The rise of Michai White has fit the summer’s broader theme: smaller guards making life miserable for defenses.
White, a 6-foot, 175-pound guard from Albany City Rocks and now at Prolific Prep in Florida, has pushed himself firmly into the national conversation as a Class of 2028 five-star. His game is built on pace, touch and pressure, and the offers have piled up accordingly. Auburn, Houston, Florida State, Providence, Virginia, Maryland, Louisville, Indiana, Stanford, Villanova, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Northwestern and several others are already in the mix.
White recently took an official visit to Providence, the same stop that also welcomed his Prolific Prep teammate, 2027 five-star Nasir Anderson. That pairing matters on the floor, too.
White and Anderson give Prolific Prep a backcourt with real juice, especially after the program added Bamba Tourey, a 7-footer in the Class of 2028 with shot-blocking and above-the-rim finishing ability. Prolific Prep also returns Luis Uvwo, who emerged as one of the top defensive players in the country this summer.
White’s summer started with a reputation for accelerating quickly, and he backed it up in EYBL play. He spent the previous season playing two age levels up, and this summer he looked even more comfortable attacking either side of the rim and initiating contact. At the midway point of the summer, the New Jersey native was averaging 21 points and five assists.
The signature performances came in big moments. White scored 15 straight points to help City Rocks beat AB Elite in overtime, toppling country’s top recruit in 2027 Beckham Black along the way.
He also put up 25 points and eight assists in a 91-90 overtime win over Drive Nation. Those kinds of outings helped cement his status as a Top-15 caliber national recruit.
The shooting has become another layer of the package. White has shown he can hit 3-pointers off the catch, in transition and from straight on, and that versatility has only sharpened his value.
Auburn and Louisville appear to be leaning hardest into the recruitment now, with Auburn head coach Steven Pearl and associate head coach Ira Bowman staying consistent in their approach with White and his father. White said the fit with the Tigers stands out.
“I really like the way Auburn plays,” White told ZAGSBLOG.
“They play fast, they really let their guards rock out and give them the freedom to play their game. That was the case with Bruce Pearl ’s teams as well.
They have a tendency of letting their guards play. They are constantly in the tournament, they were in the national championship two years ago.
I like what they have to offer.”
White has also been following the path of Jalen Brunson, whose historic 2026 postseason helped carry the Knicks to an NBA title. That success caught White’s attention as he settled into a more scoring-heavy role at point guard. Villanova reached out soon after, and White has done his homework on Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges during their run under Jay Wright.
“All of those guys played there and had success there,” White said.
“Again, they are another program that develops guards. Acaden Lewis had a great year for them as a freshman this past season.”
In Other News...
Bryce Cain Is Forcing His Way Into Auburns Plans
Bryce Cain has gone from a name on the depth chart to someone Auburns staff is actively trying to get on the field more often. Head coach Alex Golesh said the Tigers plan to keep folding Cain into the game plan after a recent explosive play, and he pointed to the way Cain has handled special teams as part of the reason the coaches are taking a harder look at his role.
For a team still sorting out where its best pieces fit, that kind of production tends to travel. Cain has clearly done enough to earn more opportunities, and Auburn is now working through how to create them in the offense without losing what he already brings on special teams. The next step is less about whether he belongs in the mix and more about how quickly the Tigers can turn that into a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Injury Picture Up Front Just Got A Lot More Interesting
Auburns front was a major concern coming out of the season opener against Baylor, when four trench players went down and left the Tigers waiting on clarity during the early part of the week. Alex Golesh has now provided a much better read on the group, and it points to a healthier rotation heading into the matchup with Southern Mississippi, with the staff getting encouraging signs on both sides of the line.
Cole Skinner and Jacob Strand are expected to be available, and edge rusher Chris Murray is already confirmed healthy, which gives Auburn a stronger baseline up front than it had a few days ago. DaShawn Womack is still working through a lower-body injury and remains day-to-day, though there is at least a chance he could return to practice later in the week, leaving one final question for a unit that suddenly looks far less depleted. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Golesh Sent Auburn Fans An Early Message After Ugly Win
Alex Golesh spent the day after Auburns 17-16 win over Baylor putting the focus on the problems behind it, not the relief of escaping with a victory. The Auburn coach took responsibility for the offensive mistakes, including three interceptions from quarterback Byrum Brown, and said the standard has to be the same for him and the players. In a game that still counted as a win, Golesh made it clear the performance on that side of the ball was not close to where it needs to be.
Golesh pointed to the offenses lack of rhythm as a major issue and stressed that Auburn has to do a better job protecting the quarterback and running the football. It was an early message, but an important one, because ugly wins can hide problems only so long in a season. For Auburn, the concern is not just cleaning up turnovers, but making sure the offense finds something steadier before the next tight game forces the same questions again. [Read more 🡒]