Prep Back to IHSA: Four Illinois Guards Making Their Return

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Illinois high school basketball has entered a new era. More and more of the state's top young prospects are choosing to leave home heading to prep schools across the country to continue their development and finish their high school careers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the exodus has become increasingly common, there is another storyline worth following: players who leave Illinois, develop their games at the prep level, and ultimately decide to come back home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year, a select group of talented guards are returning to the Illinois high school landscape with more experience, added strength, and expanded skill sets. Their return not only gives their respective programs a significant boost, but it also adds another layer of intrigue to the upcoming high school season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at four players making their return to Illinois.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2323675' first='Mikey' last='Woods'] — Perspectives Leadership 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Started: St. Francis de Sales</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep: Don Bosco Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now: Perspectives Leadership</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2323675' first='Mikey' last='Woods'] was, in my opinion, one of the top five players in the Illinois freshman class when he first burst onto the scene at St. Francis De Sales. After a successful freshman season, Woods made the decision to leave Illinois and continue his development at Don Bosco Prep in Indiana.&nbsp; Now back in Chicago, Woods returns as a more explosive and electric playmaker. His ability to create off the bounce, attack downhill and put pressure on the defense gives him the tools to immediately make an impact as a lead guard. Woods has the type of dynamic offensive package that can change the complexion of a game, particularly when he gets downhill and starts creating advantages for himself and his teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>His return to Illinois could be one of the biggest storylines of the season. Woods will immediately enter the conversation among the state's premier lead guards and will join forces with another talented backcourt piece in [player_tooltip player_id='1874813' first='Jayden' last='Taylor']. The combination gives Perspectives Leadership a potentially dangerous backcourt capable of creating offense, pushing the tempo and putting pressure on opposing defenses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3683049' first='Dereon' last='Smothers'] — Bolingbrook 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Started: TF North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep: PHH Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now: Bolingbrook</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3683049' first='Dereon' last='Smothers'] established himself as a highly skilled guard early in his career at TF North before making the move to PHH Prep in Arizona. After spending a year away from Illinois, Smothers returns to the state with a more mature and poised approach to the game.&nbsp; Standing at 6-foot-5, Smothers brings valuable size to the backcourt and has the versatility to impact the game in multiple ways. He has the vision and feel to make point guard reads while also possessing the scoring ability to attack defenses as a three-level scorer. His size allows him to see over smaller defenders, while his skill set gives him the ability to create advantages both on and off the ball.&nbsp; Smothers' return gives Bolingbrook another major piece to work with alongside [player_tooltip player_id='2531973' first='Brady' last='Pettigrew']. The pairing gives the Raiders a backcourt with size, playmaking ability and shot-making potential. If the two guards develop the chemistry expected, Bolingbrook could have the perimeter firepower necessary to make a serious state run when the postseason arrives.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Demarco King — Perspectives MSA 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Started: King</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also: TF North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep: PHH Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now: Perspectives MSA</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Demarco King has taken an interesting path throughout his high school career. After starting at King, he moved to TF North before eventually leaving Illinois alongside teammate [player_tooltip player_id='3683049' first='Dereon' last='Smothers'] to attend PHH Prep in Arizona.&nbsp; King returns to Illinois looking like a different player. Once a 6-foot-1 high-IQ guard with a reliable touch from deep, he has grown into a 6-foot-4 backcourt player with improved athleticism, better vision and an expanded overall game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That added size and athleticism should allow King to impact the game in more areas. He can operate as a secondary creator, make plays out of ball screens and use his improved physical tools to get downhill and attack the paint. His ability to knock down shots from the perimeter also forces defenses to respect him beyond the arc.&nbsp; King should become an immediate impact player for new Perspectives MSA head coach Paris Martin, who returns to the sidelines after leading Phillips to a state championship a few seasons ago. With his experience and expanded skill set, King has the opportunity to become a consistent double-digit scorer while giving MSA another capable creator in the backcourt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2532031' first='Roosevelt' last='Thomas'] — King 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Started: De La Salle</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep: Chi Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now: King</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2532031' first='Roosevelt' last='Thomas'] was already considered one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2028 class during his time at De La Salle. The 6-foot-3 guard was a focal point of the Meteors' offensive attack before making the move to Chi Prep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, Thomas returns to the IHSA ranks for his junior season at King, joining a Jaguars team that could emerge as a dark horse in the CPS landscape.&nbsp; Thomas brings a physical presence to the perimeter and has the versatility to play multiple roles offensively. He can operate as a wing, attack the basket and use his strength around the paint to create scoring opportunities. His toughness allows him to play through contact, while his skill set gives King another player capable of creating offense when possessions break down. His return could provide the Jaguars with an important piece as they look to make noise in CPS. Thomas' combination of physicality, versatility and experience should give King an advantage on plenty of nights, &nbsp;particularly against teams that struggle to match his size and strength on the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>A Positive Sign for Illinois Basketball</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The trend of Illinois players leaving the state for prep schools is unlikely to disappear. For many prospects, the prep-school route provides an opportunity to compete against different levels of talent, receive additional exposure and continue developing their games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The return of players like Woods, Smothers, King and Thomas offers an interesting counterpoint.&nbsp; Each player is coming back with additional experience and a different version of his game than when he left. Their presence gives Illinois programs more experienced talent and creates intriguing storylines throughout the upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For IHSA basketball, seeing talented players return home could ultimately be a positive development. If more players follow this path, Illinois could begin to see some of its top talent return to the state rather than finishing their high school careers elsewhere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For now, these four players give Illinois basketball plenty to watch as they begin the next chapter of their high school careers back home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->