USA has asserted dominance in the FIBA U17 World Cup dating back to its inception in 2010, having won gold in all five iterations of the event and sporting a perfect 37-0 record. This year, 34 athletes from the high school graduating classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025 were originally invited to the USA Basketball Men’s U17 National Team Training Camp at the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center for a chance to represent the country. Amongst a talented and deep pool of prospects, the final roster was trimmed down to 12 players.
Pro Insight spent the week in Colorado Springs and caught up with Koa Peat of Perry High School (AZ) and Compton Magic (CA), who made his first international appearance for USA Basketball in Malaga, Spain. The 2007-born Peat was the youngest player to ever suit up for Team USA at the FIBA U17 World Cup. Named to the All-Star Five, the rising sophomore averaged 9.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 blocks per game for the tournament, assisting Team USA in capturing a sixth straight gold medal. The No. 2 player in the ESPN class of 2025 rankings, Peat is no stranger to winning on the brightest stage. In his freshman year, he helped Perry win its first 6A State Championship. With a mature physical profile for his age, the 6’7” forward brings positional versatility and an all-around game.
As part of the Pro Insight Q&A series, Peat discussed the evolution of his game and studying Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic, his short term goals as a player, how it felt to represent his country at the FIBA U17 World Cup, and much more.
For the next installment of the Pro Insight Q&A series, we present 2025 prospect Koa Peat, from Chandler, Arizona:
Pro Insight: For those who may have missed our first interview together, how did you get to where you are today? Talk a bit about your background and family.
Koa Peat: I'm Koa Peat from Chandler, Arizona. Class of 2025. The way I got here is just putting in hard work and I come from a really athletic family.
PI: With an athletic family, would you say your household is competitive?
KP: Yeah, for sure. They push me every day to be better, be better than I was the day before.
PI: You brothers are talented football players — What advice have they given you growing up?
KP: Well, they obviously know [what it takes] to like making it so it's just “keep my head down and keep working” is what they tell me.
PI: How has your game evolved since we last spoke?
KP: I’d say my handle has gotten a lot better. I can shoot it now more consistently, and just my all-around play. Defense has gotten a lot better, tightened up, and I think that I'm becoming a great player.
PI: What do you feel you still need to improve on the most? What have you been working on?
KP: I’d say most of my training sessions are mainly on shooting, just like trying to get my shot right. I think I have a good shot right now, but if I keep working I could be a great shooter.
PI: Who do you model your game after or study on film?
KP: I’d say like the bigger wings like Tatum, LeBron, Luka…players like that. Just try to model my game after them.
PI: How do you see your role at the next level?
KP: I’d say like a point-forward type of player, yeah.
PI: What type of leader are you?
KP: I’d say just a good leader like just telling people where to be and where to go and just keeping the team together.
PI: Congrats on the latest ESPN 2025 ranking — do you feel increased pressure that comes with being nationally ranked?
KP: Nah, I don't think there's any pressure 'cause I feel like I'm a good player. I'm just playing the game I love, so I don't feel any pressure.
PI: What are your short term goals you have for yourself on the court?
KP: Obviously to win gold for USA. When I go back to high school, just to win state and possibly win Gatorade Player of the Year.
PI: How does it feel to represent the USA at the FIBA U17 World Cup?
KP: I'm super grateful for it. It's a blessing to even be a part of this team, to go out there and put on for my country, and put on for my city back home, so yeah.
PI: What’s your recruitment update? Who have you been hearing from the most, lately?
KP: I've heard from [some of these schools] the last couple weeks. I just picked up some offers like Kansas State, Stanford, Illinois, Indiana, just some schools, yeah. (Editor’s note: Peat has since received an offer from Memphis, as well)
PI: Do you have a dream school growing up?
KP: Nah, I don't really have a dream school. I always liked the schools my brothers went to, but not really, just a coach that believes in me and just the team that wants me to be there like a brotherhood.
PI: Who would you like to hear from?
KP: Obviously, like the big schools like the blue bloods. But yeah, I'm just going to keep working.
PI: Any visits planned coming up?
KP: No not yet, but just as soon as I could go on visits, I'm for sure going to take a visit to the school I would keep in mind that’s interested in me and I'm interested in them.
PI: You won the 6A State Championship last season with Cody Williams at Perry, will you be running it back this upcoming year?
KP: Yessir, yessir.
PI: What are your biggest interests outside of basketball?
KP: I’d say just hanging out with friends and family, video games, and that's probably about it.
PI: Who are your favorite music artists?
KP: That's tough. You can't go wrong with Drake, I'll say Drake.
PI: Did you listen to the new album he dropped?
KP: I listened to it. I didn’t really like it, but I listen to a lot of his old stuff. I like the beats and stuff.
PI: You have one hashtag to describe yourself. What is it?
KP: I'd say just #veryeasygoing.
PI: If you were stuck forever on a deserted island and had all the food, water, and shelter you needed — what three personal items would you bring?
KP: Okay, I’d bring my mom. I got water and food, right? (interviewer nods) I’d bring a phone and then the internet cable so I could get some Wi-Fi and then text my people where I'm at.
PI: Who’s someone you really look up to?
KP: I’d say all my brothers, mostly my whole family. I look up to my dad a lot ‘cause he played in the pros in the NFL, so yeah.
PI: What’s something most people have no idea about you?
KP: I’d say I'm really humble, like people who look at me from the outside, they probably think I'm really cocky, but I’d say I'm a really humble person. I just try to stay humble.
PI: What is your dream NIL deal and why?
KP: I haven’t really thought about that, but just anything that pays me the most, honestly.
PI: Where do you see yourself in five years?
KP: Five years from now, I see myself hopefully in the NBA and with a ball in my hand playing basketball.
PI: Name four words that best describe you.
KP: Okay, obviously I’d say easygoing. Humble, chill, and courageous.
PI: At the end of the day, what do you hope to be remembered for?
KP: As a player, I’d like to be remembered as a do-everything-guy, a great player, hopefully I go down as a Hall of Famer because that's one of my goals. And then as a person I’d say, I hope people remember me as a really good person, really good character, really high class, and just a humble nice guy.
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