2024 Rankings Analysis: The Top Five
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The 2024 rankings have finally been released and the top of the class has some of the finest basketball players in the state regardless of class. Headlined by high division one caliber standouts, Zoom Diallo Zoom Diallo 6'4" | PG…
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Continue ReadingThe 2024 rankings have finally been released and the top of the class has some of the finest basketball players in the state regardless of class. Headlined by high division one caliber standouts, Zoom Diallo Zoom Diallo 6'4" | PG Prolific Prep (CA) | 2024 #19 Nation CA-N and Jacob Cofie Jacob Cofie 6'10" | PF Eastside Catholic | 2024 State #97 Nation WA , the rest of the top five may come from smaller schools or towns, but they have earned these spots with outstanding play and continue to get better. Here are the top five players from Washington’s class of 2024.
1. Zoom Diallo Zoom Diallo 6'4" | PG Prolific Prep (CA) | 2024 #19 Nation CA-N 6’5 PG Curtis | Elite Sports Academy
Diallo was a force for Curtis in his sophomore campaign, leading an undersized Vikings squad over an undefeated Mt. Si team in the 4A tournament to win the state title. He was named tournament MVP and for good reason. Zoom is a controlled and explosive player on both sides of the ball. His fingers are all over the game, scoring, passing, rebounding, playmaking, and using his length to bother ball-handlers and shooters. He already has offers from Washington, Washington State, Oregon State, the University of San Francisco, Fresno State, and plenty of others with more to come. His game is predicated on preparation and it shows when he makes the difficult plays look easy.
2. Jacob Cofie Jacob Cofie 6'10" | PF Eastside Catholic | 2024 State #97 Nation WA 6’9 SF Eastside Catholic | Seattle Rotary
There was a case for Cofie to be in the top spot of our rankings because of his combination of size and skill. He has tools you can’t teach with his natural size and athleticism but he’s also been hard at work to refine his game and take full advantage of his physical gifts. Cofie has proven for a while now that he has the ability to dominate inside, runs the floor with intention, and is an elite defender. He is a good dribbler, and has good form and rotation on his jump shot, especially for someone at his position. The potential is there for Cofie to develop into more of a wing than a post player, or at the least, a playmaking stretch four. He has offers from Washington, Washington State, Colorado, UNLV, and others. Already a top player, Cofie has probably the highest ceiling in the class.
3. Anthony Canales Anthony Canales 6'4" | SG Lynden | 2024 State WA 6’4 SG Lynden | Seattle Rotary
It’s amazing how much players grow and develop from their sophomore to junior seasons. The question for Canales, after winning a state title and tournament MVP, is what’s next? Already a dominant two-way player, and one of the top wing defenders, Canales continues to expand on his offensive game as well. He has grown from a slashing, athletic player, to a calculated scorer who abuses one-on-one matchups. It’s hard to imagine just how much better he can get, with such a well-rounded game in only his sophomore season. As he gets faster and stronger, Canales will begin to dominate at an even higher level.
4. Evan Stinson Evan Stinson 6'7" | SF Cheney | 2024 State #223 Nation WA 6’6 SF Cheney | Spokane Flight
I’m not sure I saw more growth in any player from the last high school season to now. Stinson always showed the potential but his game was raw and his Cheney squad struggled last season. Through the spring, he has shown the ability to have his way with just about any matchup his Spokane Flight team faces. He’s grown a bit taller and developed his ball skills to an elite level. He’s got the handle to shimmy away from defenders and has a multitude of shots in his bag. His set shot has just the slightest lean back to it, which makes the high release even more difficult to contest. Stinson has also taken on more playmaking responsibility and shown a desire to be more of an impact on defense. He plays with the right mix of desire and swagger, staying focused on the ultimate goal while relishing every win.
5. Hunter Carter Hunter Carter 6'5" | CG Annie Wright | 2024 CO 6’5 CG Annie Wright | Rose City Rebels
Carter plays with the Portland-based Rose City Rebels in the AAU seasons which has made it difficult to see his growth this spring but he showed enough through the high school season to deserve this spot. He also got the opportunity to scrimmage against the USA Junior National Team at the Nike Hoop Summit as a member of the Portland Generals in April. Carter plays from either guard spot but looks like more of a natural point man. Even at 6’5, his handles are ridiculous and he’s as smooth as they come shaking off defenders and getting inside. He has great range from beyond three-point and is a crafty finisher in the paint. It’s really his vision as a passer and superb dribbling that stand out the most and I can’t wait to see what he’s been working on through the spring.