2023 Rankings Update: Rising Forwards

<p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1017541" first="Jake" last="Brack"] </b><em style="font-weight: bold;">Current:</em> 3<strong><em>  Previous: </em></strong>19</p> <p>What impresses me most about Brack’s game is the touch displayed in the paint. There were countless possessions this season where he got bumped on his way up, had to contort his body to get square to the rim, and had to shoot from a funky angle to get it to fall, and he sunk the shot while making it look easy. He has good hands on the glass, and while he is not the most physical player, he uses leverage to win those battles inside. The footwork showed improvement, but there is still some cleaning up to do in that department. Brack solidified himself as a top-three prospect in this class over the last 6 months, and it would not surprise me if in this next update he was a solid #2.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1267145" first="Mekhi" last="Marks"] <em>Current: </em></strong>41<strong><em>  Previous: </em></strong>94</p> <p>Marks’ jumper was much improved this season, and he was a more fluid mover with the basketball. Unfortunately, he fell in love with that jumper a bit too much. For a player who has the physical gifts to get to the rim frequently, he settles for pullups far too often. That was the main driver behind his poor efficiency, but I think some of that can also be attributed to the rough season for the Huskies. They relied upon Marks far too often to score in isolation situations. He has the skill to do it, but he should not have been in that position as much as he was. Marks is capable of dialing up the defensive intensity throughout the game. He can lock up his man without fouling and funnel ball-handlers where he wants them to go. At this point, it is consistency and shot selection that holds the Huskies forward back, but he has improved in that area from a season ago, and I am excited to see his growth over the summer.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1162980" first="Barrett" last="Olson"] <em>Current: </em></strong>45<strong><em>  Previous: </em></strong>59</p> <p>This was the York transfer’s first year with the Islanders, and he turned out to be a nice fit next to [player_tooltip player_id="890574" first="Isaac" last="Traudt"]. Olson is a plus passer and cutter. The attention that Traudt demands every possession provided countless opportunities for Olson to cut behind the defense and take advantage of a tilted defense. His size and instincts make him a solid rebounder, and he can grab it and lead the break himself. His three-point diet consisted mostly of open catch and shot opportunities, but you have to be able to knock down those, too, which he did at a 33% clip.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1267137" first="Mat" last="Tut"] <em>Current: </em></strong>55 <strong><em>  Previous: </em></strong>96</p> <p>I think Tut is one of the more likely ’late-bloomer’ candidates in this class. At 6’5" he can handle the ball, get to the rim, and playmake off his dribble penetration. He has bounce and length which allows him to challenge shots and deter passes. As a weakside defender, he has a tendency to hunt blocked shots instead of staying home and contesting as late as possible, which leads to easy drop-offs to his man or putback opportunities behind him. This is a very common weakness among young shot blockers, though, and he shows flashes of being a great help defender at the rim.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1165704" first="Ryan" last="Lenear"] <em>Current: </em></strong>57 <strong><em> Previous: </em></strong>93</p> <p>Lenear made this leap in the rankings mostly due to his defensive prowess. His ability to get in the air quickly but not commit too early to the contest makes him an excellent rim protector at 6’3". He slides his feet well, contains ball-handlers, and makes beautiful rotations. His offensive game took a step forward as well in an increased role for the Chieftains. </p>