St. Paul Johnson MLK Classic Standouts!

With countless MLK events throughout the country to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, the Land of 10,000 Lakes didn’t have much to offer, but there was one that stood out: The St. Paul Johnson MLK Classic. Held in conjunction with the Minnesota Black Basketball Coaches Association, the Johnson MLK Classic brought the best collection of talent of any event that Minnesota offered, headlined by a loaded matchup of No.1 Totino-Grace against No. 2 Richfield in the state’s AAA division, which brought the Twin Cities out on a snowy Monday to check out some outstanding hoops in Dr. King’s honor.

While TG and Richfield stole the show, the event also offered a number of other interesting prospects. Here are six players who helped themselves with their performance at the St. Paul Johnson MLK Classic:

St. Paul Johnson MLK Classic: Top Performers

Dothan Ijadimbola, 6’6, SF, Totino-Grace HS (Minn.), 2026

Photo Credit: ThatAsianpete

Maintaining his place on the radar since entering high school, Dothan Ijadimbola has shown constant improvement throughout his tenure at TG and put that on full display at the Johnson MLK Classic. The power wing was near unstoppable once he drove downhill with his right hand, sought out contact every time that he got to the paint, and was able to defend virtually every position on the hardwood.

Owning high-major offers early in his career, Ijadimbola opted to go the mid-major route at Drake, where he has a chance to play from the second he sets foot on campus.

Tian Chatman, 6’3, PG/SG, Totino-Grace (Minn.), 2026

One of the better unsigned seniors left on the board in Minnesota, Tian Chatman, has all of the tangibles that D-1 programs look for out of a combo guard prospect. Capable of playing either guard spot, Tian showed his ability to break you down off the bounce, is a creative finisher at the rack, and has vastly underrated court vision.

The younger brother of Ohio State guard Taison Chatman has all of the tools to eventually wind up as a D-1 guard in his own right.

Kellen Troup, 6’7, SF/PF, Minnehaha Academy (Minn.), 2027

One of the fastest-rising juniors in the state of Minnesota, Kellen Troup, showed his massive upside for Minnehaha at the St. Paul Johnson MLK Classic. The constantly improving forward is an explosive athlete who plays above the rim on both ends, is a reliable 3–point shooter, and can beat you with straight-line drives.

A big-time soccer prospect, Troup is going to have to ultimately choose which sport to pursue, as he has D-1 talent in multiple sports.

Carter Cupito, 5’11, PG, Minnehaha Academy (Minn.), 2030

When watching Carter Cupito, you often forget that you’re watching an eighth grader. The heady playmaker does an outstanding job of pushing the rock up the floor, has super quick hands defensively, and always has his head on a swivel to find the open man with high-level passes.

An elite football standout, Cupito runs with J-Sizzle on the Adidas circuit, where he is under the tutelage of another Minnehaha two-sport star: Jalen Suggs.

Gideon Horne, 6’5, SG/SF, Richfield HS (Minn.), 2027

While his squad took a loss to top-ranked Totino-Grace, Gideon Horne is continuing his breakout season at Richfield. The powerful wing has an outstanding mid-range jumper, is an elite finisher in traffic, and brings the ability to lock down multiple spots on the defensive end.

Having already spent some time running with Howard Pulley last season on the EYBL, Gideon has made superb progress with his game to prepare him for his final go-around on the AAU circuit.

Jermaine Thomas-Curtis, 6’3, SG, St. Paul Johnson (Minn.), 2026

One of the better players in the St. Paul City League, Jermaine Thomas-Curtis, showed his ability to change the game with his athleticism at the St. Paul Johnson MLK Classic. He is an elite on-ball defender, has super quick hands, and is one of the best finishers in the state in transition.

Jermaine is one of the late-signing-period players who could blow up in the transfer portal in the coming years.