The Girls Are Dunking! Top Prospects Stun Crowd at Tournament
Anwar Stetson
The girls’ prep hoops Class of 2026 and 2027 are stacked with incredible talent, and that talent was on full display at Select Events Basketball over the weekend. Top prospects like Kaleena Smith, Oliviyah Edwards, and more stars linked up in Hamilton, Ohio, for the summer showcase, featuring insane highlights as club teams convened from all over the country.
BIG OH MAKES AN EVEN BIGGER SLAM
Oliviyah Edwards, the No. 1 ranked prospect out of Washington and top-ranked center in the Class of 2026, turned heads after a rapturous slam dunk.
The 17-year-old, 6’3’’ center stole the ball after a swarming halfcourt double-team from her teammates. Displaying blistering speed, Edwards outpaced her opponents down the court for a thunderous one-handed slam. Edwards hails from Tacoma, Washington, and plays for Elite Prep Academy and Northwest Greyhounds.
Edwards reacted to highlights of her awesome dunk on X.
Edwards has offers from many top programs, but has flirted with the three-time champion South Carolina Gamecocks. Head Coach Dawn Staley made an appearance at April’s Select Events tournament, while coaches at other big-name programs, such as LSU’s Kim Mulkey, showed up this past weekend.
Edwards made Team USA’s U-17 basketball roster this summer but said on social media she opted not to play for the squad as she recovered from a foot injury. After attempting and missing a dunk on the first day, she succeeded with the jam on day two.
Known as “Big Oh,” the towering presence from the Pacific Northwest will continue to punish opponents in her senior year and at the next level–wherever she decides to play.
SHE’S BACK: STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR SPECIAL “K”
It’s always an event to see Kaleena “Special K” Smith perform on the brightest stages. The Class of 2027 point guard has dazzled spectators with flashy passing and tremendous overall skill with the rock throughout her young career.
Her highlights from the event include shaking multiple defenders, top-tier hesitation moves, and mastery of half-court isolation plays.
The 5’6’’ guard out of Ontario, California, can create space, her own shot, and nationwide buzz all with a fleet-footed two-step.
The 2024-2025 Gatorade Player of the Year already has a CIF title under her belt as a rising junior, with Prep Hoops scout Connor Dodd calling Smith the “most creative scorer around the rim I’ve ever seen.”
Smith made headlines when she became the first girls prep star to sign an NIL deal with Adidas Basketball. She reps the brand’s Seven Days 3SSB club team.
Spectators couldn’t wait to see Smith shine at Select Events. They packed Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill in Hamilton.
The future of girls basketball looks bright as the talent at the prep level continues to ascend.