2021’s Best: Top Point Guards
With the 2019-20 high school hoops season in the books, and the updated class of 2021 rankings set to drop any day now, there’s no better time to take a look at some of the top junior prospects by position.…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2019-20 high school hoops season in the books, and the updated class of 2021 rankings set to drop any day now, there’s no better time to take a look at some of the top junior prospects by position. Here are some of the guys I trust the most with the ball in their hands and the game on the line.
Brenton Knapper Brenton Knapper 6'0" | PG Colony | 2021 State #136 Nation CA-S , Colony – The 6-footer is as explosive of an athlete – with both speed and leaping ability – as you’ll find anywhere in the country. What separates Knapper from other athletic point guards is that he plays with good pace and a measured poise to his game, qualities that lend to him being on this list. Knapper showed the ability to control the game on both sides of the floor, and while the Santa Clara-commit battled some injuries during the season, when comparing his time on the court to his time off of it, it was very clear how important he was to his team’s success.
[player_tooltip player_id="747079" first="Chris" last="Howell"] averaged 10.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the Falcons during his junior season.Chris Howell Chris Howell 6'6" | PG Torrey Pines | 2021 State #205 Nation CA-S , Torrey Pines – Howell remains the best pure passer in SoCal’s 2021 class by a long-shot. At 6-feet-7, Howell uses his size to survey over the defense and his basketball IQ and vision to make the right decision at the right time. Howell stepped it up on the defensive end this season, as well, proving that his anticipation skills aren’t limited to when the ball is in his hands. If there’s one guy who can control the pace of a high school game for 32 minutes, it’s Howell.
Houston Mallette Houston Mallette 6'4" | PG Pacifica Christian | 2021 State #201 Nation CA-S , Pacifica Christian/OC – Mallette not only led his team when it came to handling the ball and making the right decisions, he also made an impact when it came to vocal and emotional leadership. The 6-foot-4 signal caller is a reliable ball handler who can hit the three-point and mid-range jump shots with consistency. Mallette showed improved feel and vision when executing off of dribble hand-offs and high ball screens. With his size, shot-making and playmaking abilities, Mallette will have plenty of college options.
Lamaj Lewis Lamaj Lewis 6'4" | PG St. John Bosco | 2021 State #236 Nation CA-S , St. John Bosco – What I liked most from Lewis this season is the way he picked his spots and got teammates involved. There were times as a sophomore where the 6-foot-4 junior would force or hunt shots if he hadn’t gotten a look for three of four possessions, but this season he advanced the ball in transition, played with good pace out of high ball-screen action and distributed the ball to teammates in a timely and accurate fashion.
Wayne McKinney Wayne McKinney 5'10" | PG Coronado | 2021 State CA-S , Coronado – McKinney’s first season down in SoCal was a memorable one after he transferred to Coronado from Lake Oswego in Oregon. The physical 5-10 point guard dropped an impressive 28.4 points per game on the season, while adding 7.7 rebounds and just under four assists to lead the Islanders to the CIF San Diego Section Division III championship game where they fell to San Ysidro. McKinney is the epitome of an electric playmaker and scorer who is difficult to cover in both transition and half-court settings.