2022 Rankings Update: Bigs/Forwards

The class of 2022 has shown that it is stacked with a ton of players with great height. All of these forwards and bigs have stood out with their combination of height and skill. Here are some of our picks for the top forwards and bigs in the class of 2022. 

James Shiers James Shiers 7'1" | C Mead | 2022 CO – Mead

James Shiers James Shiers 7'1" | C Mead | 2022 CO is one of the biggest players and biggest personalities on the basketball court. James always seems to have a target on his back as he is a 7 footer but he uses that to fuel his game and go back at them hard. Down low James shows a lot of potential with solid footwork and has improved his finishing ability at the rim. James also can stretch the floor a bit as he is a solid spot-up shooter. He has also shown promise in the pick and roll as he moves well and is a big target guards can throw the ball up to. Then on the defensive end, James makes his impact in the paint as he blocks shots and scares players away with his high reaching arms. 

Aguir Dawam Aguir Dawam 6'7" | C Denver East | 2022 State CO – Denver East

Aguir Dawam Aguir Dawam 6'7" | C Denver East | 2022 State CO is a very interesting prospect as he is a player who plays both forward positions very well. On the defensive end of the court, Aguir is one of, if not the best shot-blocker in the state. He uses his super wide wingspan and good athleticism to swat away shots. Aguir uses his wingspan and athleticism on the offensive end to throw down some big-time dunks. And Aguir’s jump shot has improved drastically making him a legit threat from three-point range. Aguir’s release is so high that many bigs who guard him have a hard time getting a good contest on him. His jump shot opens up a lot of opportunities for him as bigs have to guard him closely on the perimeter, using fakes and a quick first step he can blow by slower big men. 

Kaleb Mitchell Kaleb Mitchell 6'9" | C Denver Prep | 2022 AZ – Denver Prep

Kaleb Mitchell Kaleb Mitchell 6'9" | C Denver Prep | 2022 AZ is a player who was a relatively new face this AAU season but showed us that he is a legit big man prospect. Kaleb has great height for a big man standing at a real 6’9. One thing that really sticks out about Kaleb’s game is his mobility, he moves great when cutting off of pick and rolls and is even a guy who often is one of the first down the floor to finish a fastbreak. This mobility helps him on the defensive end to block shots, his timing on blocking shots needs some work but has looked like he has been improving on it. When Kaleb is going to finish at the rim defenders do not want to get in his way after the two big steps he takes before takeoff, as he is known for throwing down some monstrous dunks. 

Chris Schlesinger Chris Schlesinger 6'6" | PF Rock Canyon | 2022 State CO – Rock Canyon

Chris Schlesinger Chris Schlesinger 6'6" | PF Rock Canyon | 2022 State CO is the only player who is more of a wing on this list but has the size to keep up with big men. Chris has great height for a wing standing at a lengthy 6’6. He is a player who you can trust with the ball in his hands as he played more of a guard role when he was younger and still shows off his impressive ability to find open teammates. Near the rim, Chris makes a ton of tough shots that still amaze me time after time. Chris is a match-up nightmare for teams to try and guard as he is too quick and composed to try and put a big on him but will bully smaller wings and guards down low for easy finishes at the rim. When Chris is not driving to the rim or gets cutoff he has a killer mid to close range game, where he uses his height and soft touch to score over the top of defenders. 

Boubacar Mboup Boubacar Mboup 6'10" | C Colorado Prep | 2022 State CO – Colorado Prep

Boubacar Mboup Boubacar Mboup 6'10" | C Colorado Prep | 2022 State CO has come back after the offseason with an improved game. He has started to slim down a little bit and that has helped a lot with his stamina which allows him to stay in the game for much longer stretches. Boubacar is a guy who stands at 6’10 and still has that broad frame that allows him to bully most high school big men down low. With that broad frame, he takes up a ton of space and gets a good position to grab offensive rebounds. Boubacar has a solid set of drop steps he goes to while posted up down low that create enough space for him to finish with ease.