Top Unsigned Senior Forwards (Part 1/2)

Check out my list of some of the best available and unsigned senior forwards from 2022! Look for them to get some late buzz as this season winds down, and maybe as they lead their teams towards a state title shot!   [player_tooltip player_id="781891" first="Kiante" last="Williams"] 2022 6’10 Estacado High School (Lubbock) Kiante is a lanky wing/ forward with the ability to do it all, especially with his ability to destroy defenders off the dribble. He has a smooth shooting stroke and has an incredibly high release point with his 6’10 frame. He can easily and comfortably shoot over the top of seemingly anyone and is comfortable at all three levels of the floor. he truly has all the tools to become a real weapon at the next level. His length and agility allows him to be an elite defensive weapon for his ability to defend wings and forwards at any spot on the court. He can attack out of the high post with ease, making the right passes when garnering too much of the defenses attention, manipulating his defender into an easy look in the post or simply fading away. Where he really sets himself apart is in his ability to attack with a live dribble. He has a plethora of dribble moves he can get to and loves getting to his jumper ut of them. As a set shooter he is reliable in the corners and as a pick and pop weapon. He can attack the rim in the full court and can stop on a dime and simply rise up for a simple jumper. I was blown away by his game, he has all the tools to become a smaller version of Kevin Durant. He is skinny but it is not a problem for him, he uses it as a weapon to get around his opponents with ease.   [player_tooltip player_id="1057610" first="Jackson" last="Fields"] 2022 6’7 Fort Bend Elkins Jackson is a nimble big man who can punish you in a variety of ways. I was blown away by his agility and ability to step around defenders, finish softly at the rim, and stretch the floor. He is a smart screener who knows when to roll versus popping out for an open midrange look. He is great at playing off of his lead guard, and thrives at being in the right spot at the right time. He is a fearless defender of the rim and truly believes every shot that goes up is his to take off the glass. He truly has an Anthony Davis type game to him, with an ability to punish a smaller defender on the block or take a bigger forward off the dribble. He has great touch on his shot, paired with a high release point makes it a difficult weapon to stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CYFtnrL9yM   [player_tooltip player_id="958901" first="Deon" last="Williams"] 2022 6’6 Brennan High School Deon is an athletic rim running forward who dominates on both ends of the floor. I loved seeing him use his size to seal his opponents and get easy looks for himself. He has a plethora of shots he can get to on the block and is a dominant and consistent finisher in the post. His skill with his back to the basket is a real asset for his team, and allows them to dump it down low for an easy bucket with consistency. He knows that if he flashes to the rim his guards will get him the ball which makes him run and work that much harder to get easy looks for himself. His ability and willingness to move without the basketball is a real weapon, and he is great at flashing to the mid post or in front of the rim for an easy bunny hook or fader in the midrange. He has a real connection with his guards and they always seem to find him at the right time in his favorite and most comfortable spots. He is great at running the pick and roll with them and his screens always seem to create just enough separation for his guards to shoot or for him to slip to the rim for an easy look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_ZqXbG7C1c&t Jayson Caldwell - McGaskey 6’5 2022 Dickinson High School Jayson is an athletic forward who thrives at shutting down the paint on the defensive end. He is fantastic at timing his leaps to contest shots at the rim, and makes his opponents think twice about attacking the basket. He came up with multiple big time blocks to seal a tournament victory. His athleticism and ability to jump multiple times in the air allowed him to out leap seemingly everyone for second chance opportunities. On the offensive end, he is patient and capable of playing alongside another ferocious forward who thrives in the paint. The other big ([player_tooltip player_id="787348" first="Zyon" last="Little"] 2023) loves attacking with his back to the basket, and McGaskey is great at reading the situation and flashing to the high post or sneaking around his defender for an open look at the rim or sealing him off for a rebounding opportunity. I would like to see him work on putting the ball on the floor and attacking more in the open court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTUuu7X9TfQ Henri Vizcarrondo Jr 2022 6’7 Shoemaker High School Henri was a standout forward at the showcase for his ability to dominate in the paint on both ends of the floor. He was dominate rejecting shots at the rim, collecting rebounds or running the floor for easy looks in the paint. His ability to protect the paint and shut down opportunities at the rim allowed his team to defend the perimeter with more intensity knowing they have an elite rim protector behind them. He is a fantastic rim runner who knows how to stay in his lane when running the floor and clear space for his guards if they attack the rim. He is great at sealing off opponents on the fast break and in the half court off the pick and roll. I was very impressed at how dominant he was in the paint. He scored with ease on the block and had an array of post moves he could get to. I would like to see him become more confident with a live dribble and begin working on scoring from the mid-range and becoming a more consistent floor spacing option.