Prospects To Watch: 2021 Small Forwards

<p>To preview the 2020-21 high school basketball season, Prep Hoops Wisconsin takes a look at six of the top small forwards in the state: </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="544570" first="Patrick" last="Baldwin Jr."] -- 6-foot-8 -- Sussex Hamilton</strong></p> <p>Baldwin has been the top prospect in Wisconsin's 2021 class for quite some time. And at this point, nobody is going to steal that number one spot from the Sussex Hamilton small forward. Baldwin is an unstoppable offensive player who can do whatever he wants when he gets the ball in his hands. He is big and strong enough to drive to the rim and skilled enough to knock down outside shots. Whichever school ends up snagging Baldwin will be getting a special talent</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="804893" first="David" last="Joplin"] -- 6-foot-6 -- Brookfield Central</strong></p> <p>Baldwin may be the consensus number one prospect, but you can't forget about Joplin. In two matchups against Sussex Hamilton last season, the Brookfield Central small forward played very well and led his team to victories. Joplin -- a Texas commit -- is a dangerous weapon on the offensive end of the court. At 6-foot-6, the SF has great positional size, which he can use to bully defenders in the paint. He also has a rapidly improving outside shot that makes him very tough to guard. Expect another big season from Joplin. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="804897" first="James" last="Graham"] -- 6-foot-9 -- Nicolet</strong></p> <p>There was a point in time where Graham was probably the hottest prospect in the nation. Marquette, Wisconsin, Butler, Memphis, Arizona State, Auburn, Oregon, and many other programs offered scholarships to the Nicolet small forward. After his blowup on the recruiting trail, Graham proved that he was the real deal while playing with Wisconsin Playground Club in the summer. He showed his versatile offensive skill set. As a scorer, Graham is very difficult to stop because he can score very well from all three levels. The small forward will be taking his talents to Maryland at the conclusion of his high school career.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="879979" first="Brayden" last="Dailey"] -- 6-foot-5 -- Cuba City</strong></p> <p>Dailey is a prospect that I have grown to love. He is a sniper from outside, a very underrated athlete, and a smart player that doesn't make too many mistakes. Dailey makes the hustle plays like a glue guy, but he has the skill of a star. The small forward was terrific with Cuba City in his junior season, and he is well prepared to repeat his success in the 2020-2021 season. Look for Dailey to become a major part of UW-Green Bay's future. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="764118" first="John" last="Lovelace"] -- 6-foot-7 -- Brown Deer</strong></p> <p>It is a shame that the 2020 AAU season was not complete. Because if Lovelace was able to play on the Nike EYBL, I think that he would be on the radars of a lot of college programs. He still has put together a nice offer list, but I know that Lovelace would have attracted some top schools if he had the opportunity to showcase his skills. The small forward is a long, athletic prospect that is a problem on defense and in transition. Lovelace has also progressed as an isolation scorer in the halfcourt. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="879983" first="Antuan" last="Nesbitt"] -- 6-foot-3 -- The Prairie School  </strong></p> <p>Nesbitt was one of the biggest stock risers from the shortened summer AAU season. Playing for the Wisconsin Sharks and Movement Hoops Elite, the small forward showed that he is one of the most versatile players in Wisconsin. He can make threes, play really tough defense, drive to the rim, and make winning plays. Recently, I have seen clips of Nesbitt dominating local fall league competition. </p>