2022 Updated Rankings: FREE Overview
It’s the second year that we are doing our class of 2022 rankings for the state of Virginia and this class seems very intriguing so far. While there’s a ways to go there are a lot of sophomores who played and contributed on very good teams across the state, and quite a few that area already on college radars as well. We have expanded our rankings from 60 to 80 players, dropping a few from reclassifications and moves and adding quite a few that have come in as well. Below you’ll see a free overview of our rankings, and stay tuned for more in depth breakdowns including all the new faces in our rankings and positional rankings as well. Enjoy!
*Side Note: These rankings are both subjective and schedule to change, and we’re sure there will be more kids that will play their way in with time!
Changes in the Top 10
While the top two prospects in Jayden Epps Jayden Epps 6'1" | CG Combine Academy | 2022 State #41 Nation NC and Maliq Brown Maliq Brown 6'8" | PF Blue Ridge | 2022 State #123 Nation VA stayed the same, there was quite a bit of movement in the top 10. East Rockingham wing Tyler Nickel Tyler Nickel 6'8" | SF East Rockingham | 2022 State #85 Nation VA moves up to 3 after an All State year, and Landstown All Start guard Donald Hand Jr. Donald Hand Jr. 6'5" | CG Landstown | 2022 State #93 Nation VA moves up three spots to 4. Varina’s Alphonzo Billups Alphonzo Billups 6'7" | SF Varina | 2022 State #154 Nation VA is the biggest riser in the top 10 moving up 8 spots from 15 to 7, while Western Branch combo guard Efrem ‘Butta’ Johnson Efrem ‘Butta’ Johnson 6'4" | NA lbs | SG Grissom | 2022 State #NA Nation AL moves up 4 spots from 12 to 8.
Long Term vs. Production Now
One of the hardest parts about ranking prospects so young is trying to find a balance between possible potential over the next few years and guys who are shining right now. This class is especially loaded with young talent playing major roles on good teams now, and while many of them also project to be highly recruited kids moving forward we also have to take into account the potential of certain players, which isn’t easy. Growth spurts from both a height and athletic perspective have to be taken into account and could dramatically change the rankings moving forward, as well as looking at who has the most room to improve and who has shown improvement so far which is a good measure for who will reach that potential moving forward. It’s one of the toughest tasks we have to do and it is what makes rankings so difficult and so controversial as well.
Guard Heavy in the East, Bigs/Wings in the Rest
There’s been a lot of talk about the young guard play in the 757, and for very good reason as there is a lot of depth in that area. There are three guards from the 757 ranked in the top 10 and 6 in the top 21, however there is limited inclusion of other positions in that area, which isn’t that surprising considering it is a very guard oriented area.
However, the further west and north you go the more you start to see the other positions. In the top 10, five of the players are wings or bigs in the central and northern regions of the state, and the further down you go the more you see. The development of these positions, particularly wings with size and long term bigs, have typically come out of the Richmond area and boarding schools in the central VA area, while the NOVA area has a string of talented prospects waiting their turn in one of the most talented basketball areas in the country.
Positional Breakdown
PG: 19
CG: 11
SG: 13
SF: 11
PF: 14
C: 2
Top 10
1) Jayden Epps Jayden Epps 6'1" | CG Combine Academy | 2022 State #41 Nation NC | 6’1″ PG | King’s Fork | Boo Williams |
2) Maliq Brown Maliq Brown 6'8" | PF Blue Ridge | 2022 State #123 Nation VA | 6’8″ PF | Blue Ridge | Team Loaded VA |
3) Tyler Nickel Tyler Nickel 6'8" | SF East Rockingham | 2022 State #85 Nation VA | 6’6″ WF | East Rockingham | Team Loaded VA |
4) Donald Hand Jr. Donald Hand Jr. 6'5" | CG Landstown | 2022 State #93 Nation VA | 6’4″ CG | Landstown | Team Loaded VA |
5) Knasir “Dug” McDaniel | 5’9″ PG | Paul VI | Team Takeover |
6) Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2022 State #156 Nation FL | 6’5″ WG | St. Anne’s-Belfield | Team Takeover |
7) Alphonso “Fatts” Billups | 6’5″ WG | Varina | VA Havoc |
8) Efrem “Butta” Johnson | 6’3″ CG | Western Branch | Boo Williams |
9) Jaden Daughtry Jaden Daughtry 6'6" | SF Benedictine College Prep | 2022 VA | 6’5″ PF | Benedictine | |
10) David Soloman | 6’6″ PF | Lake Braddock | Team Durant |