2029 Rankings Update: Stockriser Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New readers: Use code Proia30</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We updated our 2029 rankings today, adding in over 40 new prospects from Maryland and Washington DC for a total of 145 in the rising sophomore class. This update is often tricky because of the variance in role and minutes for the freshman class across the region as developmental arcs/usage fluctuate frequently in a prospect's inaugural HS season. In this article, we'll break down some of the stock-rising guards that rose the most in this update after a productive few months of play in AAU/scholastic competition in front of college coaches. Let's dive in!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3337159"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a61079cbef98"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Previous Rank: 28 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The competitive fire really shows through in every setting for "LB" as a dynamic two-way guard that makes winning plays in crunch time. Snowden understands how to anticipate changes in direction as an on-ball defender and takes the right gambles to jump passing lanes off the ball to generate turnovers for his team. Snowden got to the rim with relative ease, hit some clutch FTs, and commands pace well in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2973525"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a61079cbeffd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Previous Rank: 24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-One of the more skilled scorers that we have in the class, Pitts continues his upward ascension as a high-upside combo guard that can create for himself and for others at a high level. Pitts is a sniper both off the bounce from the elbows or wings and running off of pindowns as a movement shooter. Love his tempo in ball screens as a point guard that reacts quickly to execute on reads in tight passing windows. As a guard prospect that continues to grow, Pitts is one of the rare prospects that both as a safe floor of outcomes and a high upside to be a shot-creating dynamo on the perimeter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3291039"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a61079cbf04a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Previous Rank: 40 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Brown continues to impress our scouts as a creative point guard that scored in double figures in all but 9 of his summer league games this offseason. Brown changes the height and speed of his dribble well to get to his spots in the halfcourt, makes good decisions attacking closeouts on the perimeter on the second side of an action, and is probably at his best scoring the basketball in transition at the rim. If he can utilize the paint touches that he generates to create for corner shooters or make the play to the drop big, he will become even that much more difficult to guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3072057"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a61079cbf093"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Previous Rank: 41 </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The skilled 2/3 prospect should step into a bigger role this upcoming season with the graduation of several key pieces in the backcourt. Our scouts love O'Brien's diverse impact as a passing hub out of the high post that makes plays for his teammate, as a movement shooter adept at setting his feet quickly to get off clean looks, and a dynamic downhill driver that constantly serves as a threat to pass or score in the paint. If he attacks the defense with improved confidence on a night-to-night basis, he should continue to deliver consistent outputs as one of the best underclassmen in Montgomery County. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3103299"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a61079cbf0de"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Previous Rank: 44</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Brannigan continues to ascend our rankings as a play-making perimeter sniper that consistently makes the right read on the fly. Brannigan can really shoot the ball and has improved the footwork on his perimeter relocations to knock down movement 3s without needing to look down at his feet. Would not bet against Brannigan to win any 50/50 balls as a guard prospect that channels the physicality from the gridiron to come up with long rebounds or loose balls that routinely impact the outcome of his games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->