‘A matchup nightmare.’ Kentucky pursuing prospect from one of nation’s top prep programs.

As the game has grown, several high school programs across the country consistently set the standard for girls basketball. From innovative coaching, to consistent state title contention, to endless batches of Division I talent, standing out on one of these rosters often means national attention.

Such is the case with 6-foot-2 forward Amari Byles, the No. 13 prospect in the class of 2026 and a recent Team USA U17 Trials participant, who will enter her junior year at Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex powerhouse DeSoto High School with a slew of Division I offers (including Kentucky) and a handful of high-profile visits under her belt.

Originally from Wisconsin, Byles, who plays AAU ball with Texas-based Girls’ Under Armour Association program SA Finest alongside stars Bella Flemings (No. 11 in 2026) and LA Sneed (No. 26 in 2025) told the Herald-Leader on Saturday after playing in front of Kentucky’s Kenny Brooks and Stanford’s Kate Paye, among others at a GUAA event outside Indianapolis, that suiting up for DeSoto has allowed her a look into the type of hard work necessary to excel on the court.

“It’s definitely made me better,” Byles said. “Especially from the veterans coming from DeSoto, just always watching them and seeing how hard they worked inspired me to do that on the court, and better. And the competition is really good, we have some of the best competition in the country. So I feel like it was good for me in the high school season because not a lot of people get that.”

During her sophomore season with the Eagles, she averaged 16.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.1 steals, 3.1 assists and 2.8 blocks per game. Teammates Rieyan Desouze (No. 27) and Amayah Garcia (No. 51) also rank within the top 60 prospects in the class of 2026.

The Eagles won back-to-back state championships in 2021 and 2022 with former Kentucky women’s basketball center Tionna Herron (now at Missouri), Oregon junior forward Amina Muhammad (formerly at Texas) and LSU redshirt sophomore forward Sa’Myah Smith, each of whom were ranked within the top 70 recruits in the class of 2022. The Eagles were state runners-up four times from 2019 to 2023.

Ray Caldwell, SA Finest founder, program director and head basketball coach, said the preparation gifted by the level of DeSoto’s competition alone has prepared Byles well for the next level.

“That whole DFW Metroplex area,” Caldwell explained. “Every team has defenders that can play at a Division I level. The offensive side may not be there, so you may play a team that no kid is going to school, but at least they’re going to guard and have that toughness. So she’s used to playing against high-caliber defenders.”

And Byles’ offense has benefited greatly, grounded in a confidence that pushes her to power through and maintain a strong base regardless of how she chooses to craft her shot opportunities. Byles’ versatility shines against all types of defenders, many of whom struggle to keep up with her three-level scoring and her sharpened handle — the latter of which, especially, she’s been working on for years with her father, Shae, a former IUPUI forward.

“She’s a matchup nightmare,” Caldwell said. “I just think she can play three positions at the next level. You see how patient she is, I told her she has an old man’s game. She’ll get you to her spots, turn around. With the great size and length, shoot right over top of you. Great touch, great hands. As she continues to add strength, because she’s young for her age, so as she continues to add that, the sky’s the limit. She can shoot the 3. She’s the complete package offensively.”

Combined with her size and length, it’s no wonder why many of the Power Four programs — Cal, Clemson, Georgia, Miami and Mississippi State, to name a few — have come calling. A particularly special milestone happened in early June, when she reported an offer from Stanford via social media, captioning the post, “this was the first school that made me fall in love with the game!”

Byles took a visit to Palo Alto a few weeks later, and said she loved the trip.

“It was a great experience,” Byles said. “I definitely loved it. The coaching staff was great. The campus was beautiful. So yeah, it was a great experience for me.”

She’s also taken visits this summer to Baylor and Florida, and told the Herald-Leader she plans to “take a lot more visits this summer,” including Iowa, Wisconsin and a return trip to LSU. After learning and growing within family-oriented programs SA Finest and DeSoto, Byles said connection and strong academics (Byles is a straight-A student) are key factors in what she wants in a college program.

“A great culture,” Byles said. “Like my AAU team, we’re all cheering each other on, have great energy. I just want to be around great girls. Also academics is a big factor for me. So, definitely those things.”

Byles posted about receiving a Kentucky offer on July 7 after speaking on the phone with Brooks.

“It was a great phone call,” Byles said. “Of course, Coach Brooks is a great coach, so I really appreciated that he took the time to call me. It felt great getting that re-offer because I know he’s gonna do special things with that program. So it was a great phone call.”

After a strong performance with SA Finest in both Louisville and Westfield over the past week — if the consistently crowded NCAA coaches seating sections were any indication — Byles’ star will only continue to rise.

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