Players to Watch this Spring: 2022 Bigs

<p><strong>Players to Watch this Spring: 2022 Bigs</strong></p> <p>A look at who could really raise their stock this offseason.</p> <p><strong>6-8 PF [player_tooltip player_id="952581" first="Izaiyah" last="Nelson"] – Marietta – Game Elite Orange/Georgia ManUp</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="952581" first="Izaiyah" last="Nelson"] may not know just how good he really could be and that’s a scary thought. Nelson hasn’t scratched the surface of his potential yet and he’s still a head-turning player. Nelson has grown three inches over the past year and a half and still can jump out of the gym. With his long arms, he’s a very good shot blocker and can effortlessly dunk everything inside. A strong rebounder, Nelson can often push the ball in transition to help start the break. He’s shown the ability to hit the occasional corner three and could add it into his repertoire more in college. Nelson averaged 8.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1 block per game. He’s someone that could really heat up their recruitment with a strong spring.</p> <p><strong>6-8 PF [player_tooltip player_id="949916" first="Tony" last="Carpio"] – Providence Christian – Atlanta All-Stars</strong></p> <p>One of the most consistent players in Class A-Private last season, [player_tooltip player_id="949916" first="Tony" last="Carpio"] stamped himself as one of the premier big men in Georgia’s 2022 class. Carpio posted 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 58.5% and 84.6% from the foul line. Tony plays with a mean streak inside and gets off his feet quickly to finish around the rim.</p> <p><strong>6-7 PF [player_tooltip player_id="1130593" first="Delricco" last="Gillespie"] – East Coweta – Game Elite</strong></p> <p>The mid-season move-in will draw a lot of eyes with his back to the basket post play. He has good footwork and soft hands. He uses his burly frame well when squaring his shoulders and powering through defenders. Gillespie has a nice touch that extends to the mid-range.</p> <p><strong>6-7 PF [player_tooltip player_id="1123942" first="Jake" last="McTaggart"] – Towns County – Atlanta Celtics</strong></p> <p>It took just one season in the GHSA for [player_tooltip player_id="1123942" first="Jake" last="McTaggart"] to capture a state title. The football tight end collected 15.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game on average. He has a college-ready body that can bang in the paint, but also has enough skill to score off the dribble and shoot the face-up jumper. McTaggart could soar in our next rankings update with a quality offseason.</p> <p><strong>6-7 PF [player_tooltip player_id="1130592" first="Yannis" last="Woods"] – Jonesboro – Georgia Fire Elite</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1130592" first="Yannis" last="Woods"] may not be as polished offensively as a few others on this list, but his length and motor make him a major factor. Woods is thin, but he’s not afraid to battle on the glass and high point rebounds. He demands attention when crashing in for rebounds. Woods is a solid shot blocker. Offensively, Woods scores on clean ups and dump offs. He has some room for growth off the dribble. He has his best basketball ahead of him.</p>