Francisco’s Finest: Class of 2022 Improvements (Wing Forwards)
Francisco’s Finest: Class of 2022 Improvements (Wing Forwards) LONG BEACH, CA—After breaking down the Classes of 2020 and 2021, it is now time to dive into the Class of 2022. Unlike the previous classes where there were can’t miss prospects…
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Continue ReadingFrancisco’s Finest: Class of 2022 Improvements (Wing Forwards)
LONG BEACH, CA—After breaking down the Classes of 2020 and 2021, it is now time to dive into the Class of 2022. Unlike the previous classes where there were can’t miss prospects like Evan Mobley, Ziaire Williams, BJ Boston, Josh Christopher from the Class of 2020 and Peyton Watson from the Class of 2021, the Class of 2022 doesn’t appear to have “that guy” just yet, but they still have plenty of time. Kijani Wright is the most polished prospect thus far, but Amari Bailey, Jeremiah Nyarko and Koat Keat have the most upside in my opinion. Going forward it would not surprise me to see this list change in the coming seasons.
Christian Moore (Brentwood)
6-foot-5, 200 pounds
Moore is a physical wing-type with a high basketball IQ and motorJoel’s take: Moore is a power wing-type with a high basketball IQ. He affects the game in multiple ways due to his feel for the game and motor. Offensively, he is a potent scorer in the mid-range area and he gets a number of putbacks due to his rebounding prowess. To take his game to another level though, he’ll need to work on his quickness (for defending at the next level) and shooting. His shot is solid within 15-feet, but he doesn’t get much lift on his 3-point shot.
Amari Bailey (Sierra Canyon)
6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Joel’s take: Bailey is in the running for best prospect in the class. The multi-positonal player is a consistent jump shot away from being a 5-Star type of recruit. The slick lefty has point guard instincts, is an astute passer, and his bounce in the open court is peerless. However, his jump shot is not fluid and needs to be refined to reach his potential.
Tre White (Ribet Academy)
6-foot-5, 205 pounds
White is a physical specimen who can score inside and out.Joel’s take: White is a burly wing-type who can score inside-and-out. In transition he can take on the contact and score through it at the rim. In the half court set he has a solid triple threat game where he shows a nice 1st step and jab step to get defenses to bite. His 3-point shot looks solid, especially off the bounce. Getting teammates more involved and improving is lateral quickness to defend wings are keys to his development.
RJ Smith (Damien)
6-foot-4, 175 pounds
Joel’s take: The most improved player in this group is probably Smith. As a freshmen he was most productive in the paint as he exhibited natural instincts as a scorer and rebounder. However, during his sophomore campaign he developed a much more consistent jump shot. His ball skills are solid in the open court, but going forward he needs to improve his face-up skills while breaking down the defense. Overall though, his progress has been excellent and his motor is top notch.
Christopher Hammond (Campbell Hall)
6-foot-5, 220 pounds
Joel’s take: Hammond is high motor wing who can score from all three levels. He is a two-footed jumper when attacking the rim, but he does show a nice jump stop to get on balance. He flies around in transition at both ends as finisher and chase-down rim protector. His jump shot looks tight at the elbow as well as from beyond the stripe and he can finish with either hand. Continuing to work on his lateral quickness to defend out on the perimeter and improving his ability to finish off one foot while attacking the basket will improve his stock.