Whether or not high school basketball players will be allowed to compete this season remains to be seen.
Because of a recent massive surge in COVID-19 cases, the state of Michigan remains in partial shutdown. High school students and student-athletes are among the most heavily affected by the shutdown, as schools and sports have been put on “pause.”
But, optimism springs eternal. Hopefully, after the holidays, basketball will commence and some sort of season will take place.
With the boys’ basketball season on the horizon (which keeps getting pushed back), it’s time to analyze some of the state’s top players.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has struggled to keep some of the state’s best boys’ basketball talent local with a rising number of prep schools across the country offering more games and perceivably better recruiting opportunities.
Just this year alone, the state lost Michigan State commits Emoni Bates and Jaden Akins to the newly-formed traveling Ypsi Prep. Four-star recruit Javaughn Hannah also left for Ypsi Prep. Top players such as Simon Wheeler, Ty Fortney, Jayden Nunn, Tariq Humes, Mason Docks and Purdue commit Fletcher Loyer also left the state.
Although the talent pool might have shrunk a little bit over the summer, high school basketball remains competitive in Michigan. Last year’s postseason tournament was cut short due to COVID-19, but the MHSAA remains determined to finish all three seasons this school year.
The following list was compiled based on personal research, last season’s rosters, and having seen quite a few play in person.
Here are my top 50 boys’ basketball players in Michigan for the 2020-21 season:
1. Pierre Brooks 6-5, Sr., Detroit Douglass — Signed with Michigan State, Brooks is a four-star recruit, according to most major recruiting services, who often plays on the wing or even runs the point. His versatility is reminiscent of Denzel Valentine, a former Spartans star who currently plies his trade in the NBA.
2. Kobe Bufkin 6-4, Sr., Grand Rapids Christian — Signed with Michigan, Bufkin has the silky-smooth jump shot and great passing skills synonymous with Wolverines guards over the past decade. Bufkin can almost effortlessly fill up a state sheet, as he plays on the wing or point guard.
3. Ty Rodgers 6-7, Jr., Grand Blanc — Nephew of former Michigan State and NBA star Jason Richardson, Rodgers has developed into one of the top juniors in the nation. An explosive talent, who often plays above the rim, Rodgers has racked up offers from Michigan, MSU, Louisville, Florida State, Syracuse, Maryland and Ohio State, to name a few.
4. Julian Roper 6-4, Sr., Orchard Lake St. Mary’s — Committed to Northwestern, Roper glides to the rim with a quick first step through the lane. He also has a great shot from beyond the arc. OLSM is loaded in talent this season, and could be the favorite for a state title, if they ever play.
5. Legend Geeter 6-8, Sr., River Rouge — Committed to Providence, Geeter has played an integral part in River Rouge’s success over the past three seasons. Geeter has an abundance of post moves to score in the paint, but he can also step outside and play on the wing. He’s a versatile defender, who can matchup against guards and post players.
6. Curtis Williams Jr. 6-6, So., Brother Rice — Williams burst onto the scene as a freshman last winter with some impressive performances against good teams. He has already received scholarship offers from Long Island, Alabama and Maryland, according to the D Zone. He is listed as a five-star recruit according to multiple sites.
7. Malik Olafioye 6-2, So., Ecorse — Olafioye scored points at a rapid rate last winter as a freshman. His numerous skills were widely recognized, as he has already picked up offers from several Division I schools, including Houston, Georgetown, UNLV, Boston College and Oakland.
8. Foster Wonders 6-5, Sr., Iron Mountain — Committed to Southern Illinois, Wonders led Iron Mountain to a controversial state runner-up finish in Class C two seasons ago. A fantastic shooter from all over the court, Wonders could be a mid-major star at the next level.
9. Omar Zeigler 6-5, Sr., Detroit King — Zeigler is a bit of a throwback guard, who excels at getting into the lane and knocking down mid-range jumpers. Zeigler is a ferocious defender, who has picked up offers from Mississippi State, Rhode Island, Eastern Michigan and Toledo.
10. Julian Lewis 6-6, Sr., Ann Arbor Huron — Committed to William & Mary after receiving dozens of mid-major offers, Lewis has been a steady presence on both sides of the ball for a very deep and talented River Rats squad. His positional versatility should help him at the next level.
11. Sonny Wilson 6-0, So., U-D Jesuit — Wilson stepped up last season to lead a young Cubs team to some impressive wins. His steady presence at point guard might have reminded some of former Jesuit and MSU star Cassius Winston. Early in his recruiting, Wilson already has D1 offers from Oakland and Detroit Mercy.
12. Max Burton 6-9, Jr., Williamston — A classic stretch-4, Burton specializes at getting outside to knock down open shots. Williamston has produced a number of talented players recently, and Burton already has offers from Oakland, Toledo, WMU and CMU.
13. Chansey Willis Jr. 6-2, Jr., Detroit King — Injuries slowed Willis last year, but he still impressed with his ability to run an offense and lock down on defense. He has an offer from Detroit Mercy.
14. Jack Karasinski 6-7, Jr., Grand Rapids Catholic Central — Karasinski can play inside or outside, specializing as a winger who can knock down shots from beyond the arc. Karasinski already has offers from Toldeo, WMU and Oakland, playing on one of the deepest teams in the state.
15. Basheer Jihad 6-8, Sr., North Farmington — Jihad is an athletic power forward who saw his recruiting skyrocket last season. He already has offers from WMU, Oakland, Toledo, EMU, Ball State and Youngstown State as he continues to develop into an underrated prospect.
16. Cooper Craggs 6-8, Jr., Detroit Catholic Central — Craggs picked up an offer from Oakland University over the summer. Look for him to develop into one of the state’s most feared post presences and tenacious rebounders this winter.
17. Owen Lobsinger 6-8, Sr., Flint Powers — Committed to Western Michigan, Lobsinger is a tremendous outside shooter. He put up big numbers against top competition last season, using his height and length to create open looks.
18. Kyler Vanderjagt 6-4, Jr., Grand Rapids Northview — Vanderjagt blossomed into one of the state’s best guards last season, helping an underrated Northview team compete in a tough conference. Vanderjagt has offers from Rice, Denver, Toledo and WMU.
19. Brody Parker 6-0, Sr., Troy — Committed to Oakland, Parker is one of the state’s elite shooters. He doesn’t need much space to get a shot off from beyond the arc, and he’s also an impressive floor general.
20. Jason Drake II 6-1, Jr. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s — Drake has flown under the radar playing on a team that boasted Lorne Bowman, who now plays for Wisconsin, and Roper. But Drake picked up an offer from Oakland, and his recruiting could further take off as he becomes more of a focal point in OLSM’s offense.
21. Parker Day 6-7, Sr., Saginaw Heritage — Committed to Grand Valley State, Day has developed into a solid offensive and defensive threat. Although he has the size and skill to post up, he can also run the offense or play on the wing.
22. Tyson Davis 5-9, Sr. Goodrich — Committed to Central Michigan to play football, Davis also put up prolific scoring and assist numbers on the basketball court last season. Davis is lightening quick, and he uses his speed to beat defenders to the basket.
23. Treyvon Lewis 6-4, Jr., Ferndale — Lewis is a savvy guard with a nice long-range shot. He can also run an offense and guard almost anyone on the court, utilizing his length and speed. He has offers from VCU, Kent State and Toledo.
24. Keyon Menifield Jr. 6-2, Sr., Flint Beecher — Finally out of the shadow of Jalen Terry, who now plays at Oregon, Menifield, will hope he gets a chance to lead the offense by himself this season. He has offers from Cleveland State and Jackson College.
25. Keegan Wasilk 6-2, Jr. Clarkston — Wasilk has developed into a solid point guard, who can orchestrate an offense and score when needed. Wasilk will likely be asked to score more this season with Fletcher Loyer (Purdue commit) and Matt Nicholson (Northwestern) no longer soaking up shots.
26. Blake Lund 6-1, Sr., Linden
27. John Blackwell 6-4, So., Brother Rice
28. Dante Foreman 6-6, Sr., Wayne Memorial
29. Ethan Erickson 6-0, Sr., Forest Hills Northern: Committed to Ferris State
30. Damon Terrelle 6-7, Sr., Detroit Communication & Media Arts
31. Malachi Black 6-7, Sr., Detroit Henry Ford Academy
32. Jayland Randall 6-4, Sr., Chandler Park Academy
33. Robert Davis Jr. 6-5, Jr., Farmington
34. Anthony Benard 6-0, So., Grosse Pointe South
35. Tyson Edmondson 6-5, Sr., AA Huron: Committed to Lake Superior State
36. Connor Dykema 6-7, Sr. South Christian
37. Josh Hines 6-0, Sr., Macomb Dakota
38. Ty Wyman 6-6, Sr., Blissfield
39. Kipras Blazevicius 6-5, Sr., West Bloomfield
40. Aidan Rubio 6-5, Sr., Goodrich
41. Chuck Bailey II 6-2, So., Birmingham Groves
42. Kareem Rozier 5-7, Jr., Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
43. Mehki Ellison 5-8, Jr., Flint Carman-Ainsworth
44. Brendan Young 6-4, Sr., Fowlerville
45. Brendan Sullivan 6-4, Sr., Davison: Committed to Northwestern (FB)
46. RJ Taylor 6-0, So., Grand Blanc
47. Devin Womack 6-2, Sr., AA Huron: Committed to Lake Superior State
48. Nathan Claerbaut 6-10, Sr., Zeeland East: Committed to Ferris State
49. Bennie Crenshaw 6-0, Sr., Waterford Kettering: Committed to Ferris State
50. Brady Titus 5-10, Jr., Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian
