The Ten Most Exciting Players in Tennessee
At Prep Hoops we do our best to project the prospects to what they will be in college. This list is a little different. Forget college! What players were the most exciting to watch this season in high school? Prep Hoops gives you the top ten most exciting players in Tennessee regardless of class.
1. Tyler Harris 2018 Cordova Point Guard
What Tyler Harris is able to do with a 5-foot-8, 155? pound body is staggering. With electric footwork Harris can dash around anybody the state can throw at him. Harris gets three feet off the deck on each jumper and doesn’t fear a single big moment. Tyler Harris is unsigned!
2. James Wiseman 2019 Memphis East Forward
James Wiseman will be an NBA basketball player. About five players in every class nationally are absolutely future pros. James Wiseman is one of those players in 2019. The confidence and toughness finally caught up to the promise. Wiseman’s soft touch around the rim hinted at greatness, but he needed East to find that grit.
3. Edward Lacy 2020 Knoxville Fulton Point Guard
Just one team stood between Edward Lacy and a whimsical Class AA State Championship. Even though Fulton fell, Lacy made a statewide name for himself with acrobatic dribbling against elite backcourt pressure from Stratford and Hamilton.
4. Martrell Brooks 2018 Hamilton Forward
Is he a wing? Is he a forward? Does it matter? Martrell Brooks brought more fans to their feet last weekend than any other leaper. Insanely powerful legs and tantalizing basketball ambition coalesce in Brooks’ game.
5. Darius Garland 2018 Brentwood Academy Point Guard
The name is nationally known. The burden of lifting a beleaguered Vanderbilt basketball program is enormous. And Darius Garland will do it. It is hard to imagine the state’s best basketball player was ever overlooked, but Darius was considered by several national analysts to be too small and “not a point guard” when younger. They were woefully wrong.
6. Trent Stephney 2019 Knoxville Bearden Guard
Obviously a leaper, Trent Stephney thrives in the open floor. Bearden ran a nice backdoor lob play for Trent in the state tournament out of halftime. The junior scorer will have a shot at Mr. Basketball next winter.
7. Reese Glover 2019 Franklin Point Guard
The springy junior combo guard out of Franklin, Tennessee scored so many different ways. Glover demonstrated a glorious pull-up jumper and his creativity in the paint added to an already impressive offensive arsenal.
8. Ques Glover 2019 Knoxville Bearden Point Guard
D1 prospect Ques Glover pounded the eastern third of the state. Yes, Ques did get his team to the Class AAA State Semifinals, but the damage done in November-February demanded attention too.
9. Michael Wallace 2020 Stratford Wing
Wallace is a rising player in the 2020 Class that is starting to make his mark in Tennessee. Like most burly wings Michael Wallace is relegated to the low blocks in high school. Allegedly, Wallace runs out on the wings during AAU. It will be fun to watch his development into a power wing with incredible athleticism. Currently, Wallace is a monster on the boards, gobbling up misses like the Cookie Monster. Few forwards in Tennessee possess the explosive bounce and strength of sophomore Michael Wallace.
10. Gene Holmes 2018 East Nashville Point Guard
A senior-laden East Nashville team rattled off 28 straight wins thanks to Gene Holmes and Jayden Lockett. The backcourt lit up the city with pugnacious defense and quick transition buckets. Together they inspired an entire neighborhood and won the regular season District Championship. Gene Holmes will play for Columbia State Community College in the fall.
Other Notable Players
Uros Plavsic 2018 Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Center
The most improved player in the 2018 class, Uros will dominate from Day One with the Cleveland State Vikins.
Levert Smith Jr. 2018 Oak Ridge Point Guard
With better frontcourt teammates, Levert and his younger brother Marcus advanced to the state tournament in 2017.
Chris Nix 2018 Hillwood Forward
Lanky and mobile Chris Nix invigorated his team all winter.
Mark Freeman 2018 Southwind Point Guard
Freeman was one of the rare Tennessee seniors to sign in November. LIU-Brooklyn gets a fleet-footed defender with passing capabilities.
K.J. Johnson 2019 Marshall County Wing
Lefty Johnson is one of the best upcoming players due to his offensive firepower from three-point range.
Grant Ledford 2019 Grace Christian Wing
State Champion Grant Ledford came to PrepHoopsTN’s attention with extremely high praise from Tennessee Bobcat Head Coach Kevin Feltner.
Devan Cambridge 2019 Believe Prep Academy Wing
With ideal wing size Devan Cambridge finishes around the rim with flair.
Jefferson Walker 2019 Bartlett Point Guard
As a junior Jefferson Walker both scored and spearheaded a multi-pronged Bartlett attack.
Keon Johnson 2020 The Webb School Wing
Few basketball fans and parents were able to see Keon Johnson play for his high school unit. They missed out on something special.
To share AAU schedules, stats or recruiting information DM @PrepHoopsTN.