Historically, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) has served as a launchpad for grinders and under-the-radar prospects, with last year’s alumni including Kobe Sanders, Julian Reese and a long list of diamonds in the rough like Jock Landale, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jimmy Butler, and Derrick White.

Typically, around 10 PIT participants earn invites to the G League Elite Camp in Chicago, just days before the NBA Draft Combine. Strong performances there can propel players onto the main stage, the Combine itself, and into draft conversations. The 2026 edition delivered no shortage of candidates. PIT MVP Melvin Council Jr. headlined a loaded field alongside Tobi Lawal and Ernest Udeh Jr., both of whom leaned on elite physical tools to dominate their matchups. Quadir Copeland and Tre Donaldson further bolstered their stock with the versatile playmaking and defensive grit that translate to the NBA level.

HoopsHype was on the ground all week in Portsmouth, Virginia, at Churchland High School. Here we break down the top performers who boosted their stock in Portsmouth.

Melvin Council Jr. saved his best for last. In the championship game, he was the best player on the floor, a triple threat who scored, rebounded, facilitated and defended with relentless intensity. All week long, he felt like he was impacting every play in some form, throwing lobs, pressuring ball handlers, running in traffic and defending through screen. In one outing, he racked up 10 assists and 3 steals while never letting the other team settle or breathe for a second. A 6-foot-3.75 guard in shoes with a 6-foot-9.5 wingspan, Council's length gives him legitimate two-way upside that translates against bigger competition. The outside shot is still a work in progress, but if it continues to develop, there is a real path to an NBA roster spot. He is the kind of player who makes every teammate better just by being on the floor.

Melvin Council Jr. averaged 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 44.8 FG% and 33.3 3P%

Tobi Lawal was one of the most physically impressive players at PIT. His 40.5-inch vertical, 6-8 frame, and 6-11 wingspan evoke former PIT alum and Cavaliers forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin. The Englishman is an athletic freak who played with real confidence throughout the week. He dunked everything in sight and made his defensive presence felt on the other end, showing the versatility and motor that NBA teams covet in modern forwards. He appeared in standout lists in multiple games across the tournament. His outside shot remains the defining question, as it has been throughout his college career, and there were no significant flashes of it at PIT. But his athleticism, length and two-way activity are tools that do not need a shooting touch attached to be immediately valuable.

Tobi Lawal averaged 11.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.3 steals, and 2.7 blocks on 48.3 FG% and 14.0 3P%

A tall, versatile playmaker with great size and an 8-foot-7.5 standing reach, Copeland showed off his shooting range and kept the offense flowing as a secondary initiator throughout the week. He was relentless at his best, competing on every single possession in a losing effort during Day 4 and refusing to let the game get away without a fight. In another standout performance, he racked up 10 assists as the most determined connector on the floor, showing the passing instincts and feel for the game that someone will eventually reward with a contract. Copeland should translate to a smart, switchable, second-round target who can make a team better. Nobody knows exactly what position he guards (or will play) in the NBA yet, but someone will give him the chance to figure it out.

Quadir Copeland averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 48.0 FG% and 33.3 3P%

Tre Donaldson was one of the most enjoyable and reliable guards to watch all week and remains one of the favorite guards at this year's PIT. He led his team with 15 points and 3 steals in a standout Day 3 performance, competing every second he was on the floor. Donaldson plays with the kind of energy that coaches recognize immediately: he pressures ball handlers, gets downhill in transition, moves the ball with purpose and never forces the issue. His facilitating ability is real, as he is a guard who understands how to run an offense without needing to dominate it. He is a two-way guard in the most genuine sense, the kind who goes both directions and does not shut it down defensively when the offense stalls. If he earns a G League Elite Camp invite and performs at the same level, expect Donaldson to force his way into an NBA Draft Combine.

Tre Donaldson averaged 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals on 45.2 FG% and 14.3 3P%

Ernest Udeh Jr. showed up to Portsmouth with an NBA-ready frame and spent the week reminding everyone why that label actually means something. A rim-running enforcer in the paint, he pulled down nine boards in one game, altered shots all week and made his presence felt every time he checked in. He switched onto fours and fives, flashing the lateral quickness and length to work as a drop-coverage anchor at the next level. He's not a perimeter threat and he doesn't need to be since his value lives on the glass, at the rim and as a defensive deterrent. He delivered in all three areas across his three games in Portsmouth.

Ernest Udeh Jr. averaged 6.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks on 63.6 FG%

Trey Kaufmann-Renn was one of the more complete big men at PIT, a versatile frontcourt presence who impacted the game on both ends. He scored, rebounded and facilitated in his Day 1 performance and never let up from there. His shooting touch and potential ability to stretch the floor give him a modern big projection, and his 51.6 FG% across three games reflects a player who takes smart shots and does not force the issue. He is an odd positional fit for some rosters, a tweener big whose combination of size and skill does not slot cleanly into one mold. But versatile bigs who can contribute across multiple areas always find their way into NBA conversations and Kaufmann-Renn showed enough at PIT to earn further pre-draft looks heading into G League Elite Camp.

Trey Kaufmann-Renn averaged 14.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 51.6 FG% and 20.0 3P%

All week at PIT, he attacked the paint, drew contact and converted at the line with the efficiency of a player who has figured out how to maximize every possession. His motor was relentless, and he consistently took advantage of his size against opposing defenses while keeping his foul trouble in check. The measurement concerns are real, though. His wingspan falls short of what scouts typically want to see projected for a four or five at the NBA level, and his overall movement reads more tweener than true modern stretch big. He was basically playing second center at times in college and there are legitimate questions about how that translates against longer, more athletic competition. But what he lacks in prototype dimensions, he makes up for in productivity and feel. If he lands in the right system with low-usage, quality touches, Reneau can contribute as a microwave energy vig.

Malik Reneau averaged 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 66.7 FG% and 25.0 3P%

Nimari Burnett was quietly one of the most impressive players at PIT, a knockdown shooter who buried three threes in one game, swatted two shots in the same contest and brought consistent energy. His wingspan is a major selling point, and his ability to clean up the glass on both ends while flashing interior finishing gives him a multi-tool skillset that fits right into how modern NBA rosters are built. He showed some shooting range and a real feel for the game off the ball, relocating and doing the right things even when the shots were not falling. NBA teams love players with this profile: long, switchable and versatile enough to slot into any system without disrupting spacing or defensive rotations. If the perimeter shooting translates to the next level, Burnett could develop into a reliable rotation piece on a winning team.

Nimari Burnett averaged 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks on 47.1 FG% and 40.0 3P%

Kylan Boswell did not always have his shot at PIT, but he never stopped orchestrating. A floor general with a wide, compact frame that practically clogs the lane just by existing, Boswell controlled games with his vision and pace even when the jumper was not cooperating. He operated as a reliable facilitator, keeping the offense moving and making the right decisions under pressure throughout the week. His Day 4 performance, where he controlled the entire game from start to finish, was a reminder that impact does not always show up in a box score. The two-way potential is there if the shot tightens up.