Young Stars Shine in DeLaSalle vs. John F. Kennedy Showdown

The future is bright for two Minnesota programs with vastly different basketball backgrounds. Historic force DeLaSalle, located in downtown Minneapolis, is one of the state’s perennial powers and is aiming for its fifteenth consecutive MHSAA State Tournament appearance. Bloomington John F. Kennedy, on the other hand, is now coached by former Celtics first-round pick Troy Bell and is undergoing a rebuild.

Photo courtesy of Cody Phan

However, both teams have a lot to look forward to.

DeLaSalle features juniors Jaeden Udean, Kamar Thomas, and Deon Wallace-Johnson, who were all covered in depth throughout our Breakdown Border Battle coverage. Coach Todd Anderson has had no shortage of success in player development. He previously served as the assistant coach to the current Minnesota Gophers assistant coach Dave Thorson at DeLaSalle. It’s evident in his program’s ability to get players better under his leadership.

Bell is starting from scratch, but he is using his NBA pedigree to get players to buy in at Kennedy. The Boston College all-time leading scorer centered his team around a pair of sophomores and also has a duo of eighth graders who see substantial minutes. Bell’s NBA track record has certainly gotten players to buy in, as seen with his squad’s vastly improved record this season.

Here are some of the young prospects who shined in Tuesday night’s DeLaSalle versus Bloomington Kennedy matchup.

Ichima Idoko, 6’8, SF/PF, DeLaSalle HS (Minn.), 2028

The top sophomore in the Land of 10,000 Lakes continues to take his game to new heights, especially as he has learned to embrace a two-way defensive role.

The super long lefty put immense pressure on the rock defending the point guard position, changed the game on both the perimeter and interior with his athleticism, and showcased his feathery touch from the 3-point line.

Judah Mitchell, 6’0, PG, Bloomington Kennedy (Minn.), 2028

One of the superior young isolation scorers in Minnesota, Judah Mitchell, showed that his 22.6 points per game average wasn’t a fluke against a loaded DeLaSalle team that is filled with D-1 prospects. He scored 27 points, including a variety of deep jumpers off the bounce, threes with his feet set, and creative takes at the rack.

The younger brother of St. Thomas-bound scoring playmaker JoJo Mitchell, Judah, looks like he should be following his brother to the D-1 ranks by the time it’s all said and done.

Checking out @DeLaSalleMBB vs Bloomington @JFKEagles game tonight thay is absolutely loaded with talented underclassmen,starting with MN’s #1 ’28 Ichima Idoko. Kennedy, coached by former 1st Rd pick Troy Bell,has outstanding duo of sophs as well as pair of 8th graders playing. pic.twitter.com/BNJ0JxyF5W

— Rodger Bohn (@rodgerbohn) February 18, 2026

Musunguindji Mwenentanda, 6’7, SF/PF, Bloomington Kennedy (Minn.), 2028

A native of Sioux Falls, “Mus” Mwenentanda moved to Minneapolis for his sophomore campaign and is proving that he’s one of the more intriguing players in the state.

The long-armed forward has a feathery touch facing the basket, a near-unblockable release point, and has brought a remarkable level of productivity for a big forward that is just scratching the surface.

The sister of Vanderbilt wing Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda, “Mus,” appears to be following in his sister’s footsteps as a rapidly developing D-1 prospect.

Taaj Whitlock, 6’2, PG, DeLaSalle HS (Minn.), 2028

Earning more playing time (and now a starting role) for DeLaSalle as the season went on, Taaj Whitlock showed he’s next up in the family. The silky smooth point guard is an insanely confident shooter with his feet set, gets the ball off in a hurry, and is a heady decision-maker with the ball in his hands.

The bloodline runs deep, too. Taaj’s father (Sean) played at Minnesota, and brothers (Amir and Nasir) are playing at Navy and Lehigh, respectively.

Jerrell Washington Jr., 6’2, SG, Bloomington Kennedy (Minn.), 2030

While Jerrell Washington Jr. didn’t put up the biggest numbers, you could certainly see the talent that earned him a starting spot on varsity as an eighth grader.

Washington Jr. was able to guard all three perimeter spots, did not back down against older D-1 prospects, and showed poise unlike most middle schoolers. Jerrell is sitting third on Kennedy in scoring at 7.8 points per game and should be a menace once he’s pegged against players his own age.

Omar Ali, 6’9, C, DeLaSalle HS (Minn.), 2027

A player who constantly gets better each time that I see him, Omar Ali is gaining the confidence that you love to see out of a big man of his stature. The wide body plays with a serious motor, is comfortable scoring on the block with his back to the basket, and temporarily broke the rim on a dunk following a drop-off pass.

As Ali continues to improve his agility, he will see even more success on the hardwood.