Is Saniyah Hall Actually LeBron James?
Anwar Stetson
That’s a wrap for OT Select 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. The girls’ basketball tournament gave spectators a special opportunity to see the best prep hoopers in the entire country gather for an exhilarating two weekends of basketball before the start of the 2025-2026 high school season.
With big names and rising stars like Kaleena Smith, GG Banks, and Oliviyah Edwards, one Class of 2026 star stamped her name in the history books before she heads to the collegiate level.
It’s high praise, but this senior guard’s journey may remind basketball fans of another prodigy that moved from Ohio to Los Angeles in hopes of rings and glory.
Spire Academy’s Saniyah Hall is an all-purpose scorer and the number one-ranked player in the Class of 2026. She made headlines this summer for committing to the University of Southern California, becoming the school’s third number-one-ranked recruit to commit in the last four years.
Hall’s summer included not only an internet-breaking decision, but also a gold medal with the Team USA U-19 squad.
To add to a success-filled summer, Hall just finished her final season of AAU with a tournament MVP and game-winning shot to cap off OT Select. As the captain of the All Knighters, Hall’s game-winning, last-second putback shot gave her squad the victory in the semi-final matchup.
Though her opponents Royal Reign gave a valiant effort, Hall reigned supreme with a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double. Wrestling for position inside the paint with time winding down, Hall captured the rebound off of a CeCe Dennis missed shot. She laid the ball in as time expired and was mobbed in celebration by her teammates.
In an anti-climactic championship match, the All Knighters dominated Kaleena Smith’s ISO World 87-71. Hall finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and four steals in the contest, winning MVP.
The 6’1” star displayed the size to match with big defenders in the paint, the speed to beat players off the dribble, and the all-around swagger to step up in the biggest moments.
She left Laurel School (Ohio) to take her talents to powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida…before returning to Ohio to play for Spire. She will head next to Southern California. She’s big and tall for her position, and the number one player in the nation right now.
A New Legend?
I know of another Ohio native who left the Cleveland Cavaliers for Florida. He returned, then left for Los Angeles. He was also an oversized point-forward with the ability to put the team on his back when it mattered the most.
Look, I’m not saying Saniyah Hall is LeBron James, but I have yet to see them both in a room together.
As Hall prepares for her final season of high school basketball, all eyes will again be on northeast Ohio. We can’t wait to see what the next “chosen one” has to offer. Spire Academy, this is for you.