Bruce Branch III is one of two Prolific Prep players projected to be a 2027 NBA Draft lottery pick. (Grind Session Photo)
By MICHAEL MISETIC, Grind Session
Some of the nation’s best high school basketball players, including two projected lottery picks in the 2027 NBA Draft, are back in Hopkinsville this week.
The Grind Session, a winter circuit of high school basketball events that has produced approximately 100 NBA players and more than 20 first-round NBA draft picks, is hosting a nearly week-long showcase at Hopkinsville High School.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Grind Session back to Hopkinsville,” said Grind Session co-founder and CEO Scott Waldrop. “The level of talent coming to this event is absolutely incredible, and we can’t wait for fans to see some of the best young players in the country showcase their skills on one stage. It’s going to be an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”
The action kicks off tonight as nationally ranked Prolific Prep takes on Florida Coastal Prep. Currently ranked No. 4 in the nation by ESPN, Prolific Prep is led by two Top 10 prospects in the senior class: Caleb Holt and Bruce Branch III. Both Holt and Branch are projected 2027 NBA Draft lottery picks.
Kansas commit Davion Adkins and five-star junior Nasir Anderson also star for Prolific Prep.
The showcase will continue Thursday through Sunday and feature 11 other men’s teams, as well as four women’s teams.
Eight Kentucky high schools are competing in the showcase: Hopkinsville High School (men and women), Caldwell County (women), Christian County (women), Lyon County (men), Bowling Green (men), Evangel Christian (men), and Todd County Central (men).
There are 14 total games across the five days of competition.
Here’s the full schedule:
Tuesday
8:30 p.m. – Prolific Prep (FL) vs. Florida Coastal Prep (FL)
Thursday
5:30 p.m. – Hopkinsville (KY) vs. Caldwell County (KY) Women
7:00 p.m. – Christian County (KY) vs. Portland (TN) Women
8:30 p.m. – Winston Salem Christian (NC) vs. Prolific Prep (FL)
Friday
5:30 p.m. – Huntington Expression Prep (WV) vs. Winston Salem Christian (NC)
7:00 p.m. – Pope John Paul II (TN) vs. Ridley College (ON, CAN)
8:30 p.m. – Lyon County (KY) vs. Florida Coastal Prep (FL)
Saturday
12:00 p.m. – Florida Coastal Prep (FL) vs. Bowling Green (KY)
1:45 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Huntington Expression Prep (WV)
3:30 p.m. – Christian County (KY) vs. Evangel Christian (KY)
5:30 p.m. – Academy of Central Florida (FL) vs. DNA Prep (CA)
7:30 p.m. – Hopkinsville (KY) vs. Todd County Central (KY)
Sunday
11:00 a.m. – Ridley College (ON, CAN) vs. Academy of Central Florida (FL)
12:45 p.m. – DNA Prep (CA) vs. Hamilton heights (TN)
* * *
Since 2014, more than 3,000 Grind Session alumni have gone on to succeed at the collegiate and professional levels, with approximately 100 NBA players and more than 20 first-round NBA draft picks emerging from its ranks. That list includes recent NBA champions Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Admission is $15 a day, and kids age 6 and under are free.
