Updated 2022 Rankings: Wings (5-1)
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One of the coolest things about the new Prep Hoops rankings is that it automatically ranks players by position, allowing you to see the rankings among PGs, CGs, SGs, SFs, PFs and Cs. However, new school guys like me who…
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Continue ReadingOne of the coolest things about the new Prep Hoops rankings is that it automatically ranks players by position, allowing you to see the rankings among PGs, CGs, SGs, SFs, PFs and Cs. However, new school guys like me who believe in relatively positionless basketball, as the game trends that way, believes that you can simplify the game to just three positions in guards, wings and bigs.
So, I took the time to breakdown the rankings into the three positions, and have ranked the top 25 in each position. Here’s a look at some of the top shooting guards and small forwards, looking at numbers 5-1 in the new rankings.
5) Jaden Daughtry Jaden Daughtry 6'6" | SF Benedictine College Prep | 2022 VA | 6’5” | LC Bird (#12 Overall)
Daughtry transferred to LC Bird from Benedictine where he was one of the top players in Richmond last year, and he’s made an immediate impact for the Skyhawks who are a favorite in the Class 5 classification of the VHSL this year. Daughtry has the size, athleticism and skill set to be a walking mismatch, and all of those tools he brings to the table makes him very hard to game plan for and stop when he gets it going. He thrives in transition where he can both run the floor and handle it and make plays, he’s an athletic finisher when he gets downhill and he hits the glass hard on both ends. He has a good understanding and feel for the game, and he brings toughness and versatility on both ends of the floor.
4) Alphonzo Billups Alphonzo Billups 6'7" | SF Varina | 2022 State #154 Nation VA | 6’7” | Varina (#9 Overall)
There may not be a guy on this list with more upside than Billups, who showed his versatility and value across the board last year as he helped an upstart Varina program shock a lot of people on their way to the state tournament with a group of sophomores and juniors. While they won’t be playing this year, he’s shown in many events dating back to the summer all of the tools that makes him coveted by schools ranging from the ACC to the A 10 and beyond. At 6’7”, “Fatts” has good length and is a natural athlete that can play above the rim, he can handle the basketball and is a good passer that can make plays for others and he’s an excellent rebounder at his position and can start the break when he grabs a defensive rebound. He has the tools to be a very good defender at the next level, and as he continues to improve his ability to shoot it from deep and create shots for himself and others he’ll continue to see college coaches come his way.
3) Tyler Nickel Tyler Nickel 6'8" | SF East Rockingham | 2022 State #85 Nation VA | 6’6” | East Rockingham (#7 Overall)
Nickel is on pace to break the VHSL scoring record as just a junior at East Rockingham, and he has them set to be the favorite in the VHSL Class 2 this year. The 6’7” wing is starting to garner attention from national rankings and high major coaches over the past summer and fall, and has already gotten off to a terrific start this season in his quest to break the record. Nickel has tremendous on the wing, he has a burner from deep and can get hot quickly and he’s able to create and make tough shots from multiple levels whether it’s off the bounce or working off the basketball. He’s a competitor who wants to play against the best and get the best of them, and he’s a guy who is wired to go and flat out fill it up when he gets it going.
2) Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2022 State #156 Nation FL | 6’6”| St. Anne’s Belfield (#3 Overall)
Taylor may not put up the gaudy numbers that some of the other guys on this list have put up so far in their careers, but when you watch the fluidity of his game and see the trajectory based on the way he’s improved it’s no wonder that he’s a consensus nationally ranked player that continues to garner high major offers from schools all across the country. At 6’6”, he continues to grow into his body and has become an explosive athlete, and he’s turned himself from a knock down stand still shooter into an all-around wing that can do a little bit of everything on the floor. He’s a great shooter from deep still and can work both on and off the ball to get open, he has a good IQ and is a good passer with the ball in his hands and he’s a good defender that will take on the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player. He’s a hard worker who improves every time you see him play, and he’ll continue to see his stock improve as he’s able to show how much he’s gotten better over the past few years.
1) MJ Rice | 6’6” | Oak Hill Academy (#1 Overall)
Rice is considered a consensus top 20 player in the country by national ranking organizations, and he has been showing that as he has emerged as Oak HIll’s top player this season and has been putting up big numbers all year. A strong wing with a terrific skill set, Rice is a player that can beat you in a number of ways including using his strength in the post, his ability to get to spots and finish off the bounce and his ability to shoot it from deep at a high clip. He’s an unselfish guy who understands the game and can make his teammates better, he plays hard on both ends and has a toughness and blue collar mentality to him that you have to love out of a superstar. He has so many things that translate to the next level, and he’s a guy who can contribute in different roles and across the board every time he steps on the floor.