2022 Rankings Update: Top 25 Breakdown – Forwards/Centers
In the introduction story to our updated class of 2022 rankings, we mentioned the balance we saw – from a positional standpoint – among the top prospects in this class. In this piece we take a closer look at that positional…
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Continue ReadingIn the introduction story to our updated class of 2022 rankings, we mentioned the balance we saw – from a positional standpoint – among the top prospects in this class. In this piece we take a closer look at that positional parity with the seven power forwards and centers in the Top 25.
No. 1 Kijani Wright Kijani Wright 6'8" | PF Sierra Canyon | 2022 State #63 Nation CA-S , Windward – Game-in and game-out, Wright is one of the more productive and dominant bigs in the state on both ends of the floor, which gives him the nod as our top overall prospect in the class. The 6-foot-8 power forward has soft touch around the basket and showed improved touch on his face-up shot on the perimeter. What separates Wright from a lot of prospects is his motor never wavers as he impacts the game on the glass and defensive end as a rim protector.
No. 4 Jeremiah Nyarko Jeremiah Nyarko 6'7" | PF St. John Bosco | 2022 State #209 Nation CA-S , St. John Bosco – Nyarko has immense upside due to his freakish athleticism, high motor and shot blocking ability at 6-feet-8. Nyarko is quick off the floor when contesting shots and snatching rebounds, runs the floor with purpose, and has a soft set of hands that allow him to catch and finish in traffic. Nyarko added another layer to his offensive repertoire with a turn-around jumper that he hits consistently from the 10 to 15-foot range.
St. Anthony forward [player_tooltip player_id="954255" first="Elijah" last="Price"], a 6-8 2022 power forward and No. 13prospect in the class, has advanced feel as a rim protector and rebounder.
No. 6 Shy Odom Shy Odom 6'6" | PF Sierra Canyon | 2022 State #237 Nation CA-S , Sierra Canyon – Odom was the glue guy for the top team in the state. The 6-foot-6 four-man was an absolute monster on the offensive and defensive boards, guarded multiple positions and made his presence felt offensively as a slasher and finisher who didn’t need a ton of dribbles or touches to make an impact.
No. 8 Koat Keat Koat Keat 6'9" | PF Crean Lutheran | 2022 State #100 Nation CA-S , Renaissance Academy – Keat was the surprise/breakout player of the season. The 6-foot-9 forward showed early on that he possessed the ball skills, rebounding ability and fluidity needed to serve in a point-forward role where he could create for himself and teammates. In the half-court setting, Keat used his size, length and long first step to get by his primary defender and into the paint here he finished with a power dunk or soft touch.
No. 13 Elijah Price Elijah Price 6'8" | PF St. Anthony | 2022 State CA-S , St. Anthony – Price was another prospect who didn’t come into the season with a lot of fanfare behind his name, but steadily improved throughout the season and played his best basketball during league play and the postseason. The long, wiry 6-foot-8 power forward proved to be a solid last line of defense if the Saints’ pressure was broken. His timing and verticality made him a high-level shot blocker and contester who deterred and changed shots the rim. Price has some low-post scoring ability, but that’s one part of his game that can still be refined.
No. 18 Jorge Ochoa Jorge Ochoa 6'8" | PF La Mirada | 2022 CA-S , La Mirada – Ochoa is one of the most talented offensive big men in this class. At 6-feet-7, he can create shots for himself in a variety of ways on the perimeter, whether it’s a pull-up 15 to 17-foot jumper or strong drive and finish through contact at the rim. With his ability to power his way into the painted area and draw a crowd of defenders, we’d like to see Ochoa recognize where help-side is coming from and create for teammates.
No. 22 Max Allen Max Allen 6'8" | C CA-S – Allen recently announced that he’s transferring from Heritage Christian, which is why no high school is listed for him here or on our rankings. The 6-foot-8 center is of the throwback variety as he’s comfortable playing with his back to the basket due to his fundamental footwork and soft touch with either hand. Allen also has touch out to the perimeter when facing up with time and space off the catch.