2021 Texas Rankings: Newcomers from Austin-Metroplex

PrepHoops <a href="https://prephoops.com/texas/rankings/2021-rankings/">2021 Texas Rankings</a> dropped earlier this week and 13 players from the Austin-Metroplex made the list. Westlake Power Forward [player_tooltip player_id="773413" first="KJ" last="Adams"] (#5), Leander Small Forward [player_tooltip player_id="887044" first="Noah" last="Robledo"] (#24), Bowie Shooting Guard [player_tooltip player_id="779878" first="Coleton" last="Benson"] (#27), Westlake Point Guard [player_tooltip player_id="887098" first="Eain" last="Mowat"] (#105), and Bowie Small Forward [player_tooltip player_id="887091" first="Cade" last="Holzman"] (#107) highlight the group of players who were already included in the rankings, with eight new names added in the latest update.   Here are the new names from the Austin-Metroplex that made the 2021 Texas Rankings:   [player_tooltip player_id="1027617" first="Jaden" last="Williams"] | 5-11 PG | Pflugerville Hendrickson Ranking: 49 <ul> <li>A dual-sport athlete who is committed to Tulane to play football and basketball, Williams made a huge leap in the state rankings from being unranked to the number 49 overall player (#12 point guard) in Texas. Williams is a terrific athlete with great quick-twitch movements, explosive leaping ability, and a fantastic short-area burst. Is a smooth finisher at the rim with his left hand, and can beat defenses with his pull-up mid-range game. Williams averaged 16.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.7 rebounds for Hendrickson during his junior season, leading the team in both scoring and assists.</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1027622" first="Tristin" last="Thomas"] | 5-11 SG | Northeast Early College Ranking: 126 <ul> <li>An electric deep-range shooter, Thomas excelled at the shooting guard position with Northeast during his junior year. Thomas is a great catch-and-shoot three-point shooter with NBA range, and he can light up the scoreboard in a hurry. Quick off the jump, and has great burst towards the basket. Can create his own shot, and is an efficient scorer. Plays feisty defense and is all energy when on the court. You can see the passion he plays with game-in and game-out, consistently bringing the juice for his team. Has the potential to transition to point guard, as he showed good court vision and playmaking ability. Thomas' impressive play with the Raiders earned him a selection on the TABC 5A All-Region Team.</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1027621" first="Luke" last="Kiser"] | 6-2 PG | Burnet Ranking: 132 <ul> <li>Kiser is as tough a player in the Central Texas area that you'll find, high-effort on both sides of the court with great defensive traits. Kiser is constantly seen making the tough plays look easy while putting his body on the line to help his team. Really good lateral quickness on defense, and had 121 total steals for Burnet during his junior season. Averaged 14 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 4 steals per contest last season. Can hurt opponents in several ways on offense, but does a good job penetrating the lane and getting to the basket. He made a huge leap in the 2021 Austin Rankings, jumping from number 23 overall to inside the top ten at number 8 overall. Kiser had a great summer playing with ProSkills Austin, earning himself offers from UT-Dallas and Mary Hardin-Baylor. </li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1027619" first="LD" last="Butler"] | 6-5 SF | Bowie Ranking: 138 <ul> <li>Butler has great size and frame for the wing position, and projects as a high upside small forward with good athleticism and length. Is a very strong defensive prospect, as he can guard the 1-4 positions. Was tasked with guarding some of the best forwards in the area during his junior year at Bowie and was able to create havoc and turnovers. Butler is just scratching the surface of his offensive ability, but he has a promising deep-range shot. Is a slasher and can finish above the rim, and does a great job running the floor and finishing on fast-break opportunities. Butler is a prospect to keep an eye on moving forward as he could have a huge senior year for the Bulldogs. Butler recently received an offer from Texas Lutheran University.</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1027620" first="Braedyn" last="Dawes"] | 6-3 SG | Vista Ridge Ranking: 139 <ul> <li>Dawes is another prospect who saw his stock rise after a great summer playing with ProSkills Austin. A true shooting guard with great deep-range shooting, Dawes possesses the ability to create his own shot from beyond-the-arc. Shows great movement without the ball to get open, smooth at coming around screens, and a quick catch-and-release from three-point territory. Has a variety of moves to create separation for his shot, including crossover step-back shots and effective pump fakes. Dawes was selected to the District 13-6A First Team after he averaged 17.4 points per game for Vista Ridge during his junior season. He also landed several offers this summer, including the University of Dallas, Texas Lutheran University, Eastern Nazarene College, Schreiner University, Southwestern University, Maranatha Baptist University, Trinity University, and Mary Hardin-Baylor.</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1039048" first="Jailen" last="Bedford"] | 6-3 SG | Hutto Ranking: 143 <ul> <li style="text-align: left;">Bedford is quickly rising up the rankings due to his great play this summer with ASAK Elite and is looking potentially at a huge senior year with Hutto. A bouncy athlete with a solid frame, Bedford excels at getting to the rim and is a lethal shooter in the mid-range. Does a great job of creating separation for his pull-up jumper and is highly efficient in the mid-range. Shot 34% from beyond-the-arc as a junior and 80% from the charity stripe. Bedford made a statement with his play at the ASAK Nation Classic last month going against some of the top prospects in Texas, earning himself an All-Tournament Team selection. Bedford also was selected to District 18-5A First Team during his junior season.</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1041910" first="Petia" last="Dogale"] | 6-6 PF | Austin High Ranking: 144 <ul> <li>Dogale is one of the biggest sleeper prospects in Texas for the 2021 class, and he constantly made "wow" plays for T.H.P. Elite during the grassroots circuit this summer. Has a great frame to add strength with incredibly long arms. A true rim protector who is a shot-blocking monster, Dogale is an aggressive defender with a non-stop motor. Plays with great anticipation and has an explosive leaping ability. Does a good job of battling for rebounds. Runs the floor well and is a threat to have a posterizing dunk each game. Strong in the pick-and-roll game, and has a soft touch on his mid-range shot. Dogale could see a huge rankings bump with a big senior season for Austin High.</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id="1039047" first="Jaylen" last="Thompson"] | 6-3 CG | Leander Glenn Ranking: 157 <ul> <li>A combo guard with good size and strength, Thompson is a pure scorer from the guard position who provides position flexibility with his ability to also play point guard. Can score in a variety of ways, including step-back threes, pull-up jumpers, and finishing above the rim. Is aggressive going downhill attacking the basket, and has the strength to finish through contact. Thompson also has smooth ball-handling skills and creates his own shot, as well as opening up opportunities for his teammates. Thompson was selected to District 17-5A First Team and Offensive MVP. He recently landed an offer from Mary Hardin-Baylor.</li> </ul>