Top High School Basketball Players on Instagram
Sierra Canyon guard Bronny James, right, and teammate Tookey Wigington.There's a new kind of fame associated with being a high school sports superstar. Long gone are the days of just getting to know how future NBA players dominate on the court. Now we have access to their entire lives via social media.
And the medium that this generation prefers most is Instagram, where teenage basketball prospects can rack up millions of followers on their personal accounts as we count down the years until they walk across the stage on draft day.
These are the top Instagram accounts of high school basketball stars.
Honorable Mention: Aminu Mohammed
Aminu Mohammed has averaged over 15 rebounds per game in high school.Instagram: @aminumo2424
Followers: 10,200
School: Greenwood Laboratory School (Springfield, Missouri)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 200 pounds
Positon: Power forward/small forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 10 overall (2021), Gatorade Player of the Year (2019), Class 2 state champion (2019)
Bottom Line: Aminu Mohammed
Aminu Mohammed could be a dominant power forward in a Power Five conference.Aminu Mohammed might be undersized for a small forward at 6-foot-4, but don't let that fool you. Mohammed has almost unmatched strength and athleticism on the court, and he's developing a long-range shooting game that will make him a legitimate shooting guard in a few years.
Mohammed, whose older brother plays for Missouri State, has averaged over 30 points and 15 rebounds in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Honorable Mention: Saniya Rivers
Saniya Rivers is a two-time Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year.Instagram: @niya.rivers22
Followers: 9,443
School: Eugene Ashley High School (Wilmington, North Carolina)
Height: 6-foot
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year (2019, 2020), USA Today North Carolina Player of the Year (2019), two-time NBCA all-state (2019, 2020)
Bottom Line: Saniya Rivers
Saniya Rivers started her career at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.Saniya Rivers is one of the best guard prospects in the country and is committed to play for the University of South Carolina.
Rivers seems more comfortable at shooting guard than point guard and is a nightmare for teams to try and guard in transition.
She'll have a great mentor to help her game continue to develop in South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.
50. Kendall Brown
Kendall Brown is committed to play for Baylor.Instagram: @kendalltbrown
Followers: 10,000
School: Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas)
Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 small forward (2021)
Bottom Line: Kendall Brown
Kendall Brown plays for prep school powerhouse Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas.Kendall Brown left his native Minnesota and headed to noted basketball factory/prep school Sunrise Christian Academy for his final two seasons of high school basketball and has thrived in his time there.
Brown's move did exactly what he hoped — he became a five-star recruit with offers from almost every program in the Top 25.
Brown is headed to Baylor and could be the final piece the Bears need to make its first Final Four since 1950.
49. Jahseem Felton
Jahseem Felton is the cousin of former NBA point guard Raymond Felton.Instagram: @jahboogie00
Followers: 10,400
School: Westminster Catawba Christian School (Rock Hill, South Carolina)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard/small forward
Graduation year: 2024
Career highlights: Coast2Coast Preps No. 1 overall (2024)
Bottom Line: Jahseem Felton
Jahseem Felton is the No. 1-rated player in the Class of 2024.The only player to make this list from the Class of 2024, Jahseem Felton is here for good reason.
The top player in the nation for his class and the cousin of former North Carolina star and longtime NBA point guard Raymond Felton, Jahseem already has a handful of top Power Five offers and said it best last year when he told The Charlotte Observer, "I'm not a normal eighth grader."
No, you are most certainly not.
48. Scoot Henderson
Scoot Henderson has written a blog for Sports Illustrated.Instagram: @thereal0_
Followers: 10,400
School: Kell High School (Marietta, Georgia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 18 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Scoot Henderson
Scoot Henderson has already gained a reputation for having a great work ethic.There's a lot to like about Scoot Henderson — on and off the court.
On it, he's one of the top point guards in the nation for the super-talented Class of 2022 and has an unbelievable work ethic, no doubt aided by his father's gym, Next Play 360, which is right next to the family home.
Off the court, he's got a winning personality and a humble, work-first persona that came through really well on a blog he penned for Sports Illustrated.
47. Jersey Wolfenbarger
Jersey Wolfenbarger already has one of the greatest names in basketball history.Instagram: @all4basketball_jersey
Followers: 9,900
School: Northside High School (Fort Smith, Arkansas)
Height: 6-foot-5
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: ESPN No. 7 overall (2021), Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), two-time Class 6A all-state (2019, 2020), USA Today Arkansas all-state (2020)
Bottom Line: Jersey Wolfenbarger
Jersey Wolfenbarger is a 6-foot-5 point guard committed to play for in-state University of Arkansas.Jersey Wolfenbarger is as talented as any player on this list, but let's be honest — she's heads and tails above everyone else with one of the coolest names we've ever seen.
Her name sounds like an action hero, which is fitting because she's a 6-foot-5 point guard.
She could be a game-changer for the University of Arkansas, where she's committed to play.
46. TyTy Washington
TyTy Washington could make an immediate impact at a Power Five school.Instagram: @tytywashington3
Followers: 10,600
School: Compass Prep High School (Chandler, Arizona)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 13 point guard (2021)
Bottom Line: TyTy Washington
TyTy Washington already has NBA 3-point range.TyTy Washington whittled his list of 26 offers to 10 schools, but Illinois and head coach Brad Underwood came in with an offer that could pull Washington to the Midwest.
Washington is sought after because he's so much fun on the court. He's already got NBA range from beyond the arc, loves to make the highlight-reel pass and plays lockdown defense.
TyTy for the win.
45. Zion Cruz
Zion Cruz is a top 20 shooting guard in the Class of 2021.Instagram: @zion.cruzz
Followers: 11,300
School: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Position: Shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 19 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Zion Cruz
Zion Cruz has drawn comparisons to Russell Westbrook.Watching Zion Cruz play basketball might make your basketball-loving heart go pitter-patter because the dude is electric on the court.
He transferred from his hometown school of Hudson Catholic in Jersey City, New Jersey, after his sophomore season to powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, where he'll team up with fellow top recruit Dior Johnson in the backcourt.
44. Zaon Collins
Zaon Collins is the rare blue-chip prospect headed for UNLV.Instagram: @zay_slum
Followers: 12,100
School: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 165 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 point guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Zaon Collins
Zaon Collins picked in-state UNLV over several Pac-12 schools.UNLV doesn't get many high-profile recruits, but they landed hometown point guard Zaon Collins when he committed to the Runnin' Rebels — the result of an 18-month courtship from head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
What's more impressive is that UNLV beat out Pac-12 big-timers USC, Arizona and Arizona State to get Collins.
43. Jalen Warley
Jalen Warley is committed to play for Florida State.Instagram: @jalenwarley
Followers: 12,400
School: Westtown High (Norristown, Pennsylvania)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 23 overall (2021)
Bottom Line: Jalen Warley
Jalen Warley's grandfather, Ben Warley, was an ABA All-Star in 1968.No state saw a bigger exodus of talent than Pennsylvania following the 2019-20 season, with five-star recruit Jalen Duren headed to Florida's Montverde Academy and five-star recruit Chance Westry headed west to California's Sierra Canyon to play alongside Bronny James.
Even with those two gone, there's still five-star combo guard Jalen Warley, who has great basketball roots. Both his father and uncle played for St. Joseph's, and his grandfather, Ben Warley, played over a decade in the NBA and ABA, and was an ABA All-Star in 1968.
42. Jonas Aidoo
Jonas Aidoo reclassified from the Class of 2020 to the Class of 2021.Instagram: @jonasaidoo
Followers: 13,300
School: Liberty Heights Athletic Institute (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Height/weight: 7-foot, 215 pounds
Position: Center
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 23 center (2021)
Bottom Line: Jonas Aidoo
Jonas Aidoo is a 7-foot center with a huge upside.While some top recruits reclassify to move up a class, Jonas Aidoo reclassified from his original Class of 2020 to become part of the Class of 2021 when he transferred from Voyager Academy in Durham, North Carolina, to Liberty Heights.
The 7-foot Aidoo is definitely a project for whatever college he ends up at, but it's one that could pay off in a big way.
41. Arterio Morris
Arterio Morris has impressive dunking skills.Instagram: @t3rio
Followers: 12,800
School: Prolific Prep (Napa, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 21 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Arterio Morris
Arterio Morris is committed to play for the University of Memphis.Memphis coach Penny Hardaway landed another big-time recruit in Arterio Morris, even if his arrival in two years is still a long ways out.
Morris left his home in Dallas to play for Northern California's Prolific Prep for his junior season, where he'll be in the same backcourt as Stanford commit (and fellow Instagram star) Isael Silva.
40. Peyton Watson
Peyton Watson is committed to play for UCLA.Instagram: @peytonwatson
Followers: 13,900
School: Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, California
Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 180 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247 Sports California No. 1 player (2021)
Bottom Line: Peyton Watson
Peyton Watson could be a one-and-done player in college.UCLA commit Peyton Watson has the frame, at 6-foot-7, and has already shown the skills and athleticism that he could be in the NBA sooner than later — if he fills out.
Watson is only 180 pounds, so he can't really bang like he should, but with as much progress as he's made so far in high school, it's hard to think that he won't continue to grow on the court and also fill out.
It's not beyond the realm of possibility that he might grow another couple inches before he's able to pack on muscle.
39. Justice Williams
Justice Williams transferred from Philadelphia's Roman Catholic High to Montverde Academy following the 2019-20 season.Instagram: @just.1cee
Followers: 14,300
School: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 180 pounds
Position: Shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 24 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Justice Williams
Justice Williams is one of the top players in the Class of 2022.Philadelphia native Justice Williams followed fellow blue-chipper and Roman Catholic High teammate Jalen Duren to Florida's powerful Montverde Academy.
Like most of the Class of 2022, Williams hopes the next NBA collective bargaining agreement allows them to go straight to the NBA from high school.
38. Trevor Keels
Trevor Keels is rated as the top shooting guard in the Class of 2021.Instagram: @trevorkeels
Followers: 15,100
School: Paul VI Catholic High School (Fairfax, Virginia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 210 pounds
Position: Shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 shooting guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Trevor Keels
Trevor Keels already has an NBA-ready body at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds.The No. 15 overall recruit in the Class of 2021, Trevor Keels has a top three of Villanova, Duke and Virginia and is considered the best pure shooting guard in the country.
Keels already has the frame of a player ready to be a college star. At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, he's built like a high-level NFL wide receiver.
37. Max Christie
Max Christie, with ball, is one of the top shooting guards in the Class of 2021.Instagram: @mchristiejr
Followers: 16,700
School: Rolling Meadows High (Rolling Meadows, Illinois)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 165 pounds
Position: Shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247 Sports No. 1 shooting guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Max Christie
Max Christie is committed to play for Michigan State.Michigan State fans better enjoy their time with Max Christie if and when he shows up in East Lansing. Christie is the top-ranked shooting guard in the nation and already projects as an NBA lottery pick.
If current Class of 2022 No. 1 recruit and fellow Michigan State commit Emoni Bates reclassifies to the 2021 class, as some think he might, the teaming of Christie and Bates for one year at Michigan State could really be something to behold.
36. Dariq Whitehead
Dariq Whitehead is the younger brother of NFL linebacker Tahir Whitehead.Instagram: @_riqwhitehead
Followers: 16,500
School: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 190 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 9 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Dariq Whitehead
Dariq Whitehead is a prototype small forward projected as an NBA draft lottery pick.The younger brother of Carolina Panthers linebacker Tahir Whitehead, Dariq Whitehead moved from his native New Jersey to Florida at 13 years old to play for Montverde Academy.
The move has paid off in big ways for Dariq, as Montverde went 25-0 in 2019-20, and he's now projected as a potential NBA lottery pick.
35. Michael Foster
Michael Foster is a prototype for an NBA power forward at 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds.Instagram: @5starfoster
Followers: 17,000
School: Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Arizona)
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds
Position: Power forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Wisconsin Division II state champion (2018, 2019), ESPN No. 3 overall player (2021)
Bottom Line: Michael Foster
Michael Foster won two state championships in Wisconsin before leaving his home state for a prep school in Arizona.Michael Foster already projects as a first-round NBA draft pick — likely in 2022 — with the size and athleticism to possibly play both forward positions at the next level.
Foster's top competition for the best player in the state was DaRron Holmes, who left the state and transferred to Florida's Montverde Academy.
That's ironic because Foster left his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to play for Hillcrest Prep, which also produced 2019 No. 1 NBA draft pick DeAndre Ayton, another elite big man.
34. Hunter Sallis
Hunter Sallis is one of the best high school basketball players to come out of Nebraska in a long time.Instagram: @hunterxsallis
Followers: 18,500
School: Millard North High (Omaha, Nebraska)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 19 overall (2021), Journal Star Super-State Captain (2020), Class A State runner-up (2020)
Bottom Line: Hunter Sallis
Hunter Sallis' mother, Jessica Haynes, played for the Harlem Globetrotters.It's not hard to see where dynamic guard Hunter Sallis' basketball skills come from. His mother, Jessica Haynes, was a star at San Diego State and played for the Harlem Globetrotters.
Sallis has NBA written all over him. He's 6-foot-5 and still growing and has a 37-inch vertical leap.
Sallis' junior season ended with heartbreak in the Class A state championship game — a 64-62 loss to Bellevue West and Gatorade Player of the Year Chucky Hepburn.
33. Frankie Collins
Frankie Collins is committed to play for the University of Michigan.Instagram: @frankieee
Followers: 23,200
School: Coronado High School (Henderson, Nevada)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 180 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 9 point guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Frankie Collins
Frankie Collins transferred to Coronado High School for his senior year.Frankie Collins was a huge recruit to land for Michigan head coach and former Fab Five member Juwan Howard.
The point guard likes to play above the rim and could end up in the NBA after one or two seasons.
Collins, like most players on this list, swapped high schools recently, leaving Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, for Coronado High in Nevada.
32. Jalen Duren
Jalen Duren left Philadelphia's Roma Catholic High for Montverde Academy.Instagram: @jalenduren
Followers: 24,000
School: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida)
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds
Position: Power forward/center
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 2 overall (2022), two-time MaxPreps All-American (2019, 2020)
Bottom Line: Jalen Duren
Jalen Duren seems like a lock to be an NBA draft lottery pick.It takes about 30 seconds of watching Jalen Duren highlights to understand why he's a surefire NBA lottery pick.
It also explains why he transferred from Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia to powerhouse Monteverde Academy in Florida in April 2020 — the same school that produced 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons.
Why the move? Likely to reclassify Duren to the Class of 2021.
31. Blue Cain
Blue Cain won a state championship at Knoxville Catholic as a freshman.Instagram: @blue.cain
Followers: 24,000
School: Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 160 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: Division II-AA state champion (2020), PrepHoopsTN Summer Combine All-Star (2019)
Bottom Line: Blue Cain
Blue Cain already has an offer from the University of South Carolina.Who's Blue Cain? He's not on very many recruiting radars right now — he's got offers from South Carolina and Howard — but expect his name to start popping up soon.
And, somehow or another, he's racked up almost 25,000 Instagram followers and a state championship before his sophomore year of high school.
And he can really, really dunk. Like East Bay Funk-type dunks.
30. Olivia Miles
Olivia Miles is a blue-chip point guard recruit.Instagram: @_oliviamiles_
Followers: 24,900
School: Blair Academy (Blairstown, New Jersey)
Height: 5-foot-10
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: ESPN No. 8 overall (2021), FIBA Americas U-16 Championship (2019), USA Today All-New Jersey (2019)
Bottom Line: Olivia Miles
Olivia Miles is committed to play for Notre Dame.Notre Dame commit Olivia Miles is a pretty amazing basketball player — and a budding social media star.
Miles has drawn comparisons to no less than Sue Bird at the point guard position for her effortless ability to score and her unselfish play.
Getting her was a huge recruiting coup for first-year Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey.
29. Carter Whitt
Carter Whitt transferred to Brewster Academy for his senior season.Instagram: @c.whitt
Followers: 24,500
School: Brewster Academy (Wolfesboro, New Hampshire)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 11 point guard (2021), Cap-7 champion (2020), Class 4A regional semifinal (2020)
Bottom Line: Carter Whitt
Carter Whitt is one of the best point guards in the Class of 2021.Wherever Carter Whitt ends up playing college basketball will be getting a dynamite point guard. He's a player who always seems to be in the right place on the court. It's uncanny.
Whitt made a big decision to transfer from hometown Leesville Road High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, to prep powerhouse Brewster Academy in the offseason.
28. Patrick Baldwin
Patrick Baldwin was the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.Instagram: @patrickbaldwin.23
Followers: 26,200
School: Hamilton High School (Sussex, Wisconsin)
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 210 pounds
Position: Power forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Greater Metro Conference Player of the Year (2020), Division I all-state (2020)
Bottom Line: Patrick Baldwin
Patrick Baldwin is already being looked at as a top NBA prospect.It's not a stretch to say Patrick Baldwin is one of the high school stars on this list that represents the future of basketball.
He's a stretch forward who can shoot the three and already projects as an NBA draft lottery pick in the near future.
Baldwin averaged 24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 blocks as a junior and was named Wisconsin's Gatorade Player of the Year.
27. A.J. Griffin
A.J. Griffin is the son of NBA assistant coach Adrian Griffin.Instagram: @adrian.griffinjr
Followers: 32,000
School: Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, New York)
Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 200 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 7 overall (2021)
Bottom Line: A.J. Griffin
A.J. Griffin is a potential overall No. 1 NBA draft pick.A.J. Griffin is already being talked about as a possible No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
The son of former NBA player and Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin, A.J. Griffin is committed to play college basketball (albeit shortly) for Duke.
As a "combo forward," there's not a lot Griffin can't do on a basketball court.
26. Keyonte George
Keyonte George is one of the best shooting guard prospects in the entire world.Instagram: @keyonte1george
Followers: 31,000
School: iSchool of Lewisville (Lewisville, Texas)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4 190 pounds
Position: Shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: Class 6A all-state (2020), 247Sports No. 12 overall (2022), District 6-Class 6A MVP (2020)
Bottom Line: Keyonte George
Keyonte George has drawn early comparisons to Russell Westbrook.The best player in the state of Texas is shooting guard Keyonte George, an electric, bouncy player who just transferred from Lewisville High to something called iSchool of Lewisville — a team that doesn't play in either the UIL (Texas public schools) or TAPPS (Texas private schools) in order to play almost an entirely national schedule.
George, a five-star recruit, averaged 23.9 points as a sophomore. One thing that sticks out when you watch him play? He makes everything look really easy.
25. DaJuan Wagner Jr.
DaJuan Wagner Jr.'s father, DaJuan Wagner, and grandfather, Milt Wagner, both played in the NBA.Instagram: @dj_wag21
Followers: 44,900
School: Camden High School (Camden, New Jersey)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: ESPN No. 1 overall (2023), USA Basketball minicamp (2019)
Bottom Line: DaJuan Wagner Jr.
DaJuan Wagner Jr. is ranked as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2023.DaJuan Wagner Jr. is part of a family that's basketball royalty in New Jersey.
DaJuan Jr. plays for Camden High, which is the same high school his father, former No. 6 overall NBA draft pick DaJuan Wagner, and his grandfather, former NBA player Milt Wagner, both played for.
Odds are that the DaJuan Jr., the No. 1 player in the Class of 2023, is headed on the same path.
24. Kennedy Chandler
Kennedy Chandler is rated as the No. 2 point guard in the Class of 2021.Instagram: @_kennedychandler1
Followers: 46,300
School: Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 170 pounds
Position: PG
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 2 point guard (2021), 247Sports No. 13 overall (2021), Nike Peach Jam champion (2019)
Bottom Line: Kennedy Chandler
Kennedy Chandler is committed to play for Tennessee.Arguably the top point guard in the entire country for the Class of 2021, Tennessee-bound Kennedy Chandler plays for prep school powerhouse Sunrise Christian in Wichita, Kansas.
Chandler's highest-profile outing was leading the MoKan Elite AAU squad to the Peach Jam championship in 2019. In a testament to Chandler's skill and what people at the highest levels think of his play, he had the opportunity to play in the G-League next year on their "development team" but chose to go to college instead.
Even if it's probably just for one year.
23. Paolo Banchero
Paolo Banchero was the Washington Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.Instagram: @pp_doesit
Followers: 48,000
School: O'Dea High School (Seattle, Washington)
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 235 pounds
Position: Power forward
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Washington Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Class 3A state champion (2020), 247Sports No. 3 O=overall (2021), Seattle Times Player of the Year (2020)
Bottom Line: Paolo Banchero
Paolo Banchero has an NBA-ready body at 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds.It's not hard to look at Paola Banchero, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound power forward, and envision him making millions of dollars in the NBA really, really soon.
Banchero is a beast — a player who already has the body to rebound against the best players in the world. There's nothing he doesn't do well on a basketball court and he's surprisingly nimble with the ball and making moves to the basket.
Banchero averaged 22.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks as a junior and led O'Dea High School to the Class 3A state title. He's committed to play for Duke.
22. Chris Livingston
Chris Livingston might be the best player in the Class of 2022.Instagram: @whois.chriss
Followers: 52,200
School: Western Reserve Academy (Hudson, Ohio)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 175 pounds
Position: Shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 3 overall (2021), NE Ohio Inland District Division II Player of the Year (2019), FIBA Americas U16 Championship MVP (2019)
Bottom Line: Chris Livingston
Chris Livingston played for Team USA and was the MVP of the FIBA Americas U16 Championships in 2019.The top shooting guard in the Class of 2022, Chris Livingston has the kind of elite skills that likely will make him an NBA lottery pick sooner than later.
With two years of high school basketball left, those raw skills will need to develop into more of a polished game offensively, but he's already an elite rebounder and tenacious defender, which translates well to the next level.
Livingston was the best player on the floor for the U.S. in leading them to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in 2019, when he took home Most Valuable Player honors and led the team in scoring.
21. Daeshun Ruffin
Daeshun Ruffin is the rare blue-chip prospect that's not at least 6-feet tall.Instagram: @iamdaeshunn_
Followers: 58,800
School: Callaway High School (Jackson, Mississippi)
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 155 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Class 5A state champion (2020), Class 5A all-state (2020), Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen (2019-20)
Bottom Line: Daeshun Ruffin
Daeshun Ruffin is one of the most explosive scorers in the country.Daeshun Ruffin is an example of great things coming in small packages. He's one of the most explosive scorers in the country and is just 5-foot-10 (some even list him at 5-9).
Ruffin's stop-and-pop jump shot can go up from anywhere past half court and is almost impossible to guard. On defense, he's an absolute disruptor who can guard the other team's point guard and get plenty of steals.
One knock is he turns the ball over too much and doesn't get enough assists. But that's nitpicking.
20. Isael Silva
Isael Silva is committed to play for Stanford.Instagram: @air_isa
Followers: 73,600
School: Prolific Prep (Napa, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 31 overall (2021), 247Sports No. 3 point guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Isael Silva
Isael Silva could be one of the best player in the Pac-12 as a freshman in 2021-22.Isael Silva might be the best recruit headed to "The Farm" to play for Stanford in quite some time.
Silva has great size for a point guard and an off-the-charts basketball IQ that could see him averaging 12 points and 7 assists per game out of the gate.
Silva used the quarantine to apparently lift every single weight he could get his hands on and has added some serious muscle — dude got ripped.
19. Jaden Hardy
Jaden Hardy was the Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.Instagram: @jhardy
Followers: 76,600
School: Coronado High School (Henderson, Nevada)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), three-time Class 4A all-state (2018-2020), Team USA Junior National Program (2018-present)
Bottom Line: Jaden Hardy
Jaden Hardy is already a three-time All-State selection headed into his senior season.Jaden Hardy is already projected as a first-round pick in the NBA draft and could play his way into the lottery with a solid freshman season wherever he chooses to play college basketball.
Hardy averaged 30.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.4 assists as a junior on the way to leading Coronado High to the Class 4A regional semifinals.
Hardy is already a three-time all-state selection and was named Nevada's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.
18. Jaylen Murray
Jaylen Murray is closing in on 100,000 followers on Instagram.Instagram: @_juju.3
Followers: 82,200
School: Putnam Science Academy (Putnam, Connecticut)
Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 140 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 31 point guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Jaylen Murray
Jaylen Murray is one of the shortest blue-chip players in the country at 5-foot-9.Jaylen Murray might be the shortest player on this list at 5-foot-9, but he's a point guard who we should see playing in a Power Five conference very, very soon.
Murray's rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, and the Bronx, New York, native left home to play for powerhouse prep school Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
Murray's only got one Power Five offer so far, but it's a dandy — Texas Tech.
17. Bryce Griggs
Bryce Griggs has transferred from his native Texas to San Ysidro High School in San Diego.Instagram: @griggs_boy32
Followers: 90,200
School: San Ysidro High School (San Diego, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3. 190 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 22 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Bryce Griggs
Bryce Griggs was part of a mass exodus of Texas' top basketball talent switching schools after the 2019-20 season.Bryce Griggs is considered one of the top point guards in the Class of 2022 and left his native Texas to team up with top 2023 prospect Mikey Williams at San Diego's San Ysidro High School.
In a kind of stunning aside, the three top prospects in Texas all switched schools in the offseason — Griggs, Keyonte George and JaVier Francis.
16. Elijah Fisher
Elijah Fisher could be the next top NBA prospect to come out of Canada.Instagram: @iamelijahfisher
Followers: 90,600
School: Crestwood Prep (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 195 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: NBN Magazine No. 4 overall (2023)
Bottom Line: Elijah Fisher
There have been two No. 1 overall picks out of Canada. Could Elijah Fisher be the next one?When all of the official 2023 class rankings start hitting the internet soon, don't be surprised to see Canadian phenom Elijah Fisher at the top of some of those rankings.
Canadians coming to America and taking over the game are nothing new. We've even had several No. 1 overall NBA draft picks from Canada in the last decade with Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins.
15. Meechie Johnson
Meechie Johnson earned praise for how he handled the rehab for his knee injury.Instagram: @meechie.1
Followers: 100,000
School: Garfield Heights High School (Cleveland, Ohio)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247 Sports No. 14 point guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Meechie Johnson
Meechie Johnson tore his ACL aft the end of his sophomore season but came back stronger than ever.Ohio State commit Meechie Johnson tore his ACL at the end of his sophomore season but was fully recovered and showed he's still the same player that made him one of the top recruits in his class.
Johnson has earned praise for his strength and actually plays for his uncle, Sonny Johnson, at Garfield Heights.
14. Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga is the No. 1 player in the Class of 2021.Instagram: @jonathan_kuminga
Followers: 123,000
School: The Patrick School (Hillside, New Jersey)
Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2021 (adjusted)
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 overall (2021)
Bottom Line: Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kuminga chose to play in the NBA G-League instead of playing his senior year of high school basketball.Yes, we had to fudge a little bit to get Jonathan Kuminga on this list. But here we are. The 6-foot-8 small forward from the Congo is an athletic marvel who has been at the top of national recruiting lists since his sophomore year.
Kuminga, thinking outside the box, decided to go with the NBA's brand-new G-League Select Team in July 2020, signing a one-year contract to play at the professional level for one year before being eligible for the 2021 NBA draft, where he seems like a surefire lottery pick.
13. J.D. Davison
J.D. Davison was the Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.Instagram: @jdavison02
Followers: 119,000
School: The Calhoun School (Letohatchee, Alabama)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 175 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Montgomery Metro Player of the Year (2019, 2020), Class 2A state champion (2020)
Bottom Line: J.D. Davison
J.D. Davison successfully completed this dunk attempt.J.D. Davison is the No. 2-ranked point guard in the entire country for the class of 2021 and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win the Class 2A Alabama state championship in 2020.
Davison's stat line as a junior was amazing — 33.4 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 5.0 assists and 4.0 blocks.
Getting Davison would be a glorious day for in-state Alabama.
12. Azzi Fudd
Azzi Fudd is the No. 1 girls player in the Class of 2021.Instagram: @azzi35
Followers: 146,000
School: St. John's College High School (Washington D.C.)
Height: 5-foot-11
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: ESPN No. 1 overall (2021)
Bottom Line: Azzi Fudd
Azzi Fudd has been on Power Five recruiting radars since she was in middle school.Azzi Fudd is the most sought-after girls basketball prospect in the Class of 2021 and has been on the national recruiting radar since she was in middle school.
Fudd, who still hadn't picked a college in September 2020, has no holes in her game and is deadly beyond the 3-point arc.
It's not hard to see her as a No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in a few years.
11. Amari Bailey
You don't want to get into a dunk contest against Amari Bailey.Instagram: @amari__bailey
Followers: 175,000
School: Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 2 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Amari Bailey
Amari Bailey plays for Sierra Canyon School.Amari Bailey is part of the high-profile, high-impact lineup at Sierra Canyon School, but even though he's listed as a combo guard he projects more as a shooting guard.
The problem there is that Bailey is only 6-foot-4, so that's a bit undersized for a high-level college or NBA player at that position.
10. Chet Holmgren
Chet Holmgren is a 7-foot center who is dangerous shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.Instagram: @chet_holmgren
Followers: 181,000
School: Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Height/weight: 7-foot, 190 pounds
Position: Center
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 overall (2021), two-time Class 2A state champion (2018, 2019)
Bottom Line: Chet Holmgren
Heat-check photo from blue-chip prospect Chet Holmgren.One of the more intriguing prospects to come along in years, video of Chet Holmgren went viral after it showed the 7-footer dribbling through defenders, nailing 3-pointers and blocking shots.
Holmgren's skills translate to the NBA, and he's already a lock to be a lottery pick whenever he's able to make the leap.
Cue up his highlight reel when you get a chance.
9. Skyy Clark
Skyy Clark has a really cool name for an elite basketball player.Instagram: @skyy
Followers: 240,000
School: Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tennessee)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3. 200 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 15 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Skyy Clark
Skyy Clark has resisted pressure to reclassify to the Class of 2021 from the Class of 2022.Like many players on this list, Skyy Clark finds himself playing for a team halfway across the country from where he actually grew up because of his prodigious basketball skills.
Clark is a college-ready point guard who seems to be leaning toward Kentucky or North Carolina.
Despite some pressure to reclassify to the Class of 2021, Clark has said multiple times he's staying in the Class of 2022.
8. Zion Harmon
Zion Harmon is the top-rated recruit in Western Kentucky University's history.Instagram: @zionharmon3
Followers: 312,000
School: Marshall County High (Benton, Kentucky)
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 160 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 point guard (2021), ESPN 100 No. 19 overall (2021)
Bottom Line: Zion Harmon
Zion Harmon has played for five different high schools.If you're trying to understand the odyssey of the elite level basketball recruit, take a look at Marshall County point guard Zion Harmon, a Western Kentucky commit who picked the Hilltoppers over his many Power Five suitors.
Harmon began playing varsity basketball in the seventh grade (in Kentucky you can play five years of high school basketball) and is now at his fourth high school in five years.
How special is Harmon? Do you remember seeing a lot of Top 50 recruits that are 5-foot-10?
7. Gabe Cupps
Gabe Cupps became Instagram famous when a video of him shooting against LeBron James went viral.Instagram: @gabecupps23
Followers: 348,000
School: Centerville High School (Dayton, Ohio)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 155 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: Coast2Coast Preps No. 68 overall (2023), All-Ohio Division I (2020)
Bottom Line: Gabe Cupps
Gabe Cupps grew two inches from 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-1 over his freshman year of high school.Here's one way to get really, really Instagram famous at a young age — challenge LeBron James to a 3-point shooting contest and almost beat him.
Then, have LeBron post the video on his personal Instagram account and call you out as the best shooter in the Class of 2023.
That's what happened to Gabe Cupps, who was an all-state pick in Ohio as a freshman.
6. Emoni Bates
Emoni Bates is the best high school basketball prospect since LeBron James in 2003.Instagram: @emoni21
Followers: 352,000
School: Lincoln High (Ypsilanti, Michigan)
Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 200 pounds
Position: Small forward
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 overall (2022), ESPN 100 No. 1 overall (2022), Gatorade National Player of the Year (2020), Ann Arbor News Player of the Year (2019)
Bottom Line: Emoni Bates
Emoni Bates will be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft whenever he's eligible.Emoni Bates is the best high school basketball prospect to come along since LeBron James in 2003.
Bates has been on the radar of NBA teams and elite college coaches since he was 12 years old and, even with two years of high school basketball left, would be the hands-down No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft were he allowed to enter his name.
Bates averaged 33.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals in 2019-20. Bates only has three pictures on his Instagram account right now — he's scrubbed his account almost totally — but his bio says he'll be back again soon.
5. Jahzare Jackson
Jahzare Jackson is one of the more intriguing center prospects in the country.Instagram: @jahzarre
Followers: 491,000
School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
Height/weight: 7-foot, 290 pounds
Position: Center
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: ESPN No. 1 center (2023)
Bottom Line: Jahzare Jackson
Jahzare Jackson was 7-feet tall and 280 pounds as a sophomore in high school.Jahzare Jackson drew national interest two years ago when he played on the AAU team sponsored by LeBron James and alongside LeBron's son, Bronny.
It's not hard to see why Jackson got so much attention. He's already 7-foot and almost 300 pounds and is widely considered the best post prospect in his class.
And he's got almost a half-million Instagram followers.
4. Dior Johnson
Dior Johnson is committed to play for Syracuse.Instagram: @diorr
Followers: 553,000
School: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2022
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 overall (2022)
Bottom Line: Dior Johnson
Dior Johnson plays AAU basketball in front of LeBron James.If prep superstar Dior Johnson reclassifies to the Class of 2021 it would be a huge benefit for Syracuse, where he's already committed in no small part thanks to a grade-school friendship with Syracuse guard Buddy Boeheim.
The big question about Johnson is if he could do what another big-time Syracuse recruit did just a few years ago when Darius Bazley decided to go straight to the NBA G League instead of playing a year of college basketball.
3. Zaire Wade
Zaire Wade is the son of NBA legend Dwyane Wade.Instagram: @zaire
Followers: 2 million
School: Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, New Hampshire)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2021
Career highlights: 247Sports No. 26 combo guard (2021)
Bottom Line: Zaire Wade
Zaire Wade played for Sierra Canyon School in 2019-20.Zaire Wade, the son of NBA legend Dwyane Wade, played his junior year at Sierra Canyon School with Bronny James but transferred to Brewster Academy for his senior season after limited playing time.
Recruiting analysts have been critical of Zaire for his tendency to try and make flashy plays over basic plays.
2. Mikey Williams
Mikey Williams has a staggering 2.4 million Instagram followers.Instagram: @mikey
Followers: 2.4 million
School: San Ysidro High School (San Diego, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 175 pounds
Position: Point guard
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: ESPN No. 3 overall (2023)
Bottom Line: Mikey Williams
Mikey Williams scored 77 points in a game as a high school freshman.Try to wrap your head around the phenomenon that is Mikey Williams — a high school sophomore (not from a famous family) with 2.4 million Instagram followers.
Williams is a point guard who seems ready to dominate on any level and scored 77 points in a game his freshman year.
Williams has already released his Top 10 schools, including five HBCUs.
1. Bronny James
Sierra Canyon guard Bronny James.Instagram: @bronnyjames
Followers: 5.5 million
School: Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, California)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 170 pounds
Position: Point guard/shooting guard
Graduation year: 2023
Career highlights: ESPN No. 24 overall (2023)
Bottom Line: Bronny James
LeBron James, left, with his son, Sierra Canyon School guard Bronny James.Who doesn't love Bronny? We've all watched him grow up, so let's just go ahead and induct LeBron Raymone James Jr. into the Celebrity Kids Hall of Fame right now.
The gregarious, oldest child of NBA superstar LeBron James turns 16 in October 2020 and has a staggering 5.5 million followers (and rising) on his Instagram account, where fans can follow the lives of his famous family.
News flash — Bronny's got it pretty good.
Related:Best High School Basketball Player in Every State