2022 player rankings: 5 players who could crack the top 15

<p>Since the 2022 Tennessee player rankings have been updated, I have been saying to myself "More prospects will be added when the rankings are updated down the road."</p> <p>I have also said to myself "There’s going to be another shuffle somewhere in the rankings."</p> <p>There are going to be players, more or less, to improve their stock during the summer or the 2021-22 high school basketball season.</p> <p>It’s going to be interesting to see who wants to standout on the hardwood floor. Since I have been thinking about the 2022 player rankings, I took another look at the top 25 and pointed out five prospects who could crack the top 15, depending on how well they perform.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1019408" first="Hayden" last="Ledbetter"]</strong>, <strong>Lausanne</strong>: Ledbetter is right inside the top 20 at No. 19. The 6-foot point guard is coming off a productive junior season - averaging 16.7 points and 7.0 assists per game -, and he’s been productive thus far during the AAU season with Hoop City 17U. Ledbetter’s first two years of high school featured great passes and his ability to read a defense. Since then, he has shown people that he can score the basketball. Ledbetter has shown that he can shoot the basketball from the perimeter and take his defender off the dribble. Ledbetter has also shown growth as a defender, displaying his ability to communicate in pick-and-roll situations and not giving up a lot of easy shots. Add those attributes to his gift of passing, Ledbetter could creep into the top 15.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1021654" first="Cedquavious" last="Hunter"]</strong>: Hunter is a kid I predicted to be in the top 15 once the rankings were updated. The 5-11 combo guard missed the first half of the season before choosing to play for the University School of Jackson. Originally, Hunter (No. 23) was going to play for Terrance Scales at Cordova High School but the plan was scratched when Shelby County Schools couldn’t play due to Covid-19. He would have improved under Scales, who has a proven track record of getting the best out of his players. Hunter thrives in transition, has a quick first step and knows how to finish at the rim. Becoming a consistent jump shooter would only make Hunter one of the most dynamic guards in the state.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1025784" first="Elijah" last="Bredwood"]</strong>, <strong>Bearden</strong>: Bredwood can be electric. The 6-0 guard can be a highlight reel. Bredwood can also score the basketball. Like Hunter, he’s shifty, quick, athletic and deadly in transition. Bredwood’s ability to attack the rim and break down defenses made him a household name during the 2020 season. He’s currently at No. 24. A productive summer plus a productive senior season will be hard to keep him outside of the top 15.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1011989" first="Chip" last="Brunt"]</strong>: Since the AAU season has started, Brunt has been adamant to leave it all out on the hardwood floor. Playing for Team Rutledge in the War Eagles Invitational, Brunt played solid perimeter defense, made shots from 3 and finished strong at the rim in transition. Brunt (No. 20) is a legit 6-4 combo guard that has the makings of a Division 1 basketball player. He’s starting to come alive as he realizes this summer is an important one.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1019409" first="Bakari" last="Johnson"]</strong>, <strong>Freedom Prep</strong>: Johnson can be the perfect wing for a college program. At 6-5, with long arms, Johnson can be disruptive on defense, rebound the basketball as if he’s 6-9, attack the rim with force and knock down shots from the perimeter. Johnson (No. 21) does a lot of good things on the court. He just needs one college coach to believe in him.</p> <p><strong>Micah</strong> <strong>Simpson</strong>, <strong>Jakobi</strong> <strong>Gillespie</strong>, <strong>Cade</strong> <strong>Pendleton</strong> and <strong>Zach</strong> <strong>Amonett</strong> could all make a case for being in the top 15 as well. </p> <p>There’s still a lot of basketball to be played this summer, so a lot of good can still happen for all of these prospects.</p>