Former Gems & Pros — Hidden Gems Basketball

NBA / WNBA

Former Hidden Gems AAU, Academy and semi-pro players who reached the NBA and WNBA.

NBA

Malaki Branham → San Antonio Spurs (Hidden Gems MS AAU)
Taevion Kinsey → Utah Jazz (Hidden Gems 17u AAU)
Rick Minard → Sacramento Kings (Worthington Summer League)
Josh Bostic → Detroit Pistons (Training & Worthington Summer Lg)
Phillip Alston → Milwaukee Bucks (Hidden Gems MS AAU)
Sean Finn → New Orleans Hornets (HG Worthington Summer Lg)

WNBA

Asia Taylor → Minnesota Lynx (Hidden Gems Academy Training)
Debbie Merrill → Connecticut Sun (WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems)
Brandie Hoskins → Seattle Storm (WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems)

D-League / G-League / CBA

Former AAU, semi-pro and training players who played in the D-League, G League and CBA.

D-League

Ed McCants

G-League

Jamel Morris
Remon Nelson
Nick Muszynski
Onno Steger

CBA

Isaac Ike Jefferson
Marwan Gaines
Dubrey Black
Mike Brownlee
Tihon Johnson
Kenny Langhorne
DeAndre Walker

NFL

Multi-sport athletes who came through the program and signed NFL contracts.

NFL

Jake Butt — NFL Denver Broncos
Terah Edwards — NFL San Diego Chargers

College Placement — Boys

Nick Muszynski → Belmont (St Charles)
Matt Weir → Air Force (New Concord John Glenn)
Chris Darrington → D1 Offers (Vincennes JC)
JT Shumate → D1 Offers (Newark)
CJ Penha → Canterbury Rams (New Zealand) (Boston College)
Devon Price → St Josephs (Pickerington North)

D2 / NAIA / Other

Oliver McGlade → Seton Hill (Upper Arlington)
Carter Smith → Stonehill (Upper Arlington)
Wesley Williams → Eurobasket Portugal Tour (Clayton State)
Trey Baumgarner → Basquet Costa Sud (Argentina) (Malone)
Cameron Brooks-Harris → BC Mess (Luxembourg) (Georgetown College (NAIA))
Logan Swackhammer → Flagler (Chillicothe Unioto)

College Placement — Girls

Berry Wallace → Illinois (Pickerington Central)
Katherine Weakley → D1 Offer (Worthington Christian)
Dani Grim → D1 Offer (Watterson)
Ceylone Brooks-Reighard → D1 Offer (Upper Arlington)
Maliyah Lofton → Mercer (Harvest Prep)
Carmyn Woods → D1 Offer (Harvest Prep)
Chloe Peloquin → D1 Offer (Johnstown)

Chloe Callahan → D2 Offers (Hilliard Bradley)
Carly Callahan → D2 Offers (Hilliard Bradley)
Chloe Peloquin → D2 Offer (Johnstown)

NAIA / Other

Justice Steinman-Ross → D2 Offer (Marion Harding)
Jenna Tripp → NAIA (New Hope)
Keyani Jackson → NCAA D2 Offers (PSA/Marion Harding)
Kamarice Jackson
Leila Carter → NAIA Webber Intl (Columbus Intl)
Caniya Woods → NAIA Offer (Whetstone)
Tatyana Bailey → Saint Mary of the Woods (Groveport)

Former Gems

High-level alumni whose Hidden Gems journey continued into college, professional basketball and coaching.

Guard / Coach

Josh Bostic

Former Gem

A national champion and national player of the year who built a professional playing career before moving into NBA coaching.

High School: Westland
College: Findlay

Career Path

Two-time NCAA Division II First Team All-American at Findlay.
Won the NCAA Division II National Championship and National Player of the Year honors.
Played professionally in Japan and the NBA Development League.
Advanced to NBA coaching roles with the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.

Current: Assistant Coach — Houston Rockets.

Highlight film

Guard / Head Coach

Ed McCants

Former Gem

An Ohio Player of the Year and NCAA Division I All-American whose career reached the Sweet 16, the professional ranks and coaching.

High School: Marion Catholic
College: Northwestern / Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Career Path

Earned Ohio Player of the Year honors at Marion Catholic.
Played at Northwestern before starring at Wisconsin–Milwaukee as an NCAA Division I All-American.
Reached the NCAA Sweet 16 and played professionally in Hungary, Bulgaria and Uruguay.
Played in the NBA Development League and later became Marion Harding's varsity head coach.
Currently the head coach of Marion Harding Girls.

Current: Head Coach — Marion Harding Girls.

Highlight film

Guard / College Coach

Devon Price

Former Gem

A Hidden Gems placement success who turned his playing experience into a rising NCAA coaching career.

High School: Pickerington North
College: Saint Joseph's / Rio Grande

Career Path

Played college basketball at Saint Joseph's and Rio Grande.
Coached at Denison University and Bluffton University.
Joined Brown University as Director of Operations before earning a promotion to assistant coach.
Currently an assistant coach at Holy Cross (NCAA Division I).

Current: Assistant Coach — Holy Cross men's basketball (D1).

Highlight film

Professional Guard / Head Coach

Isaac “Ike” Jefferson

Former Gem

A former Hidden Gems professional placement player who continued his career in the American minor-league ranks and now leads a high school program.

Career Path

Played in the Continental Basketball Association.
Played for the UBA Ohio Hidden Gems during the 2012–13 season.
Currently the head coach at West HS.

Current: Head Coach — West HS.

Highlight film

Professional Guard / Head Coach

Tihon Johnson

Former Gem

A Hidden Gems professional connection who competed in multiple domestic leagues and overseas before returning to lead a Columbus high school program.

Career Path

Played in the International Basketball League.
Continued his career in the Continental Basketball Association.
Played professionally in Germany.
Currently the head coach at Northland HS in Columbus, Ohio.

Current: Head Coach — Northland HS (Columbus, OH).

Highlight film

Guard

Brandie Hoskins

Former Gem

A Columbus Hidden Gems standout whose career included opportunities in the WNBA and professional basketball overseas.

College: Ohio State

Career Path

Played for the WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems.
Earned WNBA opportunities with the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm.
Continued her professional career overseas.

Current: WNBA alumna.

Highlight film

Forward

Debbie Merrill

Former Gem

A WNBA-level player who later represented the Columbus Hidden Gems in the women's professional program.

College: Ohio State / Cincinnati

Career Path

Reached the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun.
Played for the WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems in 2009 and 2012.

Current: WNBA and Columbus Hidden Gems alumna.

Highlight film

Guard / Head Coach

Tapre Young

Former Gem

A player whose Hidden Gems path included a college placement, four seasons with the Columbus program and a rise into a collegiate head coaching role.

High School: Dublin Scioto
College: Muskingum / Salem International

Career Path

Placed at NCAA Division II Salem International after playing at Muskingum.
Played for the WBCBL Columbus Hidden Gems from 2009–12.
Moved into college coaching, including assistant coaching roles at Talladega and the junior-college level.
Currently the head coach of Saint Mary of the Woods Women's Basketball (NAIA).

Current: Head Coach — Saint Mary of the Woods Women's Basketball (NAIA).

Highlight film

Guard / College Coach

Julian Henderson

Former Gem

A former Hidden Gems AAU player whose journey through college basketball and high school coaching led to the college coaching ranks.

College: Mount Vernon Nazarene

Career Path

Played for Hidden Gems AAU during high school.
Played college basketball at Mount Vernon Nazarene University before continuing his playing career elsewhere.
Coached at the high school level after his playing career.
Moved into college coaching as an assistant at Northwestern Ohio (NAIA).

Current: Assistant Coach — Northwestern Ohio (NAIA).

Highlight film

Former Gems, Current Stars

Hidden Gems alumni currently making their mark in college basketball, professional organizations and the next level of the game.

Professional Guard

Malaki Branham

Current Star

A former Hidden Gems AAU product who became a one-and-done Big Ten standout and a first-round NBA Draft pick.

High School: Hidden Gems MS AAU
College: Ohio State

Career Path

Developed through the Hidden Gems AAU program before starring at St. Vincent–St. Mary.
Played one season at Ohio State and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
Selected 20th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.

Current: NBA Guard — San Antonio Spurs.

Highlight film

Professional Guard

Taevion Kinsey

Current Star

A former Hidden Gems 17U player who developed into an NCAA Division I standout and reached the NBA pathway.

High School: Eastmoor
College: Marshall

Career Path

Earned NCAA Division I opportunities after Eastmoor.
Starred at Marshall.
Reached the Utah Jazz organization after college.

Highlight film

Professional Forward

Phillip Alston

Current Star

A former Hidden Gems middle-school player who rose from NCAA Division II to Division I and the NBA pathway.

College: California (PA) / Loyola Chicago

Career Path

Developed at California (PA) at the NCAA Division II level.
Advanced to Loyola Chicago.
Reached the Milwaukee Bucks organization.

Highlight film

Forward

Onno Steger

Current Star

A hard-nosed wing who became a four-year Division I contributor and continued his career across international leagues and the NBA G League.

High School: Upper Arlington
College: Western Carolina

Career Path

Played 122 games at Western Carolina.
Competed professionally in Colombia, Portugal, Romania and Uruguay.
Reached the NBA G League with the Wisconsin Herd.

Highlight film

Professional Forward

JT Shumate

Current Star

A former Hidden Gems player who starred at Toledo, earned a Los Angeles Lakers pre-draft workout and built a professional career in Europe.

High School: Newark
College: Toledo

Career Path

Earned NCAA Division I opportunities after Newark and starred at the University of Toledo.
Participated in a Los Angeles Lakers pre-draft workout.
Turned professional in Europe, playing in the Czech Republic, France and Romania.
Competed with ERA Basketball Nymburk, Bourg-en-Bresse and in the Basketball Champions League / EuroCup.

Current: Professional forward — overseas markets.

Highlight film

Professional Forward

CJ Penha

Current Star

A Hidden Gems alumnus who climbed from the NAIA level to NCAA Division I basketball and has since built an international professional career.

High School: Harvest Prep
College: Taylor / Boston College

Career Path

Played at Taylor after Harvest Prep.
Advanced from the D2/NAIA pathway to Boston College.
Reached NCAA Division I basketball through continued development.
Turned pro internationally, with stops including Norrkoping Dolphins (FIBA Europe Cup) and Esporte Clube Pinheiros in Brazil's NBB.
Signed with the Canterbury Rams in New Zealand's Sal's NBL for the 2025 season.

Current: Professional forward — Canterbury Rams (New Zealand Sal's NBL).

Highlight film

Professional Forward

Wesley Williams

Current Star

A Hidden Gems and Academy alumnus who earned an NCAA Division II opportunity at Saint Leo and later competed on an overseas professional exposure tour.

High School: Columbus South
College: Saint Leo / Clayton State

Career Path

Developed through the Hidden Gems Academy and AAU pathway.
Earned placement at Saint Leo and later competed at Clayton State.
Competed on the 2025 Eurobasket Men's Portugal Tour, facing top-division Portuguese clubs.

Current: Professional forward — pursuing overseas opportunities.

Highlight film

Professional Forward

Cameron Brooks-Harris

Current Star

A Hidden Gems player whose development and exposure produced an NCAA Division II opportunity and has since advanced to professional basketball overseas.

High School: Zanesville
College: Barton CC / Georgetown College (NAIA)

Career Path

Represented Zanesville in high school.
Earned an NCAA Division II offer through the college-placement pathway.
Attended Barton Community College before graduating from Georgetown College (NAIA).
Signed with BC Mess in Luxembourg's Nationale 2 for the 2024-25 season as a rookie professional.

Current: Professional forward — BC Mess (Luxembourg Nationale 2).

Highlight film

Professional Guard

Trey Baumgarner

Current Star

A Hidden Gems alumnus who advanced from Africentric to NCAA Division II basketball and signed his first professional contract overseas.

High School: Africentric
College: Shawnee State / Malone

Career Path

Played at Africentric.
Earned placement at Ashland University before continuing at Shawnee State and Malone.
Named 2025 G-MAC All-Tournament Team and NCCAA Athlete of the Week at Malone.
Signed a professional contract with Basquet Costa Sud in Tres Arroyos, Argentina.

Current: Professional guard — Basquet Costa Sud (Argentina).

Highlight film

Professional Forward

Asia Taylor

Current Star

A Hidden Gems Academy trainee who became an All-Big East standout, NCAA finalist and WNBA player.

High School: Whetstone
College: Louisville

Career Path

Earned high school All-American honors at Whetstone.
Reached the NCAA Final Four and National Championship Game with Louisville.
Played overseas and in the WNBA with the Minnesota Lynx.

Current: WNBA alumna and international professional.

Highlight film

College Forward

Berry Wallace

Current Star

A four-star ESPN HoopGurlz prospect from Pickerington Central who committed to the Illinois Fighting Illini and quickly became a productive Big Ten scorer.

High School: Pickerington Central
College: Illinois

Career Path

Ranked a four-star prospect by ESPN HoopGurlz (scout grade 96) out of Pickerington Central.
Committed to Illinois women's basketball.
At Illinois: #23 forward, 6'1" — averaged 18.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.8 APG and 0.7 SPG as a sophomore across 34 games.

Current: Illinois Fighting Illini (NCAA Division I).

Highlight film

College Guard

Maliyah Lofton

Current Star

A Hidden Gems player from Harvest Prep who earned an NCAA Division I opportunity at Mercer.

High School: Harvest Prep
College: Mercer

Career Path

Represented Harvest Prep.
Earned an NCAA Division I offer through her development and performance.
Committed to Mercer University.

Current: Mercer University (NCAA Division I).

Highlight film

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