THE 2028 CLASS: A MASTER CLASS IN DEVELOPMENT
The 2027 class has been a lesson in mistakes and recruiting.
The Shore Conference currently has one Division I player in Tatum Sharpe. To be truthful, the state is not much better. The class has become a story of unfulfilled talent, a shortage of gym rats and, for some, dreams going up in smoke.
It’s a sad story.
But here is the thing: almost everyone saw it coming.
College coaches saw the warning signs two years ago. This was not a surprise. The writing was on the wall long before these players entered high school.
And now comes the polar opposite.
The 2028 class.
The 2028 class is shaping up to be one of the best classes in recent Shore Conference history—and, for that matter, one of the strongest in New Jersey.
Next year, they may make us forget many of the disappointments associated with the 2027 class.
Why?
Because the 2028 class is a classic example of something I have been saying for years:
Keep the main thing the main thing.
The 2028 class did not enter high school surrounded by enormous hype.
There was no constant talk about future stars and Division I players. They weren’t all playing on superstar grammar-school teams. They didn’t have giant reputations before they ever stepped into a high school gym.
What they did have was focus.
Focus on the things that mattered.
They didn’t need meddling parents directing every move. They didn’t jump from AAU team to AAU team looking for the next great opportunity. They didn’t spend their childhood trying to become famous.
What they did was simple.
They put their heads down and worked.
Actually, “worked” might not be the right word.
They GRINDED.
I have always said your inner circle matters.
Go look at the inner circles surrounding the 2028 players.
Many are surrounded by truth-tellers.
Real teachers.
People who have actually developed players.
Not con artists selling dreams.
Not people telling families what they want to hear.
And the improvement curve of this class has been almost unbelievable.
Year after year, players have improved.
Why?
Because almost every Division I-level player in this class has attacked a weakness.
That’s development.
Not getting ranked.
Not playing for the biggest AAU logo.
Not collecting social-media followers.
Getting better.
But there are two things this 2028 class has as a group that every great class needs.
First, they are surrounded by leaders.
Second, they have thick skin and enjoy being coached.
And many of them are what basketball people call GYM RATS.
You know what they say about gym rats?
They can play a level above their natural ability.
Gym rats don’t just improve themselves. They elevate locker rooms. They elevate practices. They elevate culture.
College coaches should recruit gym rats hard.
They may save your job one day.
Now, there are plenty of explanations people will give for what happened with the 2027 class.
COVID.
The extra year of college eligibility.
The transfer portal.
The changing recruiting landscape.
And yes, some members of the 2027 class are headed to outstanding academic institutions. They should absolutely be celebrated for that. Because academics are the real battle, and ultimately, that’s the bigger picture.
Basketball is supposed to help young people get there.
But there is another part of the story that deserves to be told.
Beating adversity.
Developing.
Making dreams come true.
Look at the 2028 class.
Gianna Sano lost her entire freshman season. She came back and developed into one of the best players in New Jersey.
That’s called fighting through hard times.
Allison McAndrew made the difficult decision to leave Trinity Hall and attend Colts Neck. I thought it was a mistake.
Well…
What do I know?
Today, Allison McAndrew is one of the best players in the Shore Conference.
That’s called beating the doubters.
Calista Vowteras went from an All-Freshman First Team player to a leading candidate for PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
That’s called development.
Kendall Fredricksen entered high school almost as a ghost.
Today, she’s a Division I lock.
That’s called beating the odds.
Ari Wissen, as a sophomore, led the Shore Conference in scoring.
That’s called doing something special.
And I could keep going for days.
Casey Zammitt receiving Division I offers.
Emily Donahue becoming what I believe is the best pure point guard in New Jersey.
Isa Fry, a Shore-adopted player, becoming one of the most recruited players in the state.
And I could tell you right now that I believe the Shore’s 2028 class has 14 Division I-level players.
But this isn’t really about a number.
It’s about a lesson.
The 2028 class is a master class in development, perseverance, potential and making dreams come true.
Ego is dangerous.
Bad advice is dangerous.
But lack of knowledge may be the most dangerous thing of all.
Too many young players drink the Kool-Aid.
They believe rankings.
They believe playing for a certain AAU brand automatically makes them better.
Parents put enormous value on meaningless grammar-school games.
Playing up becomes a status symbol.
Everybody wants to get crowned young.
And that’s the problem.
You can often see the underachieving player beginning to paint that masterpiece long before high school starts.
The overachieving player?
They’re usually doing something completely different.
They’re playing.
They’re developing.
They’re working.
They’re listening.
They’re getting coached.
And they’re surrounding themselves with people who have proven track records.
They aren’t trying to become a star at 11.
They’re trying to become the best basketball player they can be at 18.
There is a huge difference.
Why be somebody else’s test dummy when you don’t have to be?
The 2028 class has been no dummy.
They’ve earned what is coming their way.
The 2027 class can serve as a cautionary tale about what can go wrong when development, decision-making and recruiting get out of order.
The 2028 class is something completely different.
It is a shining example of what can happen when knowledge meets hard work.
When the ego takes a back seat.
When players accept coaching.
When families trust proven teachers.
When kids stop worrying about being crowned and start worrying about getting better.
And when the main thing stays the main thing.
PLAY. DEVELOP. WORK.
Then let the basketball—and the results—do the talking.
NBS STARTS SATURDAY… 7 spots are still available
