We launched our new men’s college basketball recruit rankings for the ESPN 100 for the Class of 2022, ESPN 60 for the Class of 2023 and ESPN 25 for the Class of 2024.
With that comes a special look at the top-ranked players in each class and those who immediately follow them. Those rankings are based on each player’s performance, production and potential.
As always, these rankings are never permanent. That’s why we evaluate each prospect over the course of the year. Just because a prospect is ranked No. 1 now doesn’t mean he will hold that ranking forever.
Can No. 2 catch No. 1? We analyze the top two prospects in each class, breaking down each player’s strengths, weaknesses and overall games, both in the present and in the future.
The 1-2 race in the Class of 2022
SF Emoni Bates
6-foot-9, 185 pounds
Ypsi Prep Academy (Michigan)
Uncommitted
Bates has held the No. 1 ranking each time since we ranked the 2022 class. The gap has shrunk, but for Bates, the top spot is his to lose.
Since his freshman year, we have chronicled his giftedness, focus and competitiveness. Two years ago this week, he was the No. 1 player regardless of class – as a rising sophomore. (Gonzaga signee Chet Holmgren, the top-ranked prospect in the Class of 2021, overtook him when we last did those rankings in December 2020.)
His ability to score in transition or lead the break is a major strength. Against a half-court defense, in an isolation situation or from a set play, he is elite at attacking the basket and creating his own opportunity from deep or inside the arc. His shot preparation, footwork and body control are all advanced.
With all his scoring prowess, his playmaking gets lost. Bates is a very good passer from his dribble penetration. He quite often faces double teams and has the complete attention of opposing defenders. When he draws help defenders, his size, vision and willingness to find the open man has improved.
For Bates to take a step further in his career, it starts on the defensive end. On the ball, he must live lower and play lower to slide his feet and keep the offensive player in front and out of the paint. On his closeouts, the concept of “take away the shot and anticipate drive” should be practiced.
Off the ball, he should maintain stance and vision while covering his man and defending the ball. Handling in game frustrations is another way he can grow in the game. Playing with good emotion and displaying positive body language can help him be the best version of himself.
C Jalen Duren
6-foot-10, 225 pounds
Montverde Academy (Florida)
Uncommitted
If we were assessing only who the top high school basketball player in the country was, then Duren would have a strong case. The calculous is about more than that though. It is about the future and trying to project value at subsequent levels.
Right now, the game is in a place at the highest levels where there is a premium on big wings, of which Bates is one, while the market for bigs is less strong than it has been, maybe ever.
Nevertheless, Duren fits the modern game. His physical tools and body type are off the charts. He can protect the rim, run the floor, move his feet laterally, finish possessions on the glass and provide vertical spacing. He also flashes potential skill to develop facing the basket, especially as a passer.
To take the next step in his game, he needs to commit himself to giving maximum effort every time he steps on the floor, become a more consistent free throw shooter and continue to develop his overall offensive arsenal, both facing the basket and even with his back to it.
The 1-2 race in the Class of 2023
PG D.J. Wagner
6-foot-2, 175 pounds
Camden High School (New Jersey)
Uncommitted
Wagner has the pedigree and the elite ability to control the action in a game. As a young player who competes with the maturity of an older player, Wager can change a game with his exceptional scoring abilities, which include being threat from all three levels plus the free throw line.
He sets up his teammates well and excels in the conversion game. He is also constantly working on developing his broader skill set in the gym and on the court, which is vital to his early success and holding the top spot in his class.
His burst sets up his jumper and float game. Wagner has a knack for putting defenders on their heels. When he attacks, there is little wasted motion, and once he excels at making sound decisions against secondary defenders as well.
To separate himself from the many candidates vying for the No. 1 ranking, he must establish himself early in games and take control down the stretch at crunch time as a shot maker.
C Jalen Lewis
6-foot-8, 220 pounds
Bishop O’Dowd High School (California)
Uncommitted
First, a disclaimer: The battle for No. 1 in the Class of 2023 is more than a two-player race. In fact, there are at least six players that could have a legitimate chance to hold the top spot before the summer is done, and potentially even more to emerge.
In order to Lewis to come out on top of that list, he needs to commit himself to being dominant every time out. His size, power and skill are unmatched at this stage.
Long-term, he would do well to model his future after someone like Paolo Banchero, the 6-foot-9, 225-pound Duke signee and third-ranked prospect in the 2021 class. Banchero had similar early physical advantages but continues to push the boundaries of his body and his skill set, becoming more versatile on both ends of the floor while always playing with a hig motor and efficiency.
The 1-2 race in the Class of 2024
PF Derik Queen
6-foot-8, 230 pounds
St. Frances Academy (Maryland)
Uncommitted
The sophomore has all the tools to impact a game in his age group. With great hands, footwork and touch, it is important to influence the game beyond scoring — rebounding, looking to make the assist, screen setting and defending.
Queen plays with his head up and his eyes seeking out defenders as to where he should go next with the bounce. His body control and understanding how to spin away from pressure is outstanding, as is his game savviness. Queen’s offensive production as a high school freshman was very impressive as well.
Queen is young but must stay locked in when it comes to improving himself and not only trying to prove himself. He must raise his talent level and not rest on his giftedness. The next step for him is to make his body a priority — getting faster, lower, stronger and more agile.
SF Naasir Cunningham
6-foot-7, 195 pounds
Gill St. Bernard’s School (New Jersey)
Uncommitted
The Class of 2024 is just making its collective debut, and thus far, no one is running away with the top spot. Cunningham is as naturally talented a prospect as there is in the class, but right now, Queen has the edge because he’s far more productive.
In order for Cunningham to hold off the rest of the class and ultimately make a case for No. 1, he’ll need to start to turn potential into production. He needs to figure out exactly what his game is, what his most reliable individual offense is, where his “spots” are and learn to impose his will on the game. If and when that happens, we could look back on where he is now and say he was only just starting to scratch the surface of his potential.