2024 Watch List: Top Bigs (Part 1)
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We take a look at breaking down our 2024 watch list by taking a look at part one of just some of the top bigs in the class, looking at power forwards, hybrid forwards and centers. Eli DeLaurier Eli DeLaurier…
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Continue ReadingWe take a look at breaking down our 2024 watch list by taking a look at part one of just some of the top bigs in the class, looking at power forwards, hybrid forwards and centers.
Eli DeLaurier Eli DeLaurier 6'8" | C Miller School | 2024 #173 Nation VA | 6’8” | Miller School
DeLaurier comes from a basketball family and his brother Javin was a standout in Charlottesville before heading to Duke, and Eli has as much potential as any of them. While he’s wiry and needs to fill out, he’s a versatile big man that has touch out to the three-point line, runs the floor hard and can play above the rim and is excellent on the defensive end as a shot blocker and with his switch ability. He still has some ways to go but he already has a good skill set and works very hard so his ceiling is very high.
Manny Okintondo | 6’8” | Oak Hill Academy
Okitondo came onto the scene playing with Team Durant 14U before heading to Oak Hill where he was the rare freshman that played good minutes on the national team. The 6’8” big has huge potential with his already impressive frame, his fluid athleticism and ability to run the floor and his good hands and touch in the paint. He’s a big time athlete who rebounds and plays above the rim on both ends of the floor, and with his already solid skill set he has a chance to be a big time national recruit when it’s all said and done.
Patrick Ngongba Jr. Patrick Ngongba Jr. 6'10" | C Paul VI | 2024 State #25 Nation VA | 6’7” | Highland School
Ngongba is part of a young core at Highland School that will have their chance to show what they have after their talented senior class left last year, and he’s coming off of a good summer with Team Takeover and in the high school live periods. He’s a smooth athlete who can run the floor with the guards, he has good hands and feet in the paint and he has soft touch with both hands in the paint. He’s shown the ability to step out to 15 feet and make shots and he’s improving rapidly from what I saw from him last fall.
Garrett Sundra Garrett Sundra 6'11" | C Paul VI | 2024 State #148 Nation VA | 6’9” | Paul VI
Sundra is still a project but he’s a very good one who is still growing and has a solid skillset to be a mismatch and stretch big moving forward. He plays extremely hard every time he’s on the floor and runs the floor very hard, he can step out and make shots from deep and is a good passer on the perimeter as well. He competes on the glass on both ends and is fairly mobile, and as he continues to grow into his body and improve his strength he has an opportunity to be very good.
Jadyn Harris Jadyn Harris 6'6" | PF Bishop O'Connell | 2024 State #239 Nation VA | 6’6” | Bishop O’Connell
Harris is one of those prospects that has the chance to play on the wing moving forward, but right now we classify him as a power forward due to his size and the position he plays in high school the most. A part of a talented 2024 class at O’Connell, Harris is athletic and strong for his age and is able to make plays most prospects his age simply can’t. He thrives in transition where he can play above the rim, he can guard multiple positions and he’s hard to deal with when he gets a head of steam and is heading downhill.
David Rochester David Rochester 6'8" | SG South Lakes | 2024 State VA | 6’6” | Bishop O’Connell
Like Harris, Rochester is another talented player in this loaded O’Connell class and also can be seen as a hybrid forward with his size and skillset. He’s vey good on the perimeter as he can make shots from deep, attack closeouts and make midrange pull-ups over smaller defenders and he has good feel as a passer and playmaker. He plays with a great motor and a chip that you have to love, and he’s a walking mismatch with his skillset at his size.