Windermere Prep boys basketball coach Brian Hoff had a hunch that he might be seeing something special when Brandon Bass Jr. first walked into the Lakers gymnasium. Bass was a fourth grader ready to bounce the ball on the first day of an Orlando Basketball Academy summer camp.

“I still remember that,” Hoff said last week. “He was one of my first campers. Long arms. Big smile on his face. You could just tell he was full of potential.”

Bass, named after his father — former NBA player Brandon Bass — kept coming and kept growing. All the way to being the Orlando Sentinel Player of the Year for the 2025-26 high school season.

The 6-foot-5 left-handed shooting guard averaged a school-record 26.6 points per game this season. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists and led the Lakers to a 22-7 record and No. 7 ranking in Class 4A — which had five of the top eight teams in the state, according to FHSAA power rankings. The Windermere Prep season ended with a region semifinal loss to state runner-up Villages Charter.

Bass, who committed to FSU in September and signed in November as a four-star college prospect, opened his senior season with 42 points in a 70-68 win against Oviedo. He was a highlight reel the rest of the way, breaking his own single-season school record with 770 points. His 2,573 career points (including 28 as an eighth grader) ranks sixth on the Orlando area all-time scoring list — which is topped by Edgewater legend Darius Washington (2,961) and Winter Park great Austin Rivers (2,956).

Bass also set Windermere Prep records for 3-point shots made (353) and rebounds (680).

“It was incredible to watch Brandon’s development from grade school all the way to what he is now,” Hoff said. “He’s the best (basketball player) to ever come through our school.”

Bass chuckled when asked about his elementary school hoops days.

“I was taller than other kids my age. But I didn’t really start knowing I could really be good in basketball until about eighth grade. I played some baseball when I was in seventh grade. But coach Hoff really wanted me to focus on basketball. I switched to basketball 100%.”

Windermere Prep’s Brandon Bass Jr. commits to new FSU basketball coach

In an era when top prospects often switch schools as they gain notice, Bass stuck with Hoff and the Lakers.

“I just had no reason to leave. No reason at all,” Bass said. “It’s good to have loyalty.”

Bass was born in Houston, where his mom is from. He spent summers in Orlando when his dad played for the Magic for two seasons (2009-11) and moved to Florida and enrolled at Windermere Prep when his father was finishing his pro basketball career in China.

“That’s when my dad started to focus on my development,” Bass said. “I worked pretty much every day with my dad or coach (Hoff).”

It’s not surprising that Brandon wants to follow in his father’s footsteps to play professionally.

“The NBA is my main goal,” he said. And with that in mind he chose FSU as his next step. The Seminoles 36-year-old head coach, Luke Loucks, played at FSU and coached in the NBA. He was an assistant on the Golden State Warriors’ 2017 and 2018 NBA title teams and also was on staff for Sacramento and Phoenix.

“Coach Loucks is coming from an NBA background,” Bass said. “I feel like he can help me get there.”

Hoff, who played for FSU under its longtime coach, Leonard Hamilton, said Bass “fits great” with the Seminoles.

“Luke values shooting and he values competing. Those are two areas that Brandon can do better than anyone,” Hoff said.

Player of the Year

Brandon Brass Jr.

Windermere Prep, 6-5 Sr.

Area scoring leader made 50% of his shot attempts and hit 98 of his 241 tries from beyond the 3-point line (41%). Made 192 of 223 free-throw attempts (86%).

All-Area players

Abimael Belleus

Evans, Jr. 

Averaged 15 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists as top scorer for state runner-up Class 6A team.

Alex Dipaolo

Central Florida Christian Academy, 6-6, Sr. 

17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game for 23-7 final four team. Army prep academy signee.

RJ Ingram

Lake Highland Prep, 6-3, Sr.

12.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game; 45% on 3s. Tenacious defender. Air Force commit.

Asa Kohn

Hagerty, 6-4, Sr.

UNF signee averaged 20.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists. Shot 54% from field, 48% on 3s (62-of-147).

Michael Madeume

Lake Highland Prep, 6-6, Sr.

Columbia commit averaged 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists for No. 3 3A team. Shot 50% on 3s, 67% on 2s.

Johnas Maurice

Lake Howell, 6-1, Soph. 

Seminole County Player of Year averaged 17.4 points, 4.9 assists for 25-6 Class 6A final four team.

James Nowells

Olympia, 6-2, Jr. 

Averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 40% on 3s and big baskets for 7A No. 6 team that finished 17-11.

Henry Robinson Jr.

Pine Ridge, 6-8, Jr. 

The four-star prospect had big numbers (27.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks) with high of 51 points.

Josh Theus

Orlando Christian Prep, Sr.

Tough point guard averaged 13.8 points, 4.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds for fifth-ranked 1A team (21-7).

Donovan Williams

Oak Ridge, 6-3, Sr. 

UCF signee averaged 17.8, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists for 20-10 Class 7A No. 3 team.

Evans goes down vs. Aquinas in 6A boys basketball state final with a big turn

Second team

Shiva Atwell, Lake Highland, Sr.

Isaac Buckley, Lake Howell, Sr.

Whitfield Bynoe, Oak Ridge, Jr.

Wilmer De La Rosa, Pine Ridge, Sr.

Dylan Foster, Edgewater, Sr.

Josiah Gilyard, Dr. Phillips, Soph.

Carter Oden, Oviedo, Jr.

Jordan Mason, Osceola, Sr.

Luke McCrimon, Osceola, Sr.

Isaiah Pina, South Lake, Sr.

Bishop Wenze II, Olympia, Jr.

Honorable mention

Kyle Bailey, University (Orlando), Sr.

Kyle Blair, The First Academy, Jr.

Lucas Boyd, Windermere, Sr.

Ben Bunnell, Windermere, Sr.

Owen Ceynowa, Lake Mary, Sr.

Connor Corris, Windermere Prep, Sr.

Deandre Curate, Mount Dora Christian, Sr.

Ethan Diaz, Lake Howell, Sr.

Dewayne Dixon, Evans, Sr.

Nate Earl, Oak Ridge, Sr.

Kevin Edou, Olympia, Jr.

Dwayne Foreman III, South Lake, Jr.

Julian Fox, Edgewater, Jr.

Eric Glover, Eustis, Sr.

Joshua Hernandez, CFCA, Jr.

Bryce Hoffert, Windermere High, Jr.

Jacari Lofton, Edgewater, Sr.

Eric Nichols, Wekiva, Soph.

Diomar Ortiz, St. Cloud, Sr.

Robert Oskarsson, Lake Highland, Sr.

Mason Pandov, OCP, Sr.

Khori Polarchy, Legacy Charter, Sr.

Kadir Rackley, Evans, Sr.

Will Ryan, Winter Park, Sr.

Max Simmons, The First Academy, Sr.

Jahmar Smith, Oak Ridge, Soph.

Tim Winkler, Oak Ridge, Sr.

Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.