2020 Rankings: Biggest Risers
We’re roughly halfway through the high school basketball season. Here are five prospects in Wisconsin’s 2020 class that made a jump in the latest rankings.
3. Kaleim Taylor (Milwaukee Academy of Science)
This is a beast of a point guard that’s posed beyond his years. Teams can pressure him for 94 feet, get after him and contest every dribble, foul him hard at the rim…it just doesn’t matter.
A tremendous blend of strength and athleticism, Taylor is a steady floor general that controls so many aspects of the game. A high octane scorer, Taylor blows by defenders with ease and has terrific balance at the rim to shield off defenders and convert contested looks.
Because of his explosiveness, Taylor demands respect from defenders, who need to give him a step or two. That’s when Taylor hits them with his 3-point shooting. He’s solid as a spot-up or on the go shooter, particularly in pick n’ roll situations.
UNLV is on the board with an offer. Expect a number of high majors to follow suit during the upcoming travel season.
6. Desmond Polk (New Berlin West)
Upon the first glance during his sophomore season, it was evident that Polk has blow up potential.
A stat sheet stuffer at the point guard spot, Polk is putting up about 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game this season. Polk has had some big scoring performances, hitting the 20-point mark four times, including a 32-point performance just last week. A 6-foot-3 guard that looks like he’ll sprout to around 6-5/6-6 when all is said and done, Polk is already an above the rim prospect.
Defensively is where Polk could do the most damage at the next level. A plus-length defender with terrific anticipation, Polk plays the passing lanes very well. His length allows him to alter shots from the weak-side and pick his man’s pocket for easy buckets going the other way.
Green Bay was the first to offer Polk last summer. He’ll have a chance for high major opportunities going forward.
9. Darius Hannah (Milwaukee Academy of Science)
The ceiling for Hannah is ridiculously high.
An intriguing 6-foot-6, 175-pound forward, Hannah has some exciting versatility and upside. He can stretch the floor from beyond the arc and makes a lot of
forwards uncomfortable with his ability to handle the ball. Hannah can even act as a point forward, comfortable bringing the ball up in transition. Hannah is also a high motor big that cleans up the glass, makes effort plays, and is always looking for momentum changing alley-oops and blocks.
On potential alone, Hannah is worth the time for Division 1 programs across all levels. He’s still waiting for his first offer, but expect a lot of noise regarding his recruitment in the near future.
12. Alex Antetokounmpo (Dominican)
The younger brother of NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex is starting to make a name for himself. The potential isn’t as great, but Antetokounmpo is still a ball of clay that can be molded into something special.
Antetokounmpo is averaging around 14 points and seven rebounds next to Gacoby Jones and Abe Scruggs, two fellow Division 1 prospects. Just scratching the surface of his potential, Antetokounmpo can sometimes wow you with his athletic and/or playmaking ability. There’s a lot of skill work left to be done, but Antetokounmpo has proven to be a mismatch problem with his ability to play and defend just about anywhere on the floor.
Green Bay has offered the 6-foot-7 sophomore. Wisconsin, Iowa, Bradley, Montana State, Tulane, UC-Santa Barbara, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee are also expressing interest.
17. Trey Zastrow (Manitowoc Lutheran)
On the AAU circuit, Zastrow’s minutes are limited. But when he gets a shot, he always seems to deliver.
Getting a chance to let loose this season, Zastrow is putting up 21.7 points per game as a sophomore. The sharpshooting guard has scored 20 or more points in eight of 13 games this season, including three 30-point efforts. Zastrow is putting up eye-popping numbers from beyond the arc, making at least three triples in 12 of those outings.
The best thing we could say about Zastrow during the travel season — he does his job. He’s out there to make shots and more often than not delivers. It’s nice to see him show he can be a priority option when not surrounded by so much talent, shouldering the load this season for Manitowoc Lutheran.