Class of 2021: Updated Rankings
With the regular season nearing its end in a couple of weeks, here is a look at the latest update and expansion of the class of 2021 rankings in the state of North Dakota:
Full 2021 Rankings List:
https://prephoops.com/dakotas/rankings/north-dakota-rankings/2021-rankings/
A Look at the Top 10
1. Jacksen Moni Jacksen Moni 6'9" | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-10 F| West Fargo Sheyenne
2. Gunner Swanson Gunner Swanson 6'5" | SF Bismarck | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-5 F| Bismarck
3. Jesse White Jesse White 5'11" | PG White Shield | 2021 State ND (2021) |5-11 G| White Shield
4. Owen Hektner Owen Hektner 6'6" | SF Fargo Davies | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-7 F| Fargo Davies
5. Jah’Heem Leake Jah’Heem Leake 6'8" | C West Fargo Sheyenne | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-8 F| West Fargo Sheyenne
6. Latrel Davis Latrel Davis 6'6" | SF Fargo Davies | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-3 G| Fargo Davies
7. Deonte Martinez Deonte Martinez 5'10" | PG Minot | 2021 State ND (2021) |5-11 G| Minot
8. Carter Birrenkott Carter Birrenkott 6'5" | PF West Fargo | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-5 F| West Fargo
9. Carson Lamp Carson Lamp 6'0" | SG Jamestown | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-1 G| Jamestown
10. Nick Kupfer Nick Kupfer 6'2" | SG Bismarck Legacy | 2021 State ND (2021) |6-3 G| Bismarck Legacy
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROSPECT RANKINGS
How do you guys decide where a player gets ranked? Let me tell you.
North Dakota’s Prep Hoops prospect rankings are compiled by our writers with input from high school, AAU, and college coaches who watch a ton of North Dakota basketball. We put a lot of time and energy into it — probably too much! — and we are as diligent as we can possibly be to get it right. We never intentionally set out to bury a kid or leave them off the list. We try not to be biased — other than favoring kids with talent, grit, and a desire to get better. We work hard at being fair. But at the end of the day, not everyone will be happy, and that’s OK. Rankings are updated three times a year, in October, February, and June. Here are some other important things you should know.
– College coaches have a lot of influence. If there is no clear consensus on the top players in each class, we give them the last word.
– AAU matters. In the winter update, we are obviously adding players who are having great high school seasons. This is the primary opportunity for athletes who don’t play AAU ball to make their mark. It is a reality, however, that players who do not play AAU are greatly diminishing their opportunity to make the prospect rankings. They are also limiting their opportunities to play college basketball since being seen by 10 coaches is statistically less likely to yield the desired result than being seen by 100.
– Most importantly, this list is about college potential, not current performance. Let me repeat that. THIS LIST IS ABOUT COLLEGE POTENTIAL, NOT CURRENT PERFORMANCE. This is the big one, the factor that causes the most consternation, the most misunderstanding, especially among keenly-interested parents.