Mazi Mosley discusses unique hoops journey, breakout summer, and more at Elite 24

Mazi Mosley, an 18-year-old, 6-5 guard from the class of 2025, stood out as one of the most compelling long-term prospects at the UA Next Elite 24 practices in Brooklyn. His blend of playmaking creativity, smooth athleticism, length, and two-way tools offer significant room for growth. We caught up with him after Friday night’s scrimmage to dive into his unique basketball journey, breakout summer, the decision to transfer to Montverde Academy, his budding college recruitment, and more!

LH: You’ve had a unique path, could you walk us through your basketball journey?

Mazi: To be honest, I just started playing. I didn't have aspirations to play basketball at all at the start. I started taking basketball seriously around my sophomore year, two years ago. Since then, I've put my head down and worked.

LH: What flipped the switch for you to start wanting to take the game seriously?

Mazi: When I was in middle school and transitioning to high school, we were playing... I went to this middle school/prep school called Core Prep Academy, shoutout to Todd Wilson. He's somebody that believed in me. He saw potential and worked with me.

So we were about to play 5’s one day, and some kids from the program told me I should stick to baseball or football, and from then on, that flipped a switch in my head that I gotta work. That motivated me to really want to play more, and then I just stuck with it and stopped playing other sports (baseball and football).

LH: What has allowed you to take such big strides on the court over the past 12 months?

Mazi: My work ethic. Growing up in LA, there's a lot of distractions. I feel like I've done a good job of staying disciplined, meaning not going out as much, or not going out at all sometimes. I've been spending more time on my craft than other stuff.

LH: Where do you feel your game is right now?

Mazi: I definitely have room to grow, for sure. I'm trying to be a better version of myself every day. I feel like if I get 1% better each day, it'll all pay off in the end.

LH: You've had a strong summer, proving yourself on the UAA Circuit with West Coast Elite, at Pangos, and in USA Basketball trials. Looking back, how's this summer been for you?

Mazi: I just wanna shout out West Coast Elite and Ryan Silver, someone who believed in me and saw potential in me early. He trusted me and put the ball in my hands, and I produced. USA was fun. I'm thankful to have been invited because really, nobody knows who I am—not for long, but nobody really knows who I am. So it was a blessing to experience a dream.

LH: We talked earlier about a "switch being flipped." Did the experience with USA Basketball give you confidence or perhaps motivate you to keep going, and keep improving your game?

Mazi: Yes, it was for sure that. I definitely feel like I could've done better at the camp. For the most part, though, I feel like I played well and left it all out on the floor.

LH: What did it mean to you to receive an invite here to Elite 24?

Mazi: Speechless, really. When I found out I was invited to Elite 24, I was thrilled and thankful.

LH: You've recently announced you'll be transferring to the prestigious Montverde Academy. What went into that decision?

Mazi: It was actually a shock. I was surprised that he [Coach Kevin Boyle] was there [at USAB trials]. I was talking to a few schools. It was really a conversation with my parents and me about transferring or staying home, but we ultimately made the decision to transfer. Boyle was at USA watching Hudson [Greer], and he saw that I was playing well. He approached my family, we sat down and had a talk, and next thing you know, I'm at Montverde now. I'm excited.

LH: 3 words to describe your game?

Mazi: Tough, energetic... and... I'd say smooth.

LH: How about off the court?

Mazi: Energetic—I bring energy no matter what, got to! I'm also pretty chill off the court. I like to have fun. I like to joke around with my teammates like Marcus [Jackson] right here, haha.

LH: What's the next stage of your development? Looking ahead to next spring, next summer, where do you hope to most improve?

Mazi: Being a complete point guard, knowing when to score and when to get my teammates involved, and overall reading the defense.

LH: Recruitment-wise, where are you at right now?

Mazi: I'm open to all schools still. I think I'll narrow down my list around November or December.