2023 Rankings Update: Top 10 Breakdown
With a full season of high school hoops and a handful of spring club events under our belt, the Prep Hoops SoCal Staff was able to get a good grip on the class of 2023, which led to our latest…
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Continue ReadingWith a full season of high school hoops and a handful of spring club events under our belt, the Prep Hoops SoCal Staff was able to get a good grip on the class of 2023, which led to our latest update to the rising senior rankings. In our first piece analyzing the new rankings, we take a look at our top 10 prospects in 2023.
1. Jared McCain Jared McCain 6'3" | PG Centennial | 2023 State #24 Nation CA-S , Corona Centennial – Few have matched what this 6-foot-3 junior has accomplished in his three seasons at Centennial. Two CIF Southern Section Open Division championships, CIF State Open Division championship, Gatorade State Player of the Year, an 81-8 overall record in high school, and a 16u Peach Jam title with Team Why Not. McCain is one of the top offensive threats in the country with his three-point shooting ability and has one more season to further cement his legacy among SoCal’s best players before heading off to Duke.
2. Devin Williams Devin Williams 6'10" | PF Corona Centennial | 2023 State #86 Nation CA-S , Corona Centennial – Williams’ game has continued to grow after he transferred from Corona high school to Corona Centennial. At 6-feet-10, the wiry forward has shown inside-out scoring ability with a fluid catch-and-shoot three-point shot in addition to his follow dunks off of missed shots and power finishes in transition off of rim-runs. Williams’ combination of size and skill, to go along with his improving rim protection, makes him our No. 2 overall prospect in the class.
3. Jazz Gardner Jazz Gardner 7'0" | C Los Altos | 2023 State #85 Nation CA-S , Los Altos – The skilled 7-footer is a one-of-a-kind type of prospect in this class. At 7-feet tall, Gardner has inside-out scoring ability, ball skills that allows him that allows him to rebound and push the break in a “point-forward” or “point-center” type of role and he can control the pace of the game on both ends with his rebounding and versatility on the offensive end.
4. Brady Dunlap Brady Dunlap 6'7" | SF Harvard-Westlake | 2023 State #100 Nation CA-S , Harvard-Westlake – The thing that stands out most about Dunlap is his ability to shoot the basketball consistently from multiple levels of the floor. The 6-foot-7 wing can stretch to floor to the three-point line off the catch and can shot fake a defender closing out to get into a fluid mid-range jumper going either left or right. The most intriguing part of Dunlap’s game is how it translates to the next level. His ability to move without the ball and impact the game with limited dribbles are great tools to have at the high major level of college basketball.
5. Dusty Stromer Dusty Stromer 6'5" | SG Notre Dame | 2023 State #47 Nation CA-S , Sherman Oaks Notre Dame – Stromer is one of the most gifted scorers in this class. The 6-foot-6 guard has uncanny shot creating and shot making skills off the dribble and his ability to break down a defender in isolation to get an open look is up there with some of the best high school players in the country. Stromer has a rare combination of size, fluidity and creativity with the ball in his hands and a pop of athleticism in his legs that allows him to finish over rim protectors.
6. Curtis Williams Curtis Williams 6'6" | SF Etiwanda | 2023 State #159 Nation CA-S , Etiwanda – Williams is probably the least “nationally recognized” prospect in our Top 10, but that’s only because the “national scouts” aren’t digging deep enough into Southern California basketball. The 6-foot-6 wing is one of the better two-way guys on this list, meaning his defensive ability and upside are just as good as his offense. Williams plays for a high school coach who demands his guys guard their yard and understand team defensive concepts. Williams still has plenty of room for growth and, with the right college fit, he could blossom into a high level college player.
7. Mike Price Mike Price 6'2" | PG Corona Centennial | 2023 State #162 Nation CA-S , Sierra Canyon – Price has elite potential as a point guard due to his pick-and-roll IQ, ability to change speeds and direction on a moment’s notice, and his feel as a scoring point guard while also being able to control a game by distributing. Price was a little overlooked last season because of injuries and the hype surrounding Amari Bailey Amari Bailey 6'4" | SF Sierra Canyon | 2022 State #2 Nation CA-S , Kijani Wright Kijani Wright 6'8" | PF Sierra Canyon | 2022 State #63 Nation CA-S , and Bronny James Bronny James 6'2" | PG Sierra Canyon | 2023 State #43 Nation CA-S , but while playing for a loaded Sierra Canyon team, Price still managed to make his presence felt.
8. AJ Johnson AJ Johnson 6'5" | PG Taft | 2023 #26 Nation CA-S , Taft – Johnson is oozing with potential. At 6-feet-6, the junior has elite feel as a modern point guard as he can manage a game with his scoring or playmaking for teammates. Johnson’s ability to put pressure on the rim in transition and make the right read trends well to the next level as a primary ball handler. While Johnson still boasts a thin and wiry frame, his athleticism has come a long way since we first saw him as a 7th grader.
9. Zack Davidson Zack Davidson 6'8" | PF Mater Dei | 2023 State CA-S , Mater Dei – Davidson had a stellar junior year at Mater Dei as its go-to player on the offensive end. He was the team’s best scorer, rebounder, playmaker and interior defender who did a little bit of everything to lead the Monarchs to a 25-6 record and an appearance in the Open Division playoffs. Davidson’s versatility on both ends of the floor is what makes him a top 10 player in the class.
10. Bronny James Bronny James 6'2" | PG Sierra Canyon | 2023 State #43 Nation CA-S , Sierra Canyon – The conversations surrounding James vary from him being overrated because of his name to him not yet reaching his potential as a prospect yet because of injuries that have taken him off the floor for considerable amounts of time. So which is it? In our ranking, we think No. 10 is a good spot for the 6-foot-2 playmaker who has so much weight and expectations on his shoulders. James, when healthy, is a high IQ pass-first type of player who looks to get teammates involved and makes the right basketball play more often than not. Hopefully James is able to put together a full senior campaign so we can see what he can do when playing a complete season.