High-Major Talent Transferring Out of Illinois
The land of Lincoln has been a feeder ground for out of state high school and prep schools over the last few years. There haven’t been that many high profile prospects coming in like there used to be either. Here we examine a group of prospects that would be featured prominently in the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 PrepHoopsIllinois Rankings, but have left for other states.
Every prospect profiled would have been a top 10 player in the state in their class and a high-major prospect. Put it this put this way right now we have about 10 high-major players in the state currently over the next three classes. This would double it if these players were in Illinois! Our “Mythical Illinois Ranking” looks at where they would be ranked if all prospects from Illinois were still in-state.
2018
SF Malik Hall
Illinois HS: Metea Valley
Current HS: Sunrise Christian (KS)
Mythical IL 2018 Ranking: #3
Hall is a skilled small forward that started his career off at Metea Valley. The 6’6” small forward showed an uber smooth game early in his career in the Chicago suburbs as he was an effortless scorer. After his sophomore year Hall decided to transfer to Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas and reclassify to 2019. He has played against a high level of competition and his recruitment has rose to where he is getting looks from high-majors from coast to coast including blue blood programs. If he would have opted to play in Illinois he would be heading to college next year at a high-major program and have Metea Valley as a team to watch out for in the suburbs.
SG Landers Nolley
Illinois HS: Curie
Current HS: Langston Hughes (GA)
Mythical IL 2018 Ranking: #5
Nolley only played his sophomore season at Curie, but definitely made an impact as he helped lead Curie to a state championship. The long and lanky 6’6” shooting guard is a plus shooter from beyond the arc. That was his role at Curie and he has continued that the over the last year at his new school and on the Nike EYBL circuit. Nolley is being pursued by multiple high-major schools including a potential return home to Illinois where he recently visited. If Nolley was on Curie they would be an even stronger candidate as a 4A state title contender.
C Trevion Williams
Illinois HS: N/A
Current HS: Henry Ford (MI)
Mythical IL 2018 Ranking: #7
Williams never played high school basketball in Illinois, but he grew up in Chicago and went to grammar school in Illinois. There were rumors that he might move back to Chicago for his senior season. He has played his entire career in Michigan and on the circuit with The Family where he averaged 7.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game this summer in the EYBL. The big bodied post was pursued by a lot of high-major Midwest programs, but ultimately chose to play in the Big 10 at Purdue.
2019
Kahlil Whitney
Illinois HS: Solorio
Current HS: Roselle Catholic (NJ)
Mythical IL 2019 Ranking: #2
Whitney is a big time athlete at the wing position. He made major noise as a freshman at Solorio during his freshman season where he shined for a school that is not known for their hoops. He then decided to transfer to New Jersey prep power Roselle Catholic to be near family out there and play at the competitive east coast power. It has worked out as he came back this spring/summer to show a new aggressiveness and confidence in his game. Whitney is a top 40 prospect nationally and a heavily recruited by Big East and ACC schools. If he would have stayed at Solorio he would have been possibly the most exciting player in Chicago this year.
PG Markese Jacobs
Illinois HS: Uplift
Current HS: Hillcrest Prep (AZ)
Mythical IL 2019 Ranking: #4
Jacobs teamed up with his brother Demarius to form one of the most dynamic backcourts in the state at Uplift for the last two years. Markese is a compact and explosive point guard that broke out on the circuit after his freshman year catching the eye of Kansas and he gave an early commitment to the Jayhawks. Jacobs had a solid year up until the end when it got rocky to close out his sophomore season. His brother decided to go to prep school at Hillcrest in Arizona and Markese is going with him. This takes a major CPS player away from this upcoming season and significantly lowers Uplift’s chances in 2A.
PG Donavan Moore
Illinois HS: Hillsboro
Current HS: West Bloomfield (MI)
Mythical IL 2019 Ranking: #5
Many casual high school basketball fans do not know about Moore, but this 6’3” point guard from Hillsboro is one of the best lead guards in the Midwest in 2019. He has a slick offensive game scoring from multiple levels and gets others involved. The guard broke out last fall at several camps and then missed most of his sophomore season due to an injury. He came back strong in the spring and summer exploding for the Illinois Irish and in our opinion establishing himself as a top 125 national type player. He decided to transfer to Michigan where his grandfather is a legendary coach and he can play a higher level of competition during the high school season. If he stayed at Hillsboro, Moore would have put up stupid numbers this year dominating small school competition.
2020
SG Nimari Burnett
Illinois HS: Morgan Park
Current HS: Prolific Prep (CA)
Mythical IL 2020 Ranking: #3
Burnett was one of the top incoming freshman last season and lived up to the hype in his only year at Morgan Park. He played a complimentary role, but when he was asked to shine he did. That was no more evident in the state title game where he put his team on his back and led them to a state championship without their star Ayo Dosunmu. After the season was over Burnett and his family decided to transfer out west to California where there would be more business opportunities for his family. He will play at Prolific Prep which is a well-known prep power. He already has a handful of D1 offers including a few high-major. Burnett would have made up a three headed monster in the backcourt with Dosunmu and Adam Miller to form the best guard trio in the state if he would have stayed at Morgan Park and you could start carving their name in the 3A trophy.
PF Shon Robinson
Illinois HS: Morgan Park
Current HS: Higley (AZ)
Mythical IL 2020 Ranking: #5
The Mustangs lost another highly ranked sophomore in recent days with the defection of the state’s top power forward Shon Robinson to Arizona. Robinson hardly played at all during his freshman season, but shined in camp settings and flashed ability with the Mac Irvin Fire on the circuit. He is a projectable post with size, skill, and athleticism. Robinson told PHI that he will be transferring to Higley High School in Arizona for his sophomore season. He would have been the second best post on the Mustangs if he stayed next to senior Tamell Pearson. This post has HM upside.
SF Quincy Ademokoya
Illinois HS: Normal West
Current HS: Dacula (GA)
Mythical IL 2020 Ranking: #10
Ademokoya is an under the radar player not a lot of people know about, but this projectable long and lanky wing really impressed us last fall at the NY2LA camp with his athleticism, length, and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. This past year he ran alongside Francis Okoro to form one of the most dynamic duos in Illinois. He played with Meanstreets in the spring flashing his ability. The forward has transferred to Georgia for his sophomore season. Already visited Georgia Tech and is garnering SEC interest. If he would have stayed at Normal West they would have been a power in central Illinois the next two years.
2021
SF Pat Baldwin Jr
Illinois HS: Loyola
Current HS: Sussex Hamilton (WI)
Mythical IL 2021 Ranking: #1
Baldwin is an uber smooth wing with great size and projectability. Feathery jumper that he can drill from all over the floor and the game is just effortless to him! Our only eval of him was at the Pangos Camp last year and as the youngest player at the camp he was clearly the best long term prospect. He was set to go to Loyola and played with them in June. Then his dad got the head coaching job at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and he was off to Wisconsin to play his high school ball. If he stayed at Loyola he would have made major noise as a freshman and created quite a buzz at the school. He is a clear high-major prospect and potential top 10 player nationally.
Some other 2018 names to add to the list that are being looked at by D1 and D2 schools include the following players listed by their Illinois high school and state they are playing in currently.
SG Lacey Watson (Rock Island – Ohio)
SF Alan Griffin (OPRF – New York)
C Skylar Kooyenga (Warren – Connecticut)
C Isa Maguire (Lindbloom – Massachusetts)
SF TJ Smith (Marian Catholic – Kentucky)
PG Brandon Hurt (Marian Catholic – Florida)
PG Antonio Reeves (Kenwood – Arizona)