2022 Final Rankings: Top Small Forwards
It has been a crazy couple of seasons in Southern California high school basketball. From COVID-19 canceling spring and summer club sessions to delaying an entire high school season and causing some game cancellations, we were finally able to get…
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Continue ReadingIt has been a crazy couple of seasons in Southern California high school basketball. From COVID-19 canceling spring and summer club sessions to delaying an entire high school season and causing some game cancellations, we were finally able to get a season that allowed us to get a complete look at how the 2022 class stacks up which leads to our most recent updated rankings for the senior class.
In this piece we take a look at how the small forward or wing position breaks down. From the top-ranked guys to the guys who could out-play their rankings at the college level.
Top Small Forwards/Wings
1. Amari Bailey Amari Bailey 6'4" | SF Sierra Canyon | 2022 State #2 Nation CA-S , Sierra Canyon – The McDonald’s All-American is our No. 1 overall prospect for a variety of reasons. At 6-feet-4, Bailey is the most explosive athlete in the region and his on-court accomplishments and production, along with his NBA-like athleticism and upside, combine to make him the guy from this class that we could see playing for a long time at the professional level. Bailey is an elite finisher in transition and when slashing to the rim in the half-court both on or off the ball. He can also stretch the floor to the three-point line and has shown improved decision-making and feel as a passer and primary ball-handler over the last couple of seasons.
2. Jaden Henley Jaden Henley 6'7" | SF Colony | 2022 State CA-S , Colony – What a meteoric rise for Henley who was on our “watchlist” as a sophomore and is now our No. 3 overall prospect and No. 2 wing in the class of 2022. The 6-foot-7 Minnesota-signee has all the makings of a potentially great college player and perhaps even a guy who makes some money playing the game at the professional level. Henley has the ball skills, fluidity, body control and shiftiness to create offensive for himself on the wing and can knock down tough, contested jumpers off the dribble. What stands out most about Henley’s long-term potential is how his size, length and athleticism could be molded into him becoming a good on-ball and team defender at the next level.
3. Tyler Bey Tyler Bey 6'6" | SF Fairfax | 2022 State CA-S , Fairfax – Bey is oozing with potential and he flashed a lot of that this season in helping lead Fairfax to a City Section Open Division championship. At 6-feet-7 with a long, wiry frame and room to add weight to his frame, Bey has a smooth catch-and-shoot jumper and also impacted the offensive end playing in the mid-post and pinch-post spots on the floor. Bey is likely going to take a prep school year and will be a sought-after recruit at the Division 1 level in 2023. Bey checks in as our 15th-ranked prospect overall and No. 3 small forward.
4. Chol Deng Chol Deng 6'4" | SF Fairmont Prep | 2022 State CA-S , Fairmont Prep – Deng continued to diversify his game as he helped turn Fairmont Prep into one of the better Orange County programs during his time there. The 6-foot-5 wing has all the size, length and athleticism that you look for in a two-way perimeter guy at the next level. He has the ball skills, fluidity, body control and ability to elevate in traffic and finish over and through rim protectors. Deng showed great improvement on his perimeter jumper this season and flashed the ability to make plays for teammate off the dribble. Deng is the 19th-ranked prospect in our final 2022 rankings and the 4th-best small forward in the class.
5. Payden White Payden White 6'5" | SF Riverside Poly | 2022 State CA-S , Riverside Poly – The main takeaway from watching White on multiple occasions this season was: What doesn’t he do? The 6-foot-5 senior was the high school version of positionless basketball as he often played the four and five spots for coach Yancy Dodson, but still operated like the wing that he is. White knocked down perimeter jumpers with consistency, put the ball on the deck and attacked the basket for strong finishes, guarded multiple positions and made an impact on the offensive and defensive boards. White comes in at No. 31 in the final rankings and rounds out the top 5 wings.
Who Could Out-Play Their Ranking?
Sage Wayans Sage Wayans 6'6" | SF South Pasadena | 2022 State CA-S , South Pasadena – Wayans is an intriguing prospect because of his size, length, athleticism and tools he possesses that could be fine tuned into making him a viable wing option at the next level. The 6-foot-7 senior had a breakout senior season at South Pasadena complete with a handful of double-double performances and a number of highlight-reel dunks. Wayans is our No. 47-ranked overall prospect and No. 9 small forward, but with the right fit and development, he could jump above those ranked ahead of him in the long-run.
Davis White Davis White 6'6" | SF SCA | 2022 State CA-S , Saugus – White is planning to take a prep year after a very strong senior campaign at Saugus. The 6-foot-6 wing is an intriguing prospect due to his ability to shoot the three-ball at his size. White was a lethal offensive option in multiple ways from hitting catch-and-shoot three’s off of drive and kicks or when trailing in transition. He also showed scoring prowess in pick-and-pop situations. White checks in at No. 66 overall and the No. 13 small forward in the final 2022 rankings.