3 high school standouts from Peach Jam that Dan Hurley could target for UConn

The 2024 Nike Peach Jam tournament is in full swing, with high school players doing their best to catch the eye of college coaches and NBA scouts. UConn head coach Dan Hurley continues to attend the event to scout the top talent on display.

Hurley, who led the Huskies to back-to-back NCAA national championships, now aims to go for a three-peat. But he has always been cautious about recruiting. He believes that a player's attitude and character are more important than their talent.

"We don't — in recruiting — bring in the 19th-ranked player in the country who comes into your program and is delusional, selfish," Hurley said on The Old Man and the Three podcast. "When I'm at the AAU games, I'm not playing with my phone. I'm watching the kid, obviously looking for the traits that you could build on."

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Dan Hurley's UConn top three targets from Peach Jam

#1 Meleek Thomas

Meleek Thomas, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, has been on Dan Hurley's radar for quite some time now. He made a trip to Connecticut on June 19. Thomas reacted to Hurley's decision to turn down the Lakers' job and return to Storrs, saying he is now even more committed to UConn.

"He ended up turning it down, which must mean something. That definitely makes UConn more attractive now," Thomas told ESPN. "Being highly recruited by him means they are serious. That's the message I got."

Hurley was in attendance to watch Meleek Thomas' second game of Peach Jam on Sunday.

#2 AJ Dybantsa

AJ Dybantsa attracted a huge crowd during his game at Nike Peach Jam at Riverview Park in North Augusta. The 6-foot-9 Utah Prep forward received 28 offers from schools around the country and several head coaches of those programs were in the crowd to watch Dybantsa during the event.

UConn's Dan Hurley was also in the house. Dybantsa, the No. 1 player in the 2025 class, had a solid display on Day 2 of the tournament, scoring 23 points and grabbing five rebounds for the Oakland Soldiers.

#3 Acaden Lewis

Acaden Lewis, a four-star combo guard, has been in the spotlight following day one of the EYBL Peach Jam. Along with Dan Hurley, Kentucky's Mark Pope, Auburn's Bruce Pearl and Duke's Jon Scheyer were left in awe by his performance.

Lewis cut short his list of offers to eight schools last week. with Hurley's UConn also included in the final eight.

The 6-foot-2 athlete made an unofficial visit to Connecticut in June. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists for Sidwell Friends High and was named the 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year. Lewis could be a valuable asset for Hurley's three-peat campaign.