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2026 College Basketball Prospect Makes History With Steph Curry Brand

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dean Koutouratsas | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 5:44 PM ET

2026 prospect and point guard Jacob Zhu made history by becoming the first Chinese player and high school athlete to sign a contract with the Curry Brand.

Zhu, 5-foot-10, plays for Devyne Stephens Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia, and has Division 1 offers from UCF and Mercer. He competed in the ELITE60 Freshman Showcase on Sept. 24, 2022, and impressed many by making shots from 25 feet, according to his Next Generation Spots player profile.

He reinforced his powerful play the following year at the showcase in Sept. 2023.

As a freshman, Zhu was regarded as a very good player because he has a tight grip on the basketball and tends to rarely give up turnovers against bigger defenders. He is also known for being an excellent mid-range shooter and acrobatic finisher.

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Zhu is widely regarded as an underrated prospect because he hasn’t received as much attention or offers as other talented players. Due to his short size, he drew comparisons to NBA All-Star guards such as Trae Young and Steph Curry because he prefers to score from beyond the arc rather than at the basket.

Furthermore, he has been regarded as one of the country’s elite guards due to his ability to make shots at will, per Zhu’s player profile.

Meanwhile, the Curry Brand also signed San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox and South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball guard MiLaysia Fulwiley. The brand has also brought in Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell since launching in Dec. 2020.

Now that Zhu has agreed to sign with the Under Armour brand, this could lead to more Chinese high school athletes receiving endorsements.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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