NJ)

5:00 p.m. – Downey Christian (FL) vs. MN Prep (MN)

6:45 p.m. – Southern Coast (FL) vs. 1 of 1 Academy (NC)

Monday, January 20

10:00 a.m. – Southeastern Prep (FL) vs. PDI Prep (OH)

11:45 a.m. – Winston Salem Christian (NC) vs. Academy of Central Florida (FL)

1:30 p.m. – The Patrick School (NJ) vs. Hamilton heights (TN)

Auxiliary Gym

Saturday, January 18

3:15 p.m. – MN Prep (MN) vs. SFBA Trinity Prep (NV)

5:00 p.m. – Wilson Academy (GA)) vs. Downey Christian (FL)

6:45 p.m. – Florida Coastal Prep (FL) vs. Skyline Prep (AZ)

Sunday, January 19

10:15 a.m. – Hamilton heights (TN) vs. Florida Coastal (FL)

12:00 p.m. – PDI prep (OH) vs. Wesley Christian (KY)

1:45 p.m. – Southeastern Prep (FL) vs. SFBA Trinity Prep (NV)

3:30 p.m. – Quality Education (NC) vs. SFA Academy (FL)

Monday, January 20

10:15 a.m. – Moravian Prep Regional (NC) vs. SFBA Academy (FL)

12:00 p.m. – Quality Education (NC) vs. Southern Coast (FL)

“The Grind Session has taken high school basketball to new heights, becoming the home and proving ground for the nation's best prospects and teams. College coaches are looking for players that are ready, seasoned and developed to play college basketball and our level of competition is just that,” said Grind Session co-founder and CEO Scott Waldrop. “We’re excited about bringing the action to Charlotte and look forward to an exciting weekend of elite prep basketball.”

Admission is $15/day. Children 6 and under are free.

The games will be live streamed on Tanager Sports.