Initial look at Class of 2029 prospects in Wisconsin

They've yet to set foot inside an actual classroom as registered ninth graders, but word is getting out nonetheless on some of the emerging high school basketball prospects in Wisconsin's Class of 2029. With the start of the 2025-26 school year about a month away, Prep Hoops Wisconsin has compiled an initial list of more than 100 boys' basketball players to monitor in the state's 2029 class. That list, released today, can be found<a href="https://prephoops.com/wisconsin/rankings/2029-rankings/"> here.</a> At this point, Prep Hoops Wisconsin is releasing just a Watch List. An actual numbered ranking for players in this class will be released for the first time next January as the athletes get acclimated to high school, their teams, the pace of play and the physicality of the game.   Following is a look at some of the names that popped up again and again in discussing the 2029 class with various contacts across the state: Madison Area Four names emerged as very good prospects from the Madison area -- [player_tooltip player_id='2369939' first='Jayden' last='Jackson'] of Monona Grove, [player_tooltip player_id='2402423' first='Ben' last='Pritzl'] of De Forest, [player_tooltip player_id='2450160' first='Lavonte' last='Johnson'] of Madison Memorial and [player_tooltip player_id='2436993' first='Jenner' last='Wellman'] of Lake Mills. Jackson is a long 6-foot-7 forward who many feel might be the best prospect at this stage in the 2029 class. He figures to contend for playing time with the talented and deep Monona Grove varsity squad after turning in a strong spring/summer with the [program_tooltip program_id='2440507' first='Davis' last='Brothers Elite'] club program. Jackson is a shot blocking, mobile and skilled forward with a very bright future. Pritzl joined Jackson on the [program_tooltip program_id='2440507' first='Davis' last='Brothers Elite'] squad and used his 6-foot-2 size, his skill and his basketball instincts to perform at a very high level for one of the state's top 14U teams. Like Jackson, Pritzl figures to earn varsity minutes in the Badger Large Conference this winter for an up-and-coming De Forest program. Johnson plays for the [program_tooltip program_id='2076433' first='Kevon' last='Looney Power 5'] program that experienced a lot of success during the club season. The 6-foot-2 wing could contend for a varsity spot at Madison Memorial despite the fact the Spartans have an experienced and deep roster returning for coach Steve Collins. Wellman is exceptionally quick and athletic, which allows him to guard exceptionally well on the perimeter. A 6-foot-0 lead guard, Wellman could very well contend for a starting role for one of the state's top programs at Lake Mills. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2829040' first='Rocco' last='Randall'] (5-9) of Stoughton is another standout performer from the Madison area, His father is former Oshkosh West coach and current University of Wisconsin assistant coach, Lance Randall. Milwaukee Area Lots and lots of familiar names in this grouping. Yes, there is another Knueppel at Wisconsin Lutheran as [player_tooltip player_id='2402478' first='Kash' last='Knueppel'] (6-4) begins his high school career, possibly joining older brothers [player_tooltip player_id='2140949' first='Kager' last='Knueppel'] (6-9) and [player_tooltip player_id='2613959' first='Kinston' last='Knueppel'] (6-5) on the Vikings' varsity club. Kash was a key member of the [program_tooltip program_id='2440507' first='Davis' last='Brothers Elite'] 14U team this past club season and is cut in the Knueppel mold of being extremely skilled and extremely smart on the court. [player_tooltip player_id='2401344' first='Jackson' last='Fischer'] (6-2) is another top prospect in the 2029 class who will attend Wisconsin Lutheran, which won the WIAA Division 2 state title in 2024 and the Division 1 crown in 2025. Fletcher is yet another [program_tooltip program_id='2440507' first='Davis' last='Brothers Elite'] club player. One of the state's better frontline prospects is [player_tooltip player_id='2795366' first='Kartier' last='Calvert'] (6-5), who played all summer for the varsity squad at Catholic Memorial. Calvert's size and physicality are extremely advanced and make him a tough cover near the basket. Calvert and [player_tooltip player_id='2839308' first='Jakobe' last='Cruz'] (5-9) of Saint Thomas More were two of the better players on the [program_tooltip program_id='2076218' first='Wisconsin' last='Playground Club']'s 14U squad during the club season. Cruz figures to work his way into the playing rotation for the varsity squad at Saint Thomas More in 2025-26. [player_tooltip player_id='2401280' first='Thomas' last='Toepel'] (6-2) of Arrowhead has an older brother who is excelling for the Warhawks in junior [player_tooltip player_id='2412856' first='Theo' last='Toepel'] (6-4). [player_tooltip player_id='2401280' first='Thomas' last='Toepel'] is an inside/outside player who can shoot it and seems to make big plays at big times during games. Arrowhead has another top-flight incoming ninth grader in [player_tooltip player_id='2920347' first='Bennett' last='Johnson'], a 6-foot-3 wing prospect. [player_tooltip player_id='2853467' first='Maxwell' last='McMullen'] (5-10) of Brookfield East and Power 5 plays with a high basketball IQ and a very impressive skill level. He will compete for a spot in the playing rotation for what looms as a very good Brookfield East squad. In the North Shore area, both [player_tooltip player_id='2850469' first='Reed' last='McGivern'] (6-2) of Dominican and [player_tooltip player_id='2883170' first='Hank' last='Doyle'] (6-5) of Grafton have been impressive for a few years now. McGivern's father, Paul, was a stellar player at Pius XI Catholic while Doyle is considered one of the top players in the state in 2029 and had a strong club season with [program_tooltip program_id='2076501' first='Chapman' last='Basketball Academy']. Marquette High School boasts a very deep 2029 class led by [player_tooltip player_id='2920062' first='Bear' last='Bonk'], [player_tooltip player_id='2919830' first='Adam' last='Olson'] (6-4) and [player_tooltip player_id='2850487' first='Caleb' last='Miller'] (5-10). Three members of the Saint Monica eighth grade squad that won the Padre Serra championship in March also will be Hilltoppers -- [player_tooltip player_id='2920007' first='RJ' last='Place'] (6-3), [player_tooltip player_id='2918855' first='Mack' last='Novak'] (6-0) and Nolan Rabedeaux. Novak is the son of former Brown Deer, Marquette University and NBA player Steve Novak. Fox Valley Area The Fox Valley Association typically ranks among the best conferences in the state and that doesn't figure to change in coming seasons. Four of the better prospects in the Fox Cities will compete in the FVA in upcoming seasons with [player_tooltip player_id='2386451' first='Blake' last='Przybylski'] (5-11) at Hortonville, [player_tooltip player_id='2402515' first='Denver' last='Delhart'] (5-10) at Kimberly, [player_tooltip player_id='2402510' first='Drew' last='Bowers'] (6-0) at Kaukauna and [player_tooltip player_id='2799585' first='Gregorio' last='Balandran'] (6-4) at Neenah. Przybylski and Bowers are terrific shooters, two of the better in the entire state in the incoming freshman class. Bowers is the son of newly hired Kaukauna coach Ryan Bowers and he played with the Ghosts' varsity squad all summer. Delhart also figures to get a shot at varsity playing time for first-year Kimberly coach Kam Cerroni while Balandran ranks with both Jackson and Calvert among the top frontline players in the state. Balandran is in the 6-foot-4 range right now, but he has size 16 shoes so future growth definitely is possible. [player_tooltip player_id='2403310' first='Isaiah' last='Burleton'] (6-3) of Fox Valley Lutheran, [player_tooltip player_id='2436991' first='Drew' last='Lenz'] (5-8) of Winneconne and [player_tooltip player_id='2403308' first='Xavier' last='John'] (5-10) of Menasha, among others, also figure to make immediate impacts in the Fox Valley area. In the Green Bay area, [player_tooltip player_id='2852112' first='Abrian' last='Allen'] (6-1) of Green Bay East, [player_tooltip player_id='2386506' first='Jackson' last='Rykal'] (5-8) of Bay Port, [player_tooltip player_id='2824625' first='Sawyer' last='Weerts'] (6-2) of De Pere and [player_tooltip player_id='2402498' first='Trevor' last='Butterfield'] (5-10) of [program_tooltip program_id='2829078' first='West' last='De Pere'] could be impact players from the get go for their respective squads. Northern Wisconsin Some stellar guard prospects in this grouping with [player_tooltip player_id='2391081' first='Brevan' last='Hedtke'] (5-10) of Eau Claire Memorial, [player_tooltip player_id='2369880' first='Bennett' last='Risler'] (6-2) of Regis, [player_tooltip player_id='2885130' first='Luke' last='Janke'] (6-0) of Baldwin-Woodville and [player_tooltip player_id='2385187' first='Greyson' last='Rathbun'] (6-0) of Altoona leading the way. All four are members of the [program_tooltip program_id='2076033' first='Wisconsin' last='Playmakers'] club program, and all four will battle for big varsity minutes at their respective schools this winter. Hedtke is an outstanding shooter who defends well. The younger brother of 2025 Eau Claire Memorial graduate and former basketball player Bryce Hedtke, [player_tooltip player_id='2391081' first='Brevan' last='Hedtke'] had a strong offseason showing for the varsity club at Eau Claire Memorial and will contend for a starting position with the Old Abes. Risler's older brother, senior [player_tooltip player_id='2375323' first='Blake' last='Risler'], is one of the top players in the Western Cloverbelt Conference so Bennett obviously learned a thing or two from his older sibling. [player_tooltip player_id='2369880' first='Bennett' last='Risler'] could potentially join Blake and talented sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2615520' first='DJ' last='Cooper'] to give Regis coach Connor Miller a very good backcourt. Janke in an instinctual and smooth player who competes with good athleticism and versatility while Rathbun is an aggressive and hard-working backcourt player who can shoot it from distance and also get downhill on drives to the basket. [player_tooltip player_id='2852066' first='Xavier' last='Marciulionis'] (6-6) of D.C. Everest is one of the taller players in the state's 2029 class and figures to get an opportunity to earn varsity minutes for new Evergreens' coach Jake Schalow.

They've yet to set foot inside an actual classroom as registered ninth graders, but word is getting out nonetheless on some of the emerging high school basketball prospects in Wisconsin's Class of 2029.

With the start of the 2025-26 school year about a month away, Prep Hoops Wisconsin has compiled an initial list of more than 100 boys' basketball players to monitor in the state's 2029 class. That list, released today, can be found here.

At this point, Prep Hoops Wisconsin is releasing just a Watch List. An actual numbered ranking for players in this class will be released for the first time next January as the athletes get acclimated to high school, their teams, the pace of play and the physicality of the game.