A modern big-man who can space the floor and protect the rim, Larson shot nearly 35% from the 3-point line and blocked 1.1 shots per game during his junior year with the Hawks. He has good footwork on his post touches, but adding the range to his game has helped take him up a notch.

When combining skill and production, Cayden Larson Cayden Larson 6'8" | PF/SF Prairie | 2027 State IA was as intriguing of a prospect as I got to see on Friday night. At 6’8”, he was polished offensively with the ability to score in a variety of different ways. Was really good in pick and pop situations where he was able to knock down multiple 3’s. Showed the ability to drive closeouts and finish with a soft touch with either hand around the basket. Not the quickest or most athletic player, but played with a good motor and competed on the defensive end.

Not much went right for the Hawks on Tuesday night, but Larson had some impressive flashes as an interior scorer, floor spacer, and rebounder. At 6-8, he has solid size, length, and mobility, great hands, and good footwork. He can step out and space the floor from the 3-point line, score on post touches, or operate out of the high post as a passer. He finished with 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in the loss.

An unknown prospect to me prior to Saturday’s matchup, I left the Allegiant Energy Powerhouse knowing the name Cayden Larson Cayden Larson 6'8" | PF/SF Prairie | 2027 State IA . A 6-foot-8 forward that does his job and does it well, Larson isn’t a prospect that forces shots nor does anything that he’s not asked to do by the Prairie staff.

A big that will fight for boards, take what’s given to him by opposing defenses and can set a solid screen for ball-handlers, Larson is a big that Prairie can trust to do what is asked of him and go beyond with tough, physical play. His squad’s leading rebounder at six per game, and a big that can step out and shoot it from time-to-time, Larson is a major asset for Prairie in doing the dirty work but also spreading the floor.

Larson may be the player in Prairie’s 2027 class with the highest upside. He’s still pretty raw, but has really good size and a rapidly developing skill set with the ability to score inside and out. He has good footwork and soft touch around the rim, and he can step out and stretch the floor with a smooth release from the 3-point line. As he continues to bulk up, he’ll only continue to become a more intimidating presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

One of the higher ranked players in 2027, Cayden Larson Cayden Larson 6'8" | PF/SF Prairie | 2027 State IA showed why on Saturday in Des Moines. As one of the taller players in attendance at 6’8″, Larson showed ability to create near the basket.

With good footwork and keeping the ball high and away from his defender, Larson scored with some of the best bigs in attendance, using soft touch around the rim. With the ability to step out and shoot it, he helped space the floor for his team, too.