Texans at Prep School: There is No Place Like Home
Texas has established itself as a supreme hotbed for talent. College coaches across the country of all levels flock to the Lone Star State in search of gifted prospects that can potentially help their teams compete for conference championships. However, what confuses me is the amount of talent that decides to leave the state to compete and play a national schedule. Yes, it does make the transition to college basketball easier, but it may not always be the best move for the prospect. Some tend to do well playing for a national powerhouse prep school on the national stage, but most tend to stay quiet gaining the same exposure they could have earned playing at home. In this article, we are going to take a look at the Texas talent who has left the state to play a national schedule. We also will reveal where they would have been ranked if they still competed here.
Bryce Cook Bryce Cook 5'7" | PG Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) | 2019 TX / 5’7″ / PG / Sunrise Christian (KS) / 2019
Bryce was arguably the most exciting player to watch when he attended South Grand Prairie. Opposing guards wanted to have nothing to do with him because he was too much to handle. The SMU commit is coming off a knee injury and is looking to be back in action by the start of the season. If Bryce still attended South Grand Prairie, he would have been slotted at the number 10 spot.
Zachary Clamence / 6’9″ / PF / Findlay Prep (NV) / 2021
The TAPPS second team all-state selection made a name for himself with Antonian and his summer team the Next Level Raiders as a freshman. This year the 210 native decided to transfer and play at national powerhouse Findlay Prep. The Pilots are getting a big who can space the floor with his touch from behind the arc, block shots, and switch on to a guard off a screen and guard on the ball. Clamence would have been listed at number 9 in the 2021 rankings.
Cade Cunningham / 6’7″ / SF / Montverde Academy / 2020
Cade Cunningham is one of the best basketball players in the country and he decided to go attend one of the best basketball prep schools in the country in Montverde Academy. He turned heads during this past summer playing the point guard position on Nike EYBL Drive Nation 16s. The five-star forward can consistently make the right decisions with the rock in his hands. He would have been ranked as the third best player in the state if he still hooped at Arlington Bowie.
Grant Sherfield / 6’2″ / SG / Sunrise Christian (KS) / 2019
He once was a former five-star who was ranked as high as 19th in the country at the start of his sophomore season. His stock has steadily dropped since then but he still is an elite four-star combo guard who is a terrific scorer. Look for Grant to prove to the national scouts that he is still one of the best guards in the country after not being allowed to play by the NCAA during the July Live Period. The UCLA commit would be ranked 12th in the 2019 state rankings.
Quinn Slazinski / 6’8″ / PF / Huntington Prep (WV) / 2019
The versatile offensive player won two TAPPS State Championships at Houston Westbury before taking off to Huntington Prep. Quinn is a strong bodied combo-forward who can hit shots from the perimeter, rebound, and handle the ball in the open floor. The newly Louisville commit would be entered at 18 in the 2019 rankings.
Jalyn Turner / 6’7″ / SF / Sunrise Christian (KS) / 2019
Jalyn is a wing who is surprisingly without a single Division I offer. The Houston native could definitely help out a division one program. He’s a solid catch and shoot wing who can finish above the rim at times in transition. Jalyn would have been entered as the number 40 player in the state for the 2019 class.
Jordan Turner / 6’8″ / SF / Sunrise Christian (KS) / 2019
The long and lanky wing from Houston’s stock has fell since leaving the state. The Baylor commit was at four-star status when playing in Texas. However, since being at Sunrise Christian, he has became a three-star wing. Turner still provides length defensively and is a streaky shooter from behind the arc. After a decent summer with Team Faith, Turner would have earned the number 17 spot in the 2019 rankings.
Justin Webster / 6’3″ / SG / Hargrave Military (VA) / 2019
The two-time state champion left after spending 12 years at Prestonwood Christian Academy. Webster is a confident spot-up shooter from behind the arc. He has a pretty stroke and is a threat to score from deep. The three-star also has great body control while absorbing contact at the basket. He would have been ranked at the number 22 spot if he spent his senior year as a PCA Lion.
Tre Williams / 6’5″ / SF / Wasatch Academy (UT) / 2019
Tre is another hooper who was previously a top-100 prospect when playing at The Colony. Fast forward to now, Tre is a 3-star prospect looking to make his push back into nationally ranked status during his senior season. Tre is a talented two-way player. He scores off open looks from the perimeter and is an athletic finisher on the break. He would have earned the number 23 spot in the 2019 rankings.