The talent pool in Northern Kentucky is always deep.
There’s certainly no shortages of talent as another year of Kentucky high school hoops is knocking at the door. On Thursday, the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association released their top 10 boys basketball players headed into the 2026-27 season.
The list is voted on by coaches, who also control the nomination process.
Beechwood’s Dylan Topmiller sits at the top. The Tigers junior broke onto the scene his sophomore year averaging 20.7 points per game on 50/41/78 shooting splits. College coaches took notice as well as he recently secured his first Division I offer from Eastern Illinois. Plenty of others have taken interest as well.
Covington Catholic’s Braeden Myrick certainly can certainly make his case for the top spot. The Cal State Fullerton commit fit right in during his first season with the Colonels after transferring from Mason County. He averaged 17 points per game and was deadly from long range, knocking down 106 three-pointers at a 45% clip.
Newport’s Amontae Lowe comes in at third. Lowe will be pivotal in an expected big year for Newport with the addition of three transfers. He’s expected to man the point for a talented Wildcats team after coming off a junior year in which he led the Wildcats with 20.1 points per game.
Simon Kenton’s Bray Bilton follows at fourth. The Pioneers senior will once again need to be the Pioneers driving force on the offensive end. He’ll be an 8th Region Player of the Year candidate, coming off a junior season in which he averaged 18.6 points per game.
Fifth is Ryle’s Holden Smith, the Raiders leading scorer from the 9th Region runner-up this past season.
Six through 10 consists of Walton-Verona’s Wyatt Shearer, the Newport duo of Griffin Starks and Jayden Wilkins and then a tie in the ninth spot with Dixie Heights’ Hunter Seng and Highlands’ Amil Wimzie. Wimzie is the youngest on the list, entering his freshman season.
The KHSAA basketball season officially begins October 15 with the first regular season games slated for Nov. 30.
