2023 Watchlist: Who is at the Top?
The Prep Hoops SoCal staff has spent the last few weeks digging through notes to find all the standout freshmen performers from the 2019-20 season. While it’s still too early to put together a fair numerical ranking for these young…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops SoCal staff has spent the last few weeks digging through notes to find all the standout freshmen performers from the 2019-20 season. While it’s still too early to put together a fair numerical ranking for these young prospects, we did come up with an 85-player watchlist of guys to keep an eye on over the next three years.
Below is the first installment of who could potentially crack those top five spots if we did decide to publish a true ranking, based on first-year performance and long-term potential.
Bronny James Bronny James 6'2" | PG Sierra Canyon | 2023 State #43 Nation CA-S , Sierra Canyon – James made plenty of headlines prior to enrolling at and playing for Sierra Canyon as a freshman. The son of NBA star LeBron James played a crucial role off the bench for the state’s top-ranked team as a high IQ, table-setting point guard with a natural feel for the game. James, who stood about 6-foot-2 at the end of the season, showed flashes of explosive athleticism scoring acumen, and that, along with his elite bloodlines, make him an obvious player to keep an eye on.
Jazz Gardner Jazz Gardner 7'0" | C Los Altos | 2023 State #85 Nation CA-S , Los Altos – What stood out about Gardner this season was his versatility and skill-set at 6-feet-10. The lanky forward is mobile in transition and half-court settings and has soft touch out to the three-point line off the catch. Gardner also flashed an interior scoring presence, which makes us think he will develop into a true inside-out scoring threat.
Kylan Boswell Kylan Boswell 6'2" | PG AZ Compass Prep | 2023 AZ , Corona Centennial – Boswell’s advanced feel for the game is evident from the very moment he gets the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-2 point guard is very good at balancing when to score and when to distribute and does his most damage offensively when pulling up from three-point range off the bounce. Boswell made the move from Colony to Centennial in the spring, joining forces with another freshman who we will discuss in our next piece.
Mikey Williams, San Ysidro – If this is the first time you’re hearing about Mikey Williams you’ve probably been living under a rock the last two years. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard had one of the more dynamic seasons we’ve seen from a freshman when it comes to scoring the basketball. Williams is an explosive and strong athlete who thrives in transition and can also knock down pull-up jumpers with ease. Williams averaged just under 30 points per game last season, including a 77-point effort in mid-December.
Mike Price Mike Price 6'2" | PG Corona Centennial | 2023 State #162 Nation CA-S , Crespi – Price has been rumored to be leaving Crespi after a stellar freshman campaign, but until a concrete announcement is made we’ll operate here with him as a Celt. Price is another talented point guard prospect in the 2023 class who plays with great pace, vision and tempo. At 6-feet-1, Price understands how to make proper reads out of ball screen action and has a versatile offensive game complete with a crafty finishing package and smooth pull-up jumper.