Best of Best: Top Players I Have Covered
In our series “Best of the Best” I look at the Best Players I have covered over the last decade from Illinois and St. Louis.
PF Anthony Davis (Perspectives – 2011)
The first class that I extensively covered when I started out of college was the 2011 class. Anthony Davis was a prospect that went from completely unknown to the best player in the country seemingly overnight. The game I will never forget was a 25 point and 23 rebound performance against De La Salle on the road. He played on one of the worst high school teams I have ever seen in my life, but his talent was absolutely undeniable. Looked like a young KG and that has gone on to be true after winning a national championship at Kentucky he has been among the most elite post players in the NBA for the New Orleans Pelicans. Hall of Fame ability!
SG Bradley Beal (Chaminade, MO – 2011)
Going to college in St. Louis throughout Beal’s career I might have seen him play more than anyone. He was a dominant scorer that could score effectively at all three levels and every time I saw him play there was this buzz in the crowd to see what he would do. Beal committed early in the process to Florida just before his first game as a junior making an announcement at his school (which I couldn’t attend thanks to a test my professor said I couldn’t be excused from). Beal would go on to a dominant high school career followed by another good year with the Gators before being selected by the Washington Wizards #3 overall and is now one of the better shooting guards in the NBA.
SF Jabari Parker (Simeon – 2013)
Parker might be #1 on this list for me. I saw JP for the first time heading into his freshman year playing with Simeon at the Illinois Satellite Camp at Moody Bible. Three things that I loved about Jabari’s career. He got better every year always adding something to his game. He won at an elite level winning four consecutive state titles. Lastly he was one of the nicest and most genuine people that I have ever met and that stands true today. Parker is a versatile scorer that can get buckets in a variety of ways. He did that at Duke for his one year in college before being selected #2 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. Jabari has shown flashes of All-Star potential especially before his second knee injury last year.
C Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young – 2014)
Okafor was an absolute beast from the first time he stepped on a court. I was at one of his very first high school games at the Marion Shootout and you could tell he had special talent with his low post and back to the basket skill level. That continued throughout his career as he teamed up with Paul White and Miles Reynolds to eventually win the Dolphins a state championship as seniors. Okafor was another one and done on this list (seeing a theme?) after leading Duke to a national title he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers where he has seen mixed results because of his style of game and various other reasons.
PF Cliff Alexander (Curie – 2014)
Alexander was a powerful post player that burst onto the scene during the summer between his freshman and sophomore year. In one game I remember he swatted a shot at me to open and winked. Another later in his career he hit back to back threes and did “three goggles” to myself and a friend in the front row. What Alexander did best though was being a dominant rebounder and finisher at the rim. He picked Kansas over Illinois in the infamous “hat trick.” With the Jayhawks he didn’t make much of an impact as he was suspended for part of the season and didn’t play much when he was on the squad. Alexander still declared for the draft and was not selected. Has bounced around the D League since.
PG Tyler Ulis (Marian Catholic – 2014)
Ulis was an electric high school basketball player. The tiny point guard always had his size mentioned before his game. He was a solid prospect with mid-major interest and then as his career progressed he just took it to another level. Ulis was great as a junior and then took it to another stratosphere with Meanstreets on the EYBL circuit. His combination of speed, vision, and leadership attracted coaches coast to coast, but he eventually selected Kentucky. Some were surprised he decided to go to the blue blood, but once again don’t count Ulis out! He was a standout running the show for the Cats for two seasons before being selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round where he has seen his role gradually grow.
SF Keita Bates-Diop (Normal U-High – 2014)
Absolutely loved watching this Normal U-High combo forward play with the Illinois Wolves and his high school team during his career. He had go go gadget arms with his incredible wingspan. He used it with his shot blocking and rebounding on the interior. What made him so intriguing as a prospect was his perimeter shooting. Plus three point shooter. He picked Ohio State in a close recruitment that came down to multiple Big 10 programs. With the Buckeyes he is now entering his senior season where he has a chance to be an All-Big 10 player and an NBA draft choice.
PG Jalen Brunson (Stevenson – 2015)
Brunson was a player we didn’t see much his freshman year, but he put himself on the map the summer after posting big numbers. Brunson led his team to the state championship game three years in a row. He lost the first two times because of a pair of players listed earlier (Parker & Okafor) then finally captured the ring as a senior. He was a spectacular scorer that was quick and shifty with the rock in his hands. Let it fly from three and could score in the lane. Brunson chose Villanova over Illinois. With the Wildcats he won a national championship as a freshman.
SF Jayson Tatum (Chaminade, MO – 2016)
Tatum is one of my favorites because of the player he is on and off the court. Killer on the court that absolutely wants to rip the heart out of his opponent and has the mentality to score at will on anyone. Off the court he is smart, funny, and kind. First time I saw Tatum was before his high school career began at the Fab Frosh Camp in Atlanta. He dominated the camp showing the versatile offensive game that he would go on to be known for. Tatum had a historic career at Chaminade capped with a state title as a senior. He chose to attend Duke over SLU where he would have a big freshman season and be selected #3 overall by the Boston Celtics. He is looked at as one of the potential next stars of the league.
PG Charlie Moore (Morgan Park – 2016)
Moore was never the biggest player, but had the absolute heart of champion. He could always score it. The wiry point guard put up numbers against anyone and everyone with his lethal three point shooting along with quickness off the bounce. Moore steadily saw his stock rise throughout his career to where he was pursed by programs across the country. In the end he initially picked Memphis before decommitting and heading to Cal. After a coaching change he is sitting out this season at Kansas where he will have three years left.
SG Jordan Goodwin (Belleville Althoff – 2017)
Goodwin was a man child throughout his entire career! He personified the term junk yard dog. The 6’4” wing absolutely mauled people on the glass and played physical around the hoop. He could not be stopped going to the rack and was an electric passer too. There was concern about his jump shot throughout his career, but it didn’t matter because literally no one in the high school game could stop him in other areas. Goodwin led his team to a state championship as a junior. He will be a star at St. Louis in the A10.
PG Ayo Dosunmu (Morgan Park – 2018)
Dosunmu is the only current player on this list. The Morgan Park senior is an electric point guard that has a combination of speed, explosion, and scoring pop rarely seen at the high school level. He scores extremely well at the rim. Dosunmu started his career off at Westinghouse and then joined the Mustangs as a sophomore and it has been a non-stop show ever since!