The Under Armour Next Elite 24 showcase wrapped up on Saturday with a competitive game between 24 of the top men’s high school and international basketball players, and nobody came out strong than 2025 Florida four-star recruit Shon Abaev.
Abaev, who attends Calvary Christian Academy, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was seen as a top-40 recruit in the Class of 2025 coming into the weekend, and solidified that status with a 22-point, 10-assist, and seven-rebound performance, while shooting 8-for-19 from the field.
Standing at 6’7”, 185 pounds, Abaev was handling the ball nearly every time he was on the court, commanding the offense as a point-forward, while specifically working well out of the pick and roll, using his leverage to create shot opportunities off the dribble or generating looks for his teammates.
Abaev came out really strong, starting the game with a tough fadeaway jumper on the baseline. A few possessions later, he separated off the dribble to connect on an open three before getting a big slam in open space in transition.
“I’ve been able to shoot since I was younger,” Abaev shared during the weekend. “I was a shooter. I had a feel for the ball since a young age, so I just felt like I had to keep the vertical, keep getting better because that’s something that I had since little. I was always a really good shooter, so I just had to keep on working on and keep getting better.”
The four-star was battling early with 2025 five-star Nate Ament at the forward position, attacking him on the offensive end, while picking up the assignment defensively as well, leading to the competitive nature that stemmed around the whole game.
After fouling Ament on a drive to the basket, Abaev got his get-back, recording a sweet block on a fadeaway after holding his ground in the post, despite the five-star having two inches on him.
Abaev’s strong start wasn’t done yet, as the forward hit a floater and another three off the dribble in response to an Ament three, leading to an extremely productive first half.
In the second half, while the shot cooled a bit, the Florida native looked to get his teammates involved more, commanding the offense well and communicating all around.
He especially connected with forward Marcus Jackson on a pair of alley-oop dunks, attracting multiple defenders in pick-and-roll situations to free up his teammate with a few nice passes.
Towards the end of the game, with both sides beginning to play more hero ball, Abaev did have a few unnecessary shots, lowering his overall efficiency, but it was an “All-Star” type game to be fair.
The strong performance against some tough competition and the near triple-double for Abaev won him MVP honors, capping off a solid weekend for the four-star forward.
Coming into the weekend, the forward revealed to SB Nation that his goal was to prove that he could belong and stick as one of the best players in the country. After Saturday’s performance, it’s safe to say that was the case.
Watching from afar over the three days, one thing that impressed me was not only Abaev’s command on the court, but also off the court as a leader, as he was constantly talking in drills and pushing teammates with confidence.
“I was just a born leader. I always wanted to lead people when I was younger my whole life,” Abaev said. “So I just feel like it’s a role that I’d like to take on as a player. Even at the next level, you know, that’s the hardest role to take on because when you win, it goes to the team and you lose, it goes on you. So I’m willing to take full responsibility with that. So I’m grateful to be able to be a leader and push everybody else around to do better.”
With the UA Next Elite 24 officially over, it’s time for Abaev to focus on his senior season with official visits coming up.
The Top-40 prospect has a list of officials set, as he’ll be headed to Maryland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Syracuse, Auburn, and USC.
Now, it’s time to find the right fit for his future, with his unique point-forward skills standing out at the high school level.
