Top 2027 Power Forwards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In July, we updated the 2027 player rankings. In this feature, fourth of the positional breakdown series, the focus is power forwards. Historically, Tennessee produces very, very few solid power forward prospects. It just comes down to lack of height among the state's youth. Hotspots for forwards in the last five years have been Williamson County and Blount County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/08/top-2027-point-guards/">Point guards</a><br><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/07/top-2027-shooting-guards/">Shooting guards</a><br><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/08/top-2027-small-forwards/">Small forwards</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Recent star HS power forwards from Tennessee include: <strong>Zander Yates</strong>, <strong>Johnathan DeJurnett</strong>, <strong>Moussa Cisse</strong>, <strong>Duane Posey</strong>, <strong>B.J. Marable</strong>, <strong>Malik Dia</strong>, <strong>Cade Pendleton</strong>,<strong> JaSteven Walker</strong>, <strong>Braden Ilic</strong>, <strong>Stephen Olowoniyi</strong>, <strong>Damarien Yates</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This fall Tennessee sends a tremendous trio of forwards to college basketball (<strong>Kavien Jones</strong>, <strong>R'Chaun King</strong>, <strong>Griffin Cooper</strong>). At their heights all three dominated high school while teetering between SF prospects and PF prospects. Fortunately, all three found reputable college homes. Kavien will stay home and play for Tennessee State University. Griffin was recruited by John Shulman and while Shulman took a new job at Central Arkansas, Cooper remained committed to UAH throughout that transition. He will play for the UAH Chargers. R'Chaun King is enrolled with Arkansas State University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Enjoy the best power forward prospects.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/position-ranking-table {"name":"acf/position-ranking-table","data":{"class":"2027","_class":"field_65cfb7374abb9","position":"77245","_position":"field_65cfbfcb19ad6","national_rankings":"0","_national_rankings":"field_660c1d73c0e49","state":"24753","_state":"field_65cfb88a603fe"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66b91942cc45e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2027 lacks the athletes at power forward that 2024 boasted. The current bunch are succeeding with an impressive technical battery.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Shooting Skill</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2358523' first='Parker' last='Newman'] </strong>(Sevier County) will probably shoot 40% from deep this year, as only a sophomore big. Like Parker, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2275852' first='Garrison' last='Jones']</strong> (Daniel Boone) is a skilled outside shooter. At the high school level, unlike the NBA, forwards with impressive outside shooting are rare. Consider that the 2027's are only a single high school year into their HS careers too, so the shooting skill has time to improve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2283708' first='Zhenhe' last='Liu']</strong> (HHCA) is a new name for many readers. The Chinese big is developing and looks to be a unique talent with college size. HHCA coaches are high, high, high on him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">PrepHoopsTN Combine Veteran</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Only one power forward from the hundreds of former @PrepHoopsTN Combine participants is ranked. His name is <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2508217' first='Joey' last='Howell']</strong>. Joey camped in June of 2024 and attends Siegel High in Murfreesboro.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">High-End Athletes</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1277258' first='Tahj' last='Bowers']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2299334' first='Zay' last='Bridges']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2275852' first='Garrison' last='Jones']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2194830' first='Gary' last='Beeson']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2420103' first='Keyshun' last='James']</strong> are an exciting core of high-end athletes at the power forward position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tahj, in particular, will be dominant for Knox Webb. At 6-foot-5 Bowers still gets off of the floor very well. Add to that his wonderful upper body strength and opponents are going to endure a battering ram with the bounce of a pogo stick.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->