Arizona 2021 Watch List: Guards to Watch
The class of 2021 is officially on campus. Although we have not released rankings, here are some guards who made an impact on the varsity level this summer. This group should be in competition for playing on the varsity level this season despite their freshman status. Below is a watch list of five of the top guards in the class of 2021.
2021 Watch List: Guards to Watch
Tyrone “Ty Ty” Washington 5’10 PG Cesar Chavez
Ty Ty Washington and Ricardo Sarmiento Ricardo Sarmiento 5'11" | PG Phhoenix Prep | 2021 State AZ were mentioned recently in an article due to their abilities to play immediately. Both players played with Cesar Chavez’s varsity team this summer and played big roles. Washington is physically strong enough to play at the varsity level from day 1. In addition, most freshman who play at the varsity level usually play strategic and limited roles. However, Washington is ready to score the basketball now. He has a good feel for the game and a strong mid-range jumper. Further, he can shoot it from deep and get into the paint.
Ricardo Sarmiento Ricardo Sarmiento 5'11" | PG Phhoenix Prep | 2021 State AZ 5’11 PG Cesar Chavez
Sarmiento is as good of a shooter as there is in this class. He has a quick release and a confident touch. Despite being new to this level, he does not look it. He has no issues with taking big shots. Sarmiento plays with a chip on his shoulder and will be ready to make an impact despite Chavez already having plenty of talent. On defense, Sarmiento is a solid on ball defender who is not afraid of guarding skilled prospects.
Justus Jackson Justus Jackson 6'0" | PG Eduprize | 2021 State AZ 5’10 PG Millennium
Jackson played a lot of varsity minutes for Millennium this summer and earned high praise from his coach. At the TR3 Hoop Summit, he demonstrated his elusive abilities. He has good speed and change of pace on his moves. Further, he is quite athletic despite only being a Freshman. Like the other guards on this 2021 Guard Watch List, his feel for the game is much better than the typical freshman. He can shoot the basketball at a high rate and does not look uncomfortable whatsoever.
Jackson Leyba Jackson Leyba 6'0" | SG Deer Valley | 2021 State AZ 5’10 PG Deer Valley
Leyba has been one of the more aggressive prospects in the class of 2021. At the TR3 Hoop Summit, he was named the MVP of the showcase game due to his ability to get into the paint. He is quick and strong. Further, he does a good job of attacking hips and creating straight line drives. Unlike the other members of this list, it will be interesting to see if Leyba is able to earn playing time early at Deer Valley. Deer Valley returns a plethora of guards who have been receiving playing time since their sophomore years. However, Leyba is without a doubt one of the top guards in this class at this point and worth watching.
JJ White JJ White 6'3" | SG Ironwood | 2021 State AZ 6’0 PG/SG Ironwood
White came off of the bench much of the summer for Ironwood’s varsity team. Although he was not a primary scoring threat in a number of the contests, he looked composed. He has a high basketball IQ and played relatively mistake free basketball. In addition, he shot the basketball extremely well and hit a couple of big shots at crucial moments in games. Defensively, White held his own. White has an extremely high upside. He has been blessed with great athleticism and looks like he will continue to gain more length. Further, he puts a lot of time into his craft and should compete to play meaningful minutes as a freshman.