UPDATED: Final 2017 Prospect Rankings
In April of 2014 when we launched prephoopsiowa.com, we put out our first 2017 rankings. These now graduated seniors were just freshman then; we’ve had over three years to watch them now. Some guys dropped in the rankings since then, others rose and rose high. Between attending high school games, grassroots tournaments, team camps and Prep Hoops Combines/Expos, we have left no stone unturned; we’ve seen the class of 2017 more than any other. Below you’ll find the final installment of prospect rankings, set in stone, in the archives, forever.
McCaffery Wire-to-wire
In those aforementioned first-ever rankings back in April of 2014, when Iowa City West point guard Connor McCaffery was just an uncommitted frosh, he checked in as 2017’s No.1. We didn’t know a ton about him, but we knew he was a big point guard who averaged 6.1 points and 4.9 assists as a starter on a state champion team. That was enough to garner him the top spot, and it held true; he got better, his numbers continued to shine, and his accomplishments compounded. McCaffery stayed at No.1 in each and every rankings update since. His teammate — both at West and with the Iowa Barnstormers — Devontae Lane closed the gap by the end, and Austin Phyfe could have a made a strong case at times for the top spot, but we’re confident that McCaffery was the most dominant and effective player in Iowa’s 2017 class. Now the question begs to be asked: will he excel at basketball or baseball at Iowa? Or both?
Grassroots Breakdown
The Iowa Barnstormers were clear-cut kings of Iowa’s 2017 class, nabbing six of the final ranking’s top 10 guys, including its top 3; McCaffery, Lane and Phyfe. It was Kingdom Hoops who was the Barnstormers’ closest comp, the Des Moines-based program was able to secure three of the top 10 guys in the state, and more impressively, seven of the top 20. That squad was highlighted by future Kirkwood power forward Doug Wilson, who won the Hardwood Classic on the wild finish seen below in the title game against EYBL squad Team Penny 16U. All Iowa Attack had a real nice 2017 squad, featuring six of the final top-30, including D2 talent, Connor Kasperbauer, Collin Hill and Grant Kramer.
Hoover's Doug Wilson w/game winner in 17U title game for Kingdom Hoops Elite @HardwoodEvents – KH family goes nuts! pic.twitter.com/xS4f02dFh4
— TJ Rushing (@TjRushing) July 24, 2016
Compared to 2016
In terms of D1 commits, the class of 2016 is the winner here. It featured seven D1 scholarship guys, including its top 3, Cordell Pemsl, Ryan Kreiner and Jordan Bohannon, all heading to Iowa — and thriving. Five guys from Iowa’s 2017 class are headed D1 next season, including McCaffery, Phyfe, Bailey Baslala, Abe Kinrade and Garrett Franken. Austin Ash (Iowa) Connor Gholson (Drake), and Matt Dentlinger (South Dakota State) will walk-on with D1 programs. The class of 2016 outdid it’s successor in terms of Division II scholarships as well; a whopping 18 guys in the 2016 class were playing D2 ball this season, 15 2017 guys will play at that level next season. Both the 2016 and 2017 classes had/will have four guys in their top-20 head to JuCo or Prep School.