Updated 2022 Rankings: Committed Players (Part 1)

The updated 2022 class rankings in VA came out yesterday, and with that will come a lot of content in the next week or so! Today, we take a look at part one of the many committed players in the senior class, and what they can bring to their teams at the next level. Check out the full rankings <a style="background-color: #edeef0; font-size: 1rem;" href="https://prephoops.com/virginia/rankings/2022-rankings/">here</a>, and stay tuned for more content and class rankings updates! #1 [player_tooltip player_id="1041394" first="Chris" last="Livingston"] | 6’6” SF | Oak Hill Academy | Committed to Kentucky <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Livingston-Chris.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1180357" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Livingston-Chris-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Coach Cal gets another likely future pro in the Akron, OH native, who is widely considered a top 10 prospect in the country and could be in the league in a year or two if he produces at a high level at Kentucky. He already has a college ready build with his strength and athleticism; he can impact the game across the board whether it’s scoring, creating, rebounding or defending; and he has shown a toughness and competitiveness about him that should make him ready to compete for the Wildcats from day one. #2 [player_tooltip player_id="815578" first="Knasir" last="McDaniel"] | 5’9” PG | Paul VI | Committed to Michigan <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/McDaniel-Dug.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1201614" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/McDaniel-Dug-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Coach Howard has done a great job recruiting the DMV area since taking the job at Michigan, and McDaniel is the latest Wolverine and brings an impact to them that they’re missing at the point guard position with his dynamic ability on both ends of the floor. While he isn’t the biggest guy he’s proven against top competition that he can push the tempo and make plays for others, he’s an elite and pesky on ball defender, he’s a big time competitor that sets the tone on both ends of the floor and he can pick his spots and score it from multiple levels. #3 [player_tooltip player_id="815579" first="Tyler" last="Nickel"] | 6’7” SF | East Rockingham | Committed to UNC <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Nickel-Tyler-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1301642" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/Nickel-Tyler-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Every expert and person who is in the recruiting world assumed that Nickel would be heading to Virginia Tech, but Coach Davis brought him on campus at UNC and landed a commitment from the nationally ranked wing and with the staff’s new emphasis on shooting he should be a nice fit for the Tarheels. At 6’7”, Nickel can teeter between the 3 and the 4 at the next level depending if they want to go big or small, he has deep range off the catch and a quick release, he can make shots on the move and off the bounce, he is an ultra competitor and will bring toughness from day one and while they have a stacked class and a lot of returners he will be coming in expecting to compete for a spot immediately. #4 [player_tooltip player_id="815577" first="Maliq" last="Brown"] | 6’8” PF | Blue Ridge | Committed to Syracuse <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Brown-Maliq-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1149220" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Brown-Maliq-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Brown has been part of a dynasty at Blue Ridge winning 3 straight state championships and is in position to winning a fourth as well, and Coach Boeheim and staff are very excited about his versatility and upside moving forward in their system. Brown will be able to come in with his length and mobility in their patented 2-3 zone and be able to play any of the low positions, he rebounds in and out of his area which fits well in a zone, he can run the floor and finishes everything around the rim and he’ll bring good versatility to a front line that needs it for the next few years. #5 [player_tooltip player_id="815588" first="Alphonzo" last="Billups"] | 6’7” SF | Varina | Committed to VCU <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Billups-Alphonzo-ECE.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1148654" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Billups-Alphonzo-ECE-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Billups is a nationally ranked prospect according to multiple sites and had offers from multiple Power 6 conference schools, but Coach Rhoades and staff were able to convince him to stay home and is the first Richmond area prospect to commit to the staff out of high school in their four years at the helm, and they did so by convincing him they can do everything for him to have a chance to be a pro as one of the schools in the bigger conference. Billups has steadily improved but still has tons of room to get better, and he’ll bring the Rams a lot of versatility at the wing position as he has good length and athleticism to impact the game on both ends of the floor, he’s improved as a shooter and a scorer in the past few years and can knock down shots from the midrange and from deep, he can make plays for others off the bounce and still can polish a lot of areas moving forward. #7 Donald Hand Jr. | 6’5” CG | Landstown | Committed to Boston College <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Donald-Hand.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1252995" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Donald-Hand-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Head Coach Earl Grant dipped into the DMV and VA area quite a bit in his first class, and Hand was his first commit and is a great way to start the class as he has the ability to come in immediately and make an impact at either guard position and has the work ethic and attitude you want when building a culture and program. Hand Jr. has been one of the top scorers in the state over the past few years and has the ability to score it on or off the ball with deep range and good elevation on his jump shot, he is crafty when he gets in the paint with good fakes and knows how to draw contact and get to the line, he is a capable and willing playmaker and like I said before he’s going to work and find a way to fit in and make an impact from day one. #8 [player_tooltip player_id="1387023" first="Devin" last="Ree"] | 6’7” SF | Oak Hill Academy | Committed to LSU Ree fits what Coach Wade does perfectly at LSU, as he’s a multi positional player who is a good athlete and a tough competitor that can do a lot of different things to impact the game on both ends of the floor. He’s the type of player you can see improving over the next few years as he has a good frame and is an explosive athlete, he can rebound and start the break and make plays for himself or others, he can score it from multiple levels and he’ll be a good fit for the Tigers over the next few years. #9 [player_tooltip player_id="1387024" first="Christian" last="Reeves"] | 7’0” C | Oak Hill Academy | Committed to Duke Reeves is the final commitment in Coach Scheyer’s first recruiting class, a class that is ranked #1 in the country with five McDonald’s All-Americans and multiple top 10 prospects, and Reeves is the long term prospect they will look to continue to develop. The fact is over the summer no one would have expected this, but Reeves has improved a lot and has legitimate size at 7’0” tall to impact the game on the glass and as a defender, he has good touch in the paint and he has tons of room to continue to get better moving forward. #10 [player_tooltip player_id="815583" first="Kanye" last="Clary"] | 5’11” PG | Massanutten | Committed to Penn State <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/11/Clary-Kanye-CBGFF.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1321362" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/11/Clary-Kanye-CBGFF-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Clary has been one of the top guards in the state for years now and has played on Massanutten’s post grad team the last two seasons and has shown that he can fill it up and score it against older players, and the Nittany Lions are excited about his dynamic ability at the lead guard spot. PSU guards have been known to have freedom and fill it up and that’s what Clary will bring as the smooth lefty plays with good change of pace and knows how to hit tough shots over taller players, he lives in the gym and has improved his game a lot over the past few years, he can get in the paint and make plays for himself and others and he’s an absolute competitor who brings it on both ends of the floor.