Overtime Elite looks to continue to build on its early success, most notably accentuated by the top-5 selections of Amen and Ausar Thompson in the 2023 NBA Draft. Furthermore, with Izan Almansa and Tyler Smith joining the G League Ignite, and Alex Sarr heading to the NBL Next Stars program, this new group will look to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors by positioning themselves in the best way possible to achieve their dreams.
With a development model that college coaches and professional personnel are buying into, and the prospects to match, OTE put together a combine that brought in 29 NBA teams and a myriad of college coaches from around the country to Atlanta, to get an initial look at this season’s prospects.
In the latest edition of “P.I. Pulse”, Pro Insight’s Alex Brown and David Hendren share a few takeaways from their time on the ground at OTE Arena in Atlanta, Georgia:
Newcomers Daquan Davis & Jaeden Mustaf Set the Tone
OTE landed a couple of 2024 gems in Daquan Davis (Providence commit) and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech commit), two mature, polished, intelligent guards that will compete on both ends and set the tone for RWE and the City Reapers this season, respectively. Daquan Davis may be just under 6’1”, but his scrappy defense, advanced pace, and cognizant playmaking allow him to impact the game at a high level without needing to score the ball. Daquan differentiates himself by taking pride in his defense, which has been a rarer trait in lead guard prospects, but he is also able to knock down the open 3 and knife into the lane for advantages. The overall winning impact is clear as day, and his unselfish style lends itself well to winning the respect of teammates as a leader. Jaeden Mustaf is a larger, physical, competitive guard at 6’5” that excels as a downhill creator and versatile defender. With solid length at a listed 6’9” wingspan, a focused, growth-oriented approach, and the functional strength to own his space on both ends, Jaeden has a unique combination of projectable traits. Looking to grow even further as a lead ball handler, Mustaf will have the chance to hone his point guard skills while building on his already solid foundation. With the chance to grow into the next special lead guard to go through Georgia Tech, a lot of eyes will be on Mustaf throughout the year.
Somto Cyril’s Jaw-Dropping Tools
After producing fascinating measurements and testing results at the BAM assessment, including recording a 7’7” wingspan, 41-inch vertical and a 12'7" touch point (a higher recording than anyone in NBA Draft Combine history...), Somto Cyril put his athletic tools on full display in the scrimmages. His unique explosiveness and motor were tantalizing throughout the event. He continuously crashed the glass on both ends of the floor, even showing his ability to score on putbacks with serious elevation and authority. Offensively, he flashed his finishing ability on lobs and dives to the rim. He even showed the ability in the 3v3 scrimmages of faking dribble handoffs and driving downhill on straight-line drives. Cyril also possesses massive upside defensively due to his absurd length and athleticism. He has the tools to switch onto guards, while also being able to hedge and recover quickly to his man with his mobility. Lastly, the 2024 Kentucky commit brings a positive energy to the court and is vocal on both ends of the floor. He possesses the necessary intangibles to be a positive locker room influence to his teammates, which will take him a long way in his career.
Bryson Tiller Asserts Himself
Bryson Tiller continues his forward ascension with positive testing and play. Measuring in at 6’8.75’’ with a 7’2’’ wingspan and a notably stronger frame, his physical profile is tantalizing, along with his positional versatility. His ability to slide up and down the lineup was on display, as he frequently used his athleticism and length to guard all over the floor, either in switching coverages against guards or defending other forwards/wings. His length and functional movement allow him to recover onto shooters and apply pressure in passing lanes, causing havoc. On the offensive end, Tiller displayed his trademark mid-range repertoire and added comfort as a ball-handler, navigating within the arc to create mid-range pull-ups. While the shot still has some kinks to work out long term, Bryson continues to show flashes of perimeter shooting off the catch, and did so here. As he continues to grow as a ball-handler and range shooter, he will become even more of a matchup nightmare than he already is, especially considering his ability to play multiple positions. Looking to grow as a leader this year, the stage is set for Bryson to be a major player this season at OTE.
Karter Knox Leads a Revamped Wing Core
The Tampa, Florida native put on an impressive two-way performance by displaying his versatile shot-making and defensive intensity. The variety in which Knox scored is what stood out, whether it was using his body to create space and finish with floaters in the mid-range, finishing downhill drives, or spotting up from distance. Look for Knox to be one of the leading scorers during this OTE season. He should also grow as a playmaker in 2023-24 with more ball-handling reps, which should expand his offensive repertoire even further. Defensively, he showed more engagement and focus, fighting through screens and keeping constant pressure on his man in on-ball scenarios. Knox also was disruptive in the passing lanes with his length and anticipatory abilities. With a vast amount of intriguing wings on the roster, Karter shining as he did was an indicator of his polish as a prospect. Karter’s traits have been translatable at every level he has placed at so far, and he seems on pace to continue that level of production with OTE, this season.
Alongside Karter’s excellent performance, multiple other wings also stood out as a part of this deep, revamped wing core. 2024 Samis Calderon confidently boosted his stock after showing intriguing signs during his performances at the NBA Academy Games in July and the Basketball Without Borders camp in February. Samis showed out with confidence and assertiveness, making multiple solid connector reads, finishing above the rim in transition, hitting the 3-ball off the catch, and using his monstrous 7’3” wingspan to make things happen defensively.Another wing displaying continuous growth was 2025 Amari Evans, who has filled out his frame and added functional strength since arriving at OTE. Evans is one to keep an eye on due to his ability to get to his spots offensively and own his space defensively, and his competitive edge is top tier, and a major reason for his continued national rise. 2024 Purdue commit Kanon Catchings is another intriguing wing prospect with size and intrigue, especially considering he is a long-strider as a driver with gravity and range as a shooter. 2025 Canadian prospect Efeosa Oliogu showed toughness and grittiness on the defensive end, keeping guards and wings in front, while also displaying defensive playmaking off the ball. Offensively, he showed some secondary playmaking, while using his physical frame to create space while attacking downhill. Also, make sure to keep tabs on 2024 Darrion Sutton, who noted that he has only been playing organized basketball for three years. His combination of natural coordination and size at the wing position, measuring at 6’8’’, makes for some foundational assets to build off. OTE’s weight program could do him wonders as well, as it has done for multiple prospects already in its short existence.
A Handful of Intriguing Underclassmen
Between Lincoln Cosby, Jahari Miller, and Jayden Wilkins, Overtime Elite showcased three promising class of 2027 prospects to pair with two intriguing 2026s in Adam Oumiddoch and Marcis Ponder. For the 2027s, the expectation for this season is for them to learn and get valuable developmental experience early as the first four-year players here. The youngest of the 2027 trio, Lincoln Cosby, who is still 14, caught our eye immediately by growing 2 inches in the last few months and measuring in at 6’9” with a 6’11” wingspan. Lincoln has showcased an intriguing, albeit budding perimeter skill set this summer, and is entering this season with all emphasis on development, not expectations, as he is still growing into his body and developing his movement skills. On that topic, Jayden Wilkins, the son of OTE GM and former NBA vet Damien Wilkins, also showed an intriguing early skillset, especially flashing perimeter shotmaking. However, at just under 6’1” with a 6’6” wingspan and roughly 150 pounds, Jayden was arguably the furthest from his physical peak of anyone in attendance, and far away from being fully developed athletically. With his NBA bloodlines and early opportunity to receive around-the-clock development, the sky's the limit for Jayden at OTE. Finally in the 2027 group, Jahari Miller was perhaps the most ready to fill a role in this group. He showed positive signs as a shooter and didn't back down when defending players 3+ years older at the point-of-attack. At 6’2” with a 6’5” wingspan, a more developed build at 180 pounds, and experience playing up in AAU, Miller was able to impact the game at a more comfortable level than his fellow 2027s, showing some ability to handle pressure from length, as well.
With regard to the 2026 group, Adam Oumiddoch has intrigued PI on multiple different occasions since we first saw him last year, and with his growth spurt sprouting him up to 6’5” in shoes, there is a lot to like in Adam as a confident self-creator who can put the ball in the bucket in a variety of ways. On the other hand, Marcis Ponder is a physical specimen at nearly 6’11”, 280 pounds with a recorded 7'7.5” wingspan, which really helps when he is matched up against a giant like Jah Jackson or Peyton Marshall. While his movement skills are expectedly raw, he popped with his interior touch, physicality, and two-way presence. All in all, OTE has built a young core of prospects that will have the opportunity to spend all, or nearly all, of their high school development years in a program that offers significantly more training and player development than your typical high school, and tracking them over the years will be intriguing to say the least.
