UAB had some of Alabama's top talent in the house at its Elite camp, and here are my thoughts on a few…
Clyde Walters (6'6/G|F/'26/Pinson Valley HS)
IG: clyde.glizzzy
X: @clydewalters_
Clyde was hands down the top talent at the camp. He made it look really easy competing against the other guys. I have seen him continue to improve over the AAU season, and he is undoubtedly the #1-player in the 2026 class in the state. Nationally, his stock has increased, and many are having conversations about how he has earned a birth into the ESPN rankings. His combination of skill, basketball IQ, positional size, and athleticism make him an extremely tough cover. He showed his versatility at the camp on both ends of the floor. I have seen how unselfish of a player he is offensively, even though he was looking for his offense and scoring at a high rate at camp. He has added a consistent trey ball, which makes him that more intriguing. He still has to learn to play more consistently and be more dominant when the competition is not on the EYBL level, which ultimately helps him when he gets back on that stage. If he is going to be one of those type 'guys,' he will have to bring it every time he steps on the floor, including when it is just drill work as they took players through at camp.
Trey Simpson (6'7/G|F|C/'25/Hillcrest-Evergreen)
IG: litrey24
X: @TreySimpson0
Trey's name made its way throughout the camp several times, as it came up in conversation with me numerous times while I was there, and then I got several calls regarding him after camp. The last time I saw Trey, he was struggling against size in a game at Peach Jam, but at camp, he was back producing with his scoring versatility. The southpaw impacts the game with his changes of speed, direction, body control, instincts, ability to shoot over the top of defenders, and his ability to create separation and get to his spots. Can he help UAB? The answer is yes, but it will definitely be year 2 after a year in the system and the time with the strength and conditioning coach.
Austin Coner (6'0/PG/'25/Pinson Valley HS)
IG: acwoo2
X: @IAMWOO2x
The conversation about Austin, better known as Woo, was simple as he was hands down the best PG at camp from the state of Alabama. I would have loved to see Woo and Kingston Whitty of Holy Innocents (GA) match up against one another. They were the best in the camp at the lead guard position. Everything is coming together for Woo. The pull-up trey ball, contested midi, shifty drives, finding teammates with the drive and spray, the high-level IQ, and anything else you can think of when it comes from a mature senior who has done nothing but get better over the past couple of years. Even his disruptive defense on and off the ball has improved, making his two-way impact something that cannot be overlooked. It goes without saying that his size raises questions, but someone will take a chance on him and will get a winner in their program.
Devon McKinnon (6'3/Wing/'25/Clay-Chalkville)
IG: nolimit0dev
X: @devonmckinnon_5
I have been extremely hard on Devon over the past few years as I did not see consistent play from him that matched my expectations. However, I have had an opportunity to watch him several times during the AAU season and yesterday at camp, and he has really come on on both ends of the floor. He is really shooting the ball from behind the arc at a higher efficiency rate, and he was the best shooter in camp from what I saw. His skill, budding aggressiveness off the bounce, and intelligence are elevating his game to what I have always expected, and he showed it at camp. I have one question when it comes to Devon: Can he get his squad to Birmingham? With Caleb Holt in GA, class 6A is wide open, with the two favorites, Clay and Pinson, in the same area.
Jeremiah Williams (6'0/CG/'26/Ramsay HS)
IG: jeremiahw.07
Jeremiah is officially a Ramsay Rams and showed at camp what he will bring to the Rams squad. His poise at the lead guard spot stood out the most, as he never seemed to get in a hurry or be forced to play at a speed that he did not want to play. He is a really good decision-maker with the rock in his hands and showed his ability to orchestrate the offense. He is a reliable floor general who can be trusted with the keys to the team. He is known for his trey ball prowess, but he showed at camp he has a middle game that is just as lethal. UAB may be a stretch for him, but he can definitely play at the next level.
Armonie Franklin (5'10/PG/'25/Midfield HS)
IG: iammonie3
The last time I saw Armonie play was at the Final 4, and I was looking for that same explosive player who went for huge numbers on the biggest stage of the year. Unfortunately, that Armonie did not show up at camp. He still had flashes of his scoring potency, but he did not show what I have come to expect from him, which he, more times than not, has delivered. He is a small lead guard who is excellent in transition and can be a scoring machine. He had his moments, but overall, his performance was ok.
Bryce Dawson (6'4/Wing/'25/Central Phenix-City HS)
IG: Bk1.offixial
X: @Bk1_offixial
There is something about Bryce when he is not playing for his high school team and when I see him at camps and on the AAU circuit. It was not different at the #UABEliteCamp as he showed his versatility, athleticism, and two-way impact beyond being just a 3&D caliber player. He was playing with a lot of confidence, shooting from deep, putting the ball on the floor, and getting to the cup. He was about to posterize a guy off the bounce until a defender grabbed his shirt, and I wondered where that Bryce is when he is playing with his school team. He was a self-starting scoring threat who did a really good job creating for himself, and if Bryce can show up down the stretch as he did at camp, he will give Central Phenix a better chance to raise the blue map in Birmingham.