2021 Rankings Update: Explosive Athletes

<p>The class of 2021 has some great athlete who bring it onto the hardwood. These guys are not only dunkers but each have their own unique playing styles. Each of these guys use there athleticism differently, but are notably great athletes. Here are our picks for the top explosive athletes in the class of 2021.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Jarmell "JJ" Johnson- George Washington</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="770413" first="Jarmell" last="Johnson"] had a stock boosting offseason, maybe one of the most improved out of anyone. Over the summer JJ started playing more assertive then we have seen before. He attacks the rim with aggression, and can jump with the best of athletes. On the defensive end he is a pestering presence, often jumping passing lanes to start fastbreaks, and on those fastbreaks you can bet he is finishing with a big jam!  When attacking in traffic JJ can hang in the air and finish through contact. Also from the outside he has a good set jumpshot. JJ is coming in at a well deserved top 10 spot in the class of 2021.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="759260" first="Deangelo" last="Horn"]- Smoky Hill</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="759260" first="Deangelo" last="Horn"] is someone who always seems to be in the right spot at the right time. He is a slasher who is one of the best finishers at the rim in the state. What helps him finish so well is his great athleticism, he even had arguably the best collection of body to body dunks out of anyone in the state last year. Deangelo can play either forward position, he attacks the offensive class well inside, always crashing the boards looking for easy putbacks. Despite not being a super tall player he often is able to rebound with bigger guys due to his elite athleticism and hustle. Deangelo also has a good mid range jumper and his three point shot started to look good towards the end of the summer. Watch out for Deangelo to have a big step up in production being one of Smoky Hill’s few returning players. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916955" first="Donta" last="Dawson"]- Colorado Prep</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="916955" first="Donta" last="Dawson"] is a player who knows how to score with a ball in his hands. Donta has a great downhill game, and with his focus on the rim it is hard to stop him. He has a bulky body that allows him to move players and finish through contact in the air, he even had one of the best posterizing dunks in the Pangos Best of Colorado camp. But Donta is not someone who can only finish at the rim, he can mix up well from mid range. Donta is a slasher who has a knack for backdoor cuts and finding open cutting lanes. I can not wait to see Donta compete on the Real Grind Session with Colorado Prep!</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965739" first="Eddie" last="Kurjak"]- Longmont</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="965739" first="Eddie" last="Kurjak"] is a raw big man with a lot of potential. Eddie is one of the best athletes in Colorado basketball right now, at 6’8 he runs the floor great and is very bouncey. This bouciness allows Eddie to finish above the rim with a soft touch, he also gets up and blocks shots on the defensive end. Eddie is not the prototypical post big man but he will box out hard, grab boards, and has high upside for being a pick and roll/pick and pop type guy. His shot is not deadly but you do not want to leave him open from mid range. I am excited to keep tracking Eddie and seeing how he develops. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770404" first="Tyce" last="Baldwin"]- Fossil Ridge</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="770404" first="Tyce" last="Baldwin"] is a player who looks the part of an athletic wing. Tyce has great bulk which allows him to finish through contact and make shots that sometimes look impossible. Tyce is someone who has a good ability to score from all three levels. He has a good set jumper from three point and mid range, also has a soft touch on floaters near the rim. Tyce is a player who gets low on the defensive end and can guard multiple positions.  Tyce is also someone who does mind playing a role, being a good cutter he does not need the ball in his hands to be productive. Tyce has one D2 offer as of now, I think he has potential to be a great role player at the D2 level. </p>