Top Playmakers at the Break

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A great month (plus a little) of basketball is in the books. The 2023-2024 season is off to a great start, with some surprises, some risers and some dominant performances to reflect on at the break.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at the top playmakers at the break:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1270090' first='TJ' last='Williams'], 6-foot-5 guard, 2024, Wichita Heights:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's start with the best player first. We tend to bypass Williams in our coverage to focus on risers and lesser stars. But this guy deserves every bit of commendation he receives. He's the best player and the most versatile player in the state. He makes everyone around him better, but can also put the team on his shoulders and make a play when needed. 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists from a guy handling the ball is remarkable at any level, much less the 6A level. He's worth the price of admission.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2169878' first='Diego' last='Esparza'], 5-foot-9 guard, 2025, Macksville:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No one has exploded this season like the junior from Macksville. The team was in transition after graduating a bunch of studs after a state title run. Someone needed to step up as the leader and primary producer. Esparza had been a key contributor for two years already, so he was ready to rise to the occasion as a junior. He's lightning in a bottle with the ball. He's fast, quick, explosive and intelligent. He creates havoc on defense and turns steals into buckets. He has also been clutch in some close games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2211347' first='Gavin' last='Popik'], 6-foot guard, 2026, Olathe Northwest:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A guy who is rising in the big school ranks is sophomore Popik. He was forced into early playing time as a freshman for a depleted Ravens team last year. He learned the ropes and was ready to take off this year. He's a smart guard who attacks defenses and can create off the bounce. He has stepped up his production from the perimeter this year and is stuffing the stat sheet. His 3 steals per game shows his athleticism and attention on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1300824' first='Jayden' last='Brown'], 5-foot-8 guard, 2025, Andover Central (pictured):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When you think of playmakers, you tend to think of guys who go full speed with the ball, attacking and creating by pushing the envelope. Brown fits that bill as a scorer. On a team loaded with 2025s, Brown is guiding a group that could really be interesting when they are all seniors. He's averaging 20 points thus far in the season, with some impressive point totals against traditionally good schools. He can really get hot and light it up from the perimeter, catching and shooting or getting to shots off the bounce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1624974' first='Cooper' last='Carr'], 6-foot-2 guard, 2026, Baldwin:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Talk about stuffing the stat sheet. There might not be a bigger stat monster in the state so far this season. Carr supported his older brother and some good seniors last year. So it's no surprise that he's stepped into the leadership role as a sophomore and doing some of everything. You don't find many guys who average 8 boards and 7 assists per game, but that's Carr in the early going. He's getting most of his points in the midrange and around the bucket, and he gets to the stripe by attacking with physicality. The best part is that the Bulldogs are 6-0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->