After a dominant scoring summer on the EYBL circuit, 2026 wing Bryson Howard’s stock is gaining steam. The son of former NBA player Josh Howard dominated the highest level of high school hoops, averaging over 20 points per game for his Pro Skills team. Now, the four-star wing’s interest is at an all time high.
Howard scheduled visits with several high-profile programs, including Duke, Kentucky, UConn, Tennessee and Houston. Kentucky has reportedly made Howard a priority for the 2026 class; he’ll visit Lexington between October 4th and 6th.
It’s easy to understand why a scorer like Howard, who scored 20.7 points on scorching 64.2% true shooting (according to Synergy), attracts the country’s best coaches. Teams couldn’t stop Howard this summer when he found his rhythm; he scored 30 or more points five times in 21 EYBL games.
How does Howard thrive on offense?
Shooting is Howard’s feature skill and his primary tool to carve apart defenses. He shot a sizzling 45.4% on 5.1 3-point attempts per game and converting 48.8% (40-82) of his catch-and-shoot triples. At 6’5 with a reported 7-foot wingspan, Howard easily rises over contests and is challenging to stop when he heats up.
2026 wing bryson howard shot 45.4% from 3 for pro skills this summer and made 48.8% of his catch and shoot threes. he’s a ridiculous off-ball shooting talent with great touch, balance and rmechanics pic.twitter.com/4fsq9VPu6J
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) July 30, 2025
Howard isn’t much of an off-dribble shooter yet, but his excellent movement shooting is a fairly rare trait at his size. He’s comfortable sprinting off screens and moving into his shot from multiple directions and sprints to his spots in early offense, burning defenses that don’t react to his jumper. He led all EYBL 17u players in 3-point efficiency and placed second among all age groups.
Even when defenders ran Howard off the line, he scored effectively inside the arc. He made an excellent 57.2% of his 2-point shots while posting a solid 0.34 free-throw rate. Without nuclear explosiveness, especially vertically, Howard relies on a dynamic handle, great fluidity and touch to score on drives.
bryson howard’s slow step and footwork variance on drives is advanced, great counter to his awesome shooting
there’s a reason he scored over 20 points per game on 64% TS this summer for pro skills pic.twitter.com/27FhOYUU37
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) July 30, 2025
Howard’s spot-up possessions created unstoppable offense, producing 1.203 points per possession (94th percentile) on 59 possessions this past EYBL season. Varying his stride length and tempo helps him evade defenders in the paint to draw fouls and score, fueling a strong 38% half-court rim rate. His finishing against set defenses at the rim (53.3%) isn’t stellar, but adding strength over time should help his slashing improve.
Which school could he pick?
An extreme score-first mentality can sometimes backfire for Howard, exposing some of his passing limitations. Howard logged 1.5 assists per game with a 0.8 assist-to-turnover ratio, though much of that is inflated by transition play. In the half court, Howard tossed out 12 assists in 21 games with a 0.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
While Howard isn’t a prolific offensive playmaker, he excels there on the defensive end. Howard racked up two steals and nearly a block per game, consistently generating turnovers and bread-and-butter transition chances. He’ll occasionally gamble for a block or steal and whiff, but players with his size, wingspan and motor on defense often improve technically as they develop.
A strong senior season for Howard could lead coaches to view him as a future primary scoring option at the college level. Kentucky head coach Mark Pope’s motion offense benefits high feel players, but can also boost the production of a strong off-ball mover (and excellent screener) with Howard’s shooting prowess. His aggressive on and off-ball defense fit with a swarming Houston scheme.
Whether Howard chooses either of those programs or NBA prospect factories like Duke or UConn, his scoring should translate to the college level. His development as a passer and interior scorer could determine his NBA future, but Howard’s size and two-way impact make him one of the nation’s best wing prospects.
