Class of 2023 Top 20

Last week saw the latest rankings released for the class of 2023. Along with some new additions, there was a lot of movement by players throughout the list. The top 20 players of the class saw some movement with the top 10 having some slight changes. In this Prep Hoops Louisiana exclusive, we will look at the top 20 players in the class and some of the attributes that place them at the top of the list. The Top Ten 1. [player_tooltip player_id="970120" first="Chris" last="Lockett"] - The best combination of guard and wing in his class and maybe the state. His ability to take advantage of his mismatches and rebound and push makes him a very difficult cover. Lockett might not have big numbers but he can get buckets when needed to. 2. [player_tooltip player_id="1055172" first="Corey" last="Chest"] - Chest is the most athletically gifted forward in the class. His growth as a basketball player is continuning and is somewhat scary. If his soft touch from the charity stripe transfers to his shooting from outside, he will impossible to guard. 3. [player_tooltip player_id="970133" first="Tyler" last="Ringgold"] - Ringgold is a threat from inside and out. He knows how to operate around the rim but would rather face up and attack. His ability to do multiple things well on the floor is what makes him the player he is. 4. [player_tooltip player_id="1130799" first="Brandon" last="Rodgers-Hardy"] - Hardy is one of the most explosive wing players regardless of class. He is excellent in transition and he is very hard to stop when he is going down hill. His improvement in stretching the floor elevates his game to another level. 5. [player_tooltip player_id="1055170" first="John" last="Kelly"] - Kelly is a double-double machine who has a sweet touch from the perimeter. His ability to play inside and out adds so much value on the floor. He is a stretch four in the truest sense. 6. [player_tooltip player_id="970111" first="Jamaria" last="Clark"] - Clark is always in attack mode because he has the ball in his hands a large amount of the time. The former Class B champion is good from 30 feet in and he is crafty penetrating to the rim. He is morphing into a better point guard the more mature he gets. 7. [player_tooltip player_id="1130920" first="Canin" last="Jefferson"] - As far as point guards go, Jefferson is the best in his class. He has the ability to set up his teammates to score just as well as he scores. He is learning from one of the best ever in the state and he uses that information to guide them the best way possible. 8. [player_tooltip player_id="970108" first="Corey" last="Skillman"] - Skillman is sniper from deep who is turning into a well-rounded player. His propensity to hurt teams from deep gives him driving lanes and chances to hurt defenses other ways on the floor. 9. [player_tooltip player_id="970138" first="Warren" last="Young"] - Young has the ultimate green light for Walker and it has been completely earned. He can score from outside at a high level and knows how to put pressure on defenses at the other levels. His ability to playmake has grown year after year. 10. [player_tooltip player_id="1213569" first="Jakobe" last="Dykes"] - Dykes has an elite skill set. He can put it on the deck, post on the block, finish above the rim in transition, and shoot it from deep. When he is locked in with defensive intentsity, he is a terror on both ends of the floor. The Second Ten 11. [player_tooltip player_id="970112" first="Jaylon" last="Hicks"] - Hicks is a three level scorer who can defend as well. He has top 5 potential even in this very deep class. 12. [player_tooltip player_id="1213597" first="Kamron" last="Coleman"] - No one protects the rim better in the 2023 class. Coleman has the capability to get a double-double every night. 13. [player_tooltip player_id="970125" first="De’Vion" last="Lavergne"] - Lavergne is a basketball player in the highest sense. He fills the needs of his team but can get his own at any time. 14. [player_tooltip player_id="970132" first="Chilaydrian" last="Newton"] - Newton is an explosive guard who is lethal in transition. He can hurt teams from the paint and charity stripe also. 15. [player_tooltip player_id="1130919" first="Deion" last="Ware"] - Ware is an elite shooter from anywhere on the floor. He is a high IQ player who knows how to free himself for shots. 16. [player_tooltip player_id="1055169" first="Kam" last="Johnson"] - One of the best shooters and maybe the best closer on the high school level. Johnson excels in pressure moments. 17. [player_tooltip player_id="1130813" first="Joshua" last="Washington"] - Washington can control the paint offensively and defensively. His willingness to do so makes him hard to handle. 18. [player_tooltip player_id="1130809" first="Jonathan" last="Bradshaw"] - The Ouachita wing loves the perimeter but is very good on the offensive boards. Teams have to account for him constantly. 19. [player_tooltip player_id="1055171" first="Derek" last="Burditt Jr"] - Burditt can light teams up from deep but will hurt teams with penetration as well. He is a guard with a high skill level. 20. [player_tooltip player_id="970130" first="Courtney" last="McCarthy"] - His ability to play five positions on the high school level shows his versatility. McCarthy is a double-double waiting to happen. All of the players above will be participants in the Louisiana high school playoffs either on the select or non-select side. These twenty players are ones to watch now, during award season, and on into the early grassroots season.

Last week saw the latest rankings released for the class of 2023. Along with some new additions, there was a lot of movement by players throughout the list. The top 20 players of the class saw some movement with the top 10 having some slight changes. In this Prep Hoops Louisiana exclusive, we will look at the top 20 players in the class and some of the attributes that place them at the top of the list.

The Top Ten

1. Chris Lockett Chris Lockett 6'5" | CG Isidore Newman | 2023 State #180 Nation LA - The best combination of guard and wing in his class and maybe the state. His ability to take advantage of his mismatches and rebound and push makes him a very difficult cover. Lockett might not have big numbers but he can get buckets when needed to.

2. Corey Chest Corey Chest 6'7" | SF McMain | 2023 #94 Nation MO - Chest is the most athletically gifted forward in the class. His growth as a basketball player is continuning and is somewhat scary. If his soft touch from the charity stripe transfers to his shooting from outside, he will impossible to guard.

3. Tyler Ringgold Tyler Ringgold 6'7" | SF Legacy Early College | 2023 State SC - Ringgold is a threat from inside and out. He knows how to operate around the rim but would rather face up and attack. His ability to do multiple things well on the floor is what makes him the player he is.

4. Brandon Hardy Brandon Hardy 6'4" | SG Zachary | 2023 State #234 Nation LA - Hardy is one of the most explosive wing players regardless of class. He is excellent in transition and he is very hard to stop when he is going down hill. His improvement in stretching the floor elevates his game to another level.

5. John Kelly John Kelly 6'7" | SF John Ehret | 2023 State #237 Nation LA - Kelly is a double-double machine who has a sweet touch from the perimeter. His ability to play inside and out adds so much value on the floor. He is a stretch four in the truest sense.

6. Jamaria Clark Jamaria Clark 6'2" | CG Doyline | 2023 State LA - Clark is always in attack mode because he has the ball in his hands a large amount of the time. The former Class B champion is good from 30 feet in and he is crafty penetrating to the rim. He is morphing into a better point guard the more mature he gets.

7. Canin Jefferson Canin Jefferson 6'1" | PG Newman | 2023 State LA - As far as point guards go, Jefferson is the best in his class. He has the ability to set up his teammates to score just as well as he scores. He is learning from one of the best ever in the state and he uses that information to guide them the best way possible.

8. Corey Skillman Corey Skillman 6'4" | SG Brother Martin | 2023 TX - Skillman is sniper from deep who is turning into a well-rounded player. His propensity to hurt teams from deep gives him driving lanes and chances to hurt defenses other ways on the floor.

9. Warren Young Warren Young 6'1" | CG Walker | 2023 State LA - Young has the ultimate green light for Walker and it has been completely earned. He can score from outside at a high level and knows how to put pressure on defenses at the other levels. His ability to playmake has grown year after year.

10. Jakobe Dykes Jakobe Dykes 6'5" | SF Shaun Dumas Academy | 2023 State LA - Dykes has an elite skill set. He can put it on the deck, post on the block, finish above the rim in transition, and shoot it from deep. When he is locked in with defensive intentsity, he is a terror on both ends of the floor.

The Second Ten

11. Jaylon Hicks Jaylon Hicks 6'5" | SF Carver | 2023 State LA - Hicks is a three level scorer who can defend as well. He has top 5 potential even in this very deep class.

12. Kamron Coleman Kamron Coleman 6'8" | PF Wossman | 2023 State LA - No one protects the rim better in the 2023 class. Coleman has the capability to get a double-double every night.

13. De’Vion Lavergne De’Vion Lavergne 6'3" | CG North Central | 2023 State LA - Lavergne is a basketball player in the highest sense. He fills the needs of his team but can get his own at any time.

14. Chilaydrien Newton Chilaydrien Newton 6'3" | PG Simsboro | 2023 UT - Newton is an explosive guard who is lethal in transition. He can hurt teams from the paint and charity stripe also.

15. Deion Ware Deion Ware 6'4" | CG Hamilton Christian | 2023 TX - Ware is an elite shooter from anywhere on the floor. He is a high IQ player who knows how to free himself for shots.

16. Kam Johnson Kam Johnson 5'9" | PG Archbishop Shaw | 2023 State LA - One of the best shooters and maybe the best closer on the high school level. Johnson excels in pressure moments.

17. Joshua Washington Joshua Washington 6'6" | SF Jesuit | 2023 State LA - Washington can control the paint offensively and defensively. His willingness to do so makes him hard to handle.

18. Jonathan Bradshaw Jonathan Bradshaw 6'4" | SF Ouachita | 2023 State LA - The Ouachita wing loves the perimeter but is very good on the offensive boards. Teams have to account for him constantly.

19. Derek Burditt Jr Derek Burditt Jr 6'2" | CG Shaun Dumas Academy | 2023 State LA - Burditt can light teams up from deep but will hurt teams with penetration as well. He is a guard with a high skill level.

20. Courtney McCarthy Courtney McCarthy 6'5" | SG Richwood | 2023 State LA - His ability to play five positions on the high school level shows his versatility. McCarthy is a double-double waiting to happen.

All of the players above will be participants in the Louisiana high school playoffs either on the select or non-select side. These twenty players are ones to watch now, during award season, and on into the early grassroots season.