2024 Rankings: Players To Watch Outside The Top 25
The 2024 class rankings are officially out. Congratulations to all the prospects that made the list. Continue to work hard! Marcus Allen Marcus Allen 6'4" | SF West Orange | 2021 State FL headlines the list in South Florida at…
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Continue ReadingThe 2024 class rankings are officially out. Congratulations to all the prospects that made the list. Continue to work hard!
Marcus Allen Marcus Allen 6'4" | SF West Orange | 2021 State FL headlines the list in South Florida at No.2 overall.
I would like to dive outside of the top 25 with prospects to watch in South Florida.
Here are my selections…
Ian Smikle Ian Smikle 6'9" | C Suncoast | 2024 State FL – Suncoast (PH. 34)
Smike is part of a young group that includes 2024 Stone Bureau Stone Bureau 6'0" | PG Calvary Christian Academy, Ft. Lauderdale | 2024 State FL and 2023 Nate Sasser for the Chargers. Right off the bat, Smikle has great size at 6-foot-7 for the forward position. You can likely play him at multiple spots (3-5) and see where he best fits at a young age. He might even grow a few more inches on top of it. In nine games, Smikle averaged 6.9 points and seven boards per game on 43 percent shooting from the field. Against Atlantic, he scored 12 points and 11 rebounds. I would like to see more of that production on a consistent basis next season. In particular, an improved shooting percentage. Regardless, Smikle has enough upside to keep on your radar in Palm Beach County. The Chargers as a team should a fun to watch as well.
Dominic Issa Dominic Issa 6'6" | SF Sagemont | 2024 State FL – Sagemont (PH 57)
Issa is a prospect I saw in practice and a handful of games over in Weston this past season. The 6-foot-6 small forward has good athleticism and received adequate playing time on a talented Sagemont team. He should receive more minutes next season with the graduation of a few seniors and the transfer of Rickey Ballard Rickey Ballard 6'6" | CG Westminster | 2022 State FL . Issa can score in the paint and flashed a bit of perimeter shooting. I think his size could make him a quality scorer around the rim. He could be a bright star with the subsequent opportunity.
Tahir Bond Tahir Bond 6'3" | CG Coral Glades | 2024 State FL – Stoneman Douglas (PH 46)
Bond has a good frame at 6-foot-2 for a young combo guard. Any added length or size could make him a very good player. In limited numbers, Bond averaged 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists on 55 percent shooting from the floor. Against Coconut Creek, he scored a season-high 13 points and grabbed five rebounds. I like his all-around game at this point in his development.
Kaiden Francis Kaiden Francis 6'1" | PG South Plantation | 2024 State FL – South Plantation (PH. 93)
Francis carries himself like an upperclassmen and has a nice handle on the court. He appears confident in his ability to score in the lane or from the perimeter. The catch and shoot mentality really caught my eye. I like a prospect with that kind of a moxy at a young age. He helped the Paladins to a 9-3 record last season. This could be a really nice pick that moves up in the rankings fast. Check out his highlights by clicking here.
Jayden Simmons Jayden Simmons 6'6" | SF Carol City | 2024 FL – Carol City (PH. 100)
Simmons has the frame to be a future factor for the Chiefs. He stands at 6-foot-6 out of the forward spot. Obviously, he will put on more mass (162 lbs) to carry more of the brunt to play in the paint. He did grab 73 rebounds and recorded 41 blocks for Carol City. Those numbers tell me he has athleticism and a solid understanding on how to play defense. More offensive production (2.8 ppg) could come with time.
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