The NBA Draft took place last week, as young basketball players were drafted by teams across the league to become professionals. And for local high school basketball fans on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, a few of the big names that were selected will be familiar, as they recently starred in Salisbury’s famous Governors Challenge tournament.
The Governors Challenge, a high school basketball tournament in Salisbury that is over 40 years old and has grown to become the country’s largest holiday tournament, invites over 100 high school basketball teams annually from Dec. 26-30 to compete against one another. Some of these teams that participate are among the best high school basketball programs in the country, with top high school basketball prospects on their rosters. And three players who recently played in the Governors Challenge are now in the NBA after being drafted last week.
Governor’s Challenge alums drafted by Pelicans, Thunder, Warriors
Jeremiah Fears, Thomas Sorber and Koby Brea are the three Governors Challenge alums who were selected in this year’s NBA Draft, with Fears and Sorber selected in the first round, and Koby Brea taken in round two.
Fears was the highest Governors Challenge former player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. After a stellar freshman year at the University of Oklahoma, Fears was taken by the New Orleans Pelicans with the No. 7 pick in the draft. Fears played in the Governors Challenge in 2023 for AZ Compass Prep.
Shortly after Fears was taken, Thomas Sorber was drafted by the recently crowned NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 15 pick in the draft. Sorber spent a year playing college basketball at Georgetown, but before that he became apart of Governors Challenge history in 2022. Playing for his high school Archbishop Ryan (PA), Sorber took part in a five-overtime game against Bishop McNamara (MD), the longest game in Governors Challenge history. Now, Sorber continues to be a part of the tournament’s history as one of the latest NBA players to have played in the tournament.
In the second round, Koby Brea was selected by the Golden State Warriors and then traded to the Phoenix Suns. Brea, who played college basketball at the University of Dayton and the University of Kentucky, played in the Governors Challenge with his Monsignor Scanlon (NY) high school team.
These three join Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Nic Claxton and more as active NBA players who have played in the country’s largest holiday tournament. With the 2025 edition of the Governors Challenge just six months away, local high school fans will be given the opportunity of an early glance at what could be a new crop of future NBA players.