Chandler High School (4-1) is off to an excellent start this high school season, after a strong runner-up finish in this year's Fear The Hop pre-season basketball tournament last week. Chandler is set to have a big season behind the strong leadership of Head Coach Jon Rother and his experienced coaching staff, which also includes former professional player Will Shaw. Chandler will be led all season long by the overall versatile play of 6-foot-5 do-it-all junior Brandon Stapleton. Stapleton emerged for our staff in this year's Arizona Preps Fall Showcase as nice prospect, and after his performance in last week's Fear The Hop, Stapleton has now emerged as one of the top overall prospects in Arizona's 2026 Class.
Stapleton is a rare prospect that once you see him perform, you want to see him again. He does so much as a player and with such versatility and finesse, that he makes the game look easy. He can score at all (3) levels on the floor, and does it in a manner where he allows the game to come to him. He is a very unselfish performer that surveys the floor first, before ultimately making a play for his team. He does not waist any movement, and is very efficient in the manner in which he scores. A left hander, Stapleton can score around the basket over smaller and bigger defenders. He likes to post of from mid-range or catch the ball from longer ranges, turn and face his defender and then make a play, which he can do as a shooter with range, or off the dribble where he can score on strong drives to the basket. He is an excellent facilitator that also makes players around him better, as he is a very willing passer that enjoys making an assist to his teammates. Stapleton is very skilled as a left hander, and is a very good ball handler in the open floor. He pushes the ball up the court to the open man, and is a good playmaker in the open floor. He can play multiple positions on the court, and is very valuable to any team he plays for, because he is capable of doing so much for a team.
Coach Jon Rother and his staff absolutely love Stapleton as a young man and as a player, and marvel about his extreme work ethic and commitment to the game. This is a student-athlete that I am pulling for myself, as he is a fine young man that I enjoyed speaking to briefly after his performance in this year's Fear The Hop. Stapleton is a soft-spoken young man with a nice personality that seems easy to talk to, an excellent quality for him as he continues to mature as a young man and as a top-rated student-athlete.
Stapleton is now considered by our staff as one of the top prospects in Arizona's 2026 Class. While the class is absolutely loaded with talent, Stapleton has proven that he is among the better talents in the group. His college recruitment should now begin to take shape throughout his junior season, as college programs begin to hear about him as a player, and eventually get to see him play. It will be very interesting to see what level of college programs begin to express interest in him.
Stapleton played last spring and summer for the very successful Arizona Gremlins club program, and had an excellent showing this spring and summer. I caught my first glimpse of Stapleton with the Gremlins more than a year ago, and have been very impressed with his play and development as a player. He has now arrived and emerged at a new level, where now the state of Arizona can marvel at his overall talent and ability to play the game.
Chandler has a very difficult schedule this season, so the team will need all of Stapleton this season, as well as strong performances from many of their other players, to win some big games this high school season. Regardless of what happens, Stapleton and his Chandler team have proven that they are tough and will give every team this season all they can handle.
