Top 30 Point Guards (2021)
The Class of 2021 rankings are here!
Always remember at PrepHoops.com we rank on what a player WILL BE, not on what they are today. In no way does this mean stop striving, because rankings always have flaws and always overlook good players.
The 2021 forwards lack depth and require quite a bit of imagination to project three years into the future (college). A few of the top players are absolutely forwards. For example, Zander Yates, Jason Amsler and Kendal Ducksworth are traditional bigs with size and blossoming skills to always be bigs. Matthew Thurman probably belongs in that mix too.
Most sophomores-to-be have a little growing left to do vertically. Will Keaton Allen or Cameron Bell grow? If not they can easily compete as wings later in their high school careers.
Of course this can all change and rankings are merely a flashpoint of speculation on who will do the most after high school. Still, these players earned their current rankings with play on the court.
The top 20 point guards were already featured.
If you want to look at the complete rankings, smash here.
The following list reveals the top 30 point guards in the state alongside their statewide overall ranking. The first player listed is the #21 point guard, and also the #63 overall player in Tennessee in 2021.
#63 Tony Farrar (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy)
Tony struggled to find the right AAU program this summer. The perpetual search for a cohesive unit made his acclimation difficult. With HHCA Farrar competed against exceptional guards (Jordan Rawls, Tre Edwards, etc.) and will continue to do so. His speed with the basketball is key, but the outside shot needs to improve to expand his offensive weaponry. Tony needs to be paired with teammates who are better than him to be dominant. His passing ability doesn’t really matter when he runs with junky teammates who can’t finish…which he has done at times this summer.
#64 Yerald Mieses (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy)
Yerald is a new name in Tennessee. HHCA recruited him from Dominican Republic. The 6-foot-1 point guard is still getting acclimated and learning English. What he offers immediately is vision, quick feet, and an impressive shooting stroke. Ideally Yerald will backup Jordan Rawls this year and either he or Tony will assume the position in 2019-2020.
#67 Tony Thompson Jr. (Cane Ridge)
Tony is slightly undersized for the position. He played up much of the year with Tennessee Edge 16u, which gave him some challenging defenders. Thompson Jr. will have difficult practices at Cane Ridge this winter, which again will challenge him. Expect Thompson Jr. to embrace the challenges.
#68 Jace McWilliams (Upperman)
I always love a coach’s kid. Like the son of a preacher knows the bible coach’s kids always know the game inside and out. Jace is the son of two high school coaches. His mother and father both coach and both played D1 basketball for Tennessee Tech. Jace is feisty, gritty, and skilled.
#69 Harrison Kelly (Christian Brothers)
Currently a quality catch-and-shoot guy, Harrison will probably be required to play point guard in college. The shooting makes him difficult to check. With Christian Brothers his ball-handling duties are minimal, so it has been tough to get a read on his dribbling ability. Highlight reel.
#71 Eli Federman (Christian Brothers)
Teammate of Reese McMullen and Harrison Kelly, Eli Federman is extremely skilled and dangerously quick with or without the basketball. The glaring concern with Eli is size. As effective as Eli is at the high school level he will have real trouble getting any shots off 8′ and in at the college level without more height. It is a sad reality of the game, but guards under 5-foot-8 essentially lose any halfcourt finishes in the lane to the waiting hands of help defenders. Eli’s speed on the break is exceptional.
#72 Houston Dyer (Knoxville Catholic)
In the last four months Houston has grown to 6-foot-0. Projecting long term guard height is very important. You can find Dyer running with Tennessee Fury 15u.
#74 PJay Smith (Goodpasture)
When he is at his pest PJay Smith is penetrating and drawing fouls. Playing with Goodpasture as a sophomore he should be scoring 15 ppg. There are virtually no opponents on their schedule with quicker point guards than Smith. With RSD 15u Smith usually defers a touch encouraging and facilitating other scorers.
#75 Josh Cole (East Nashville)
At 5-foot-10 Josh Cole played only sparingly for one of East Nashville’s greatest teams of All-Time. What he did give is invested defense and elevated practice effort. No cameras or media really notice it, but practice energy and skill helps starters prepare in a very realistic way. Cole runs with Tennessee Court Kings 15u. Cole gives them defense too. The best attributes for Cole are currently tenacity and good upper body strength. Read more about Cole’s AAU contributions here.
#78 Kendrick Beard (Sacred Heart)
As a freshman with a 17-win team Kendrick scored 6.5 ppg on 45% shooting. Typically shooting percentages improve each year of high school. Beard is quick with the basketball and unafraid of getting shots up. Of course he can improve shot selection. With his confidence and athleticism the foundation is solid for building out.
Is this list no good? Do you disagree? Tweet @PrepHoopsTN and let your complaints known. Share your top 2021 point guards and let the debate begin!