Best High School Basketball Player in Every State

They are the future of the game.

Best High School Basketball Player in Every State

Emoni Bates is the top high school basketball prospect in the country.

In basketball, meritocracy rules. No matter where you are, no matter where you live, if you can ball, the right people will find you. From the farmlands to the beaches to big cities, the best high school basketball players all have the same goal. Make the NBA.

So how do we determine who's the best player in all 50 states and the District of Columbia? Simple. Imagine we've got the No. 1 draft pick to build a team in every state. This is who we would take.

These are the best high school basketball players in the country, state by state, and they represent the future of the game.

(July 2022 update: Since the publication of this list in July 2020, 13 of the players on the list have been selected in the NBA Draft, including a No. 1 overall pick and an NBA champion)

Alabama: J.D. Davison, Point Guard

High school: The Calhoun School (Letohatchee, Alabama)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 175 pounds

J.D. Davison Facts

Career highlights: Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Montgomery Metro Player of the Year (2019, 2020), Class 2A state champion (2020)

College list: Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Memphis, Mississippi State, Ole Miss

Bottom Line: J.D. Davison

J.D. Davison is the No. 2 ranked point guard in the entire country for the class of 2021 and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win the Class 2A Alabama state championship in 2020.

Davison's stat line as a junior was amazing — 33.4 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 steals, 5.0 assists and 4.0 blocks.

Davison is already built like a college player and pro prospect and can play above the rim with anyone he faces.

Alaska: Patrick McMahon, Small Forward

High school: Colony High (Palmer, Alaska)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds

Patrick McMahon Facts

Career highlights: Class 4A Player of the Year (2020), Class 4A All-State (2020), All-USA Today Alaska (2019, 2020)

College list: Montana State (committed)

Bottom Line: Patrick McMahon

It's not hard to see Patrick McMahon as a Division I star in the Big Sky Conference in the near future.

The 6-foot-6 combo guard out of tiny Palmer, Alaska, is committed to Montana State and could be one of the better sleeper recruits to come out of the basketball-crazy state in some time. McMahon has the height to play above the rim on the wing, and he also can shoot from outside.

One thing to watch with McMahon is other schools could swoop in and take him away from Montana State before signing day.

Arizona: Michael Foster, Power Forward

High school: Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Arizona)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds

Michael Foster Facts

Career highlights: Wisconsin Division II state champion (2018, 2019), 247Sports No. 7 overall (2021)

College list: Georgia, Baylor, Florida State, Marquette

Bottom Line: Michael Foster

Michael Foster already projects as a first-round NBA draft pick — likely in 2022 — with the size and athleticism to possibly play both forward positions at the next level.

Foster's top competition for the best player in Arizona was DaRron Holmes, who left the state and transferred to Florida's Montverde Academy.

That's ironic because Foster left his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to play for Hillcrest Prep, which also produced 2019 No. 1 NBA draft pick DeAndre Ayton, another elite big man.

Arkansas: Nick Smith, Shooting Guard

High school: Sylvan Hills High (Sherwood, Arkansas)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 170 pounds

Nick Smith Facts

Career highlights: Nike 100 Camp (2019), 247Sports No. 10 shooting guard (2022)

College list: Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Georgetown, Kansas State

Bottom Line: Nick Smith

We're still two years out from point guard Nick Smith stepping on a college basketball court, but the big-time schools are already lining up to land him.

Smith is a do-it-all guard with great size, and he's starting to fill out. While Smith seems to have grabbed the national headlines, Magnolia High guard Derrian Ford, also in the class of 2022, isn't far behind.

Ford and Smith are both about the same size, 6-foot-4, and both combo guards. It would be a huge recruiting coup for the University of Arkansas to snag both players.

California: Peyton Watson, Small Forward

High school: Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, California)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 180 pounds

Peyton Watson Facts

Career highlights: 247 Sports California No. 1 player (2021)

College list: UCLA (committed)

Bottom Line: Peyton Watson

Peyton Watson has the frame, at 6-foot-7, and has already shown the skills and athleticism that he could be in the NBA sooner than later — if he fills out.

Watson is only 180 pounds so he can't really bang like he should, but it's hard to think that with as much progress as he's made so far in high school that he won't continue to grow on the court and off it.

It's not beyond the realm of possibility that he might grow another couple inches before he's able to pack on muscle, and he'll be doing it at hometown UCLA after he committed there on July 27.

Colorado: Julian Hammond III, Shooting Guard

High school: Cherry Creek High (Englewood, Colorado)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds

Julian Hammond III Facts

Career highlights: Class 5A All-State (2020), Class 5A All-State (football, 2019), Class 5A state champion (football, 2019)

College list: Colorado (committed)

Bottom Line: Julian Hammond III

Smoky Hill High School's Jalen Weaver might be the top-rated basketball recruit in Colorado, but if it comes down to one game, we'll take Cherry Creek High's Julian Hammond III, the grandson of former Denver Nuggets player Julian Hammond.

Julian III was the only athlete in Colorado to make All-State in football, at quarterback, and basketball after he led Cherry Creek to the football state championship.

He averaged 22 points per game in basketball to lead his team to the state tournament, but his future is on the gridiron, where he's an up-and-coming dual-threat quarterback.

Connecticut: Nate Santos, Small Forward

High school: The Loomis Chaffee School (Windsor, Connecticut)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 205 pounds

Nate Santos Facts

Career highlights: NEPSAC Class A state champion (2019), 247Sports No. 3 Connecticut (2021), All-NEPSAC (2020)

College list: Creighton, Dayton, Ole Miss, Xavier, Yale, Virginia Tech, Georgetown

Bottom Line: Nate Santos

There's a lot to love about Nate Santos' game, and it seems like high-major colleges are starting to take note of the 6-foot-7 wing, who averaged 17.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a junior.

What does Santos do well? He can really, really score. In bunches. Guard skills for a player of his size and strength make him a formidable player to score at the rim, mid-range and beyond the arc.

He's from a basketball family, so he also knows the ropes. His older brother K.J. played for Missouri.

Delaware: Nnanna Njoku, Center

High school: Sanford School (Hockessin, Delaware)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 245 pounds

Nnanna Njoku Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 15 center (2021), two-time DIAA All-State (2019, 2020), USA Basketball National Junior Team camp (2020)

College list: Villanova (committed)

Bottom Line: Nnanna Njoku

Villanova won over Nnanna Njoku the first time he visited the school following their NCAA championship in 2018. The Wildcats are getting a college-ready player in NJoku, who can make an impact right away and already has the size, at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, to bang with anyone he faces.

The knock on Njoku has been that he's not very "athletic" so to speak, but he's already an elite rebounder who averaged 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 73 percent from the field as a junior.

So he's probably just fine athletically.

District of Columbia: Quincy Allen, Small Forward

High school: Maret School (Washington, D.C.)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 190 pounds

Quincy Allen Facts

Career highlights: 247 Sports No.1 District of Columbia (2021)

College list: Colorado (committed)

Bottom Line: Quincy Allen

Quincy Allen is a wing who compares favorably to NBA wing Klay Thompson because Allen's shot is so polished and he finishes well at the rim.

Allen has a pretty wide array of moves on the perimeter punctuated by an incredibly quick rise-and-fire jumper. What makes people think he's a player who could be an NBA lottery pick is that Allen just makes everything look so easy.

All he needs is to pack on a little more muscle (but not too much) to tap into his full potential.

Florida: Moussa Diabate, Power Forward

High school: IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 215 pounds

Moussa Diabate Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 10 overall (2021), Basketball Without Borders (2020)

College list: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Arkansas, Georgia Tech

Bottom Line: Moussa Diabate

Following in the footsteps of fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert, the reigning two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, big man Moussa Diabate looks like a surefire lottery pick.

Diabate is a player who stands out on the defensive end because of his shot-blocking ability and rebounding prowess, but it's not hard to see his game making another leap if he develops a mid-range game.

Diabate is also another remarkable product of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.

Georgia: Jabari Smith, Power Forward

High school: Sandy Creek High (Tyrone, Georgia)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 210 pounds

Jabari Smith Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 overall (2021), FIBA Americas U16 Championship (2019), Class 5A All-State (2020)

College list: Auburn (committed)

Bottom Line: Jabari Smith

Nothing fills up our hearts like watching an athletic, 6-foot-10 power forward just coming into his own. That's what we get with five-star recruit Jabari Smith, the son of former LSU standout Jabari Smith Jr., who played four seasons in the NBA and had a lengthy pro career overseas.

The younger Smith was destined to play for an SEC school, but Auburn might not have him for long. Smith was impressive in his first taste of international competition in 2019 when he averaged 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds for the USA U-16 team on the way to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Tournament.

Hawaii: Sage Tolentino, Center

High school: Maryknoll High (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 7-foot-1, 190 pounds

Sage Tolentino Facts

Career highlights: Division I All-State (2020), two-time Division I state champion (2019, 2020), Hawaii Fab 15 (2020), Division I Defensive Player of the Year (2020)

College list: Auburn (committed)

Bottom Line: Sage Tolentino

If you want to understand the abject failure that is the University of Hawaii basketball program — nowhere on the internet can you find evidence of 7-foot-1 elite prospect Sage Tolentino receiving an offer from the Division I school located in his hometown.

Tolentino averaged 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds as a junior in 2019-20 and led Maryknoll High to its second straight Division I state championship.

There aren't a lot of top-level basketball prospects coming out of Hawaii, so it's a slow discovery process for Tolentino, but the rest of the country is starting to catch up.

Idaho: Jordan Lenz, Point Guard

High school: North Fremont High (Ashton, Idaho)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot, 160 pounds

Jordan Lenz Facts

Career highlights: Class 2A Player of the Year (2020), Class 2A state champion (2020), Class 2A All-State (2020)

College list: None

Bottom Line: Jordan Lenz

The tape on Jordan Lenz tells the story of why he's the best high school basketball player in Idaho — and still has two years left to play.

Lenz led North Fremont High to the Class 2A state title and was the Class 2A Player of the Year by averaging 15.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 4.5 rebounds.

He was at his best in the Class 2A state championship game, when he poured in 20 points and hit the game-winning free throws against West Side.

Illinois: Max Christie, Shooting Guard

High school: Rolling Meadows High (Rolling Meadows, Illinois)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 165 pounds

Max Christie Facts

Career highlights: 247 Sports No. 1 shooting guard (2021)

College list: Michigan State (committed)

Bottom Line: Max Christie

Michigan State fans better enjoy their time with Max Christie if and when he shows up in East Lansing. Christie is the top-ranked shooting guard in the nation and projects as an NBA lottery pick.

If current Class of 2022 No. 1 recruit and fellow Michigan State commit Emoni Bates reclassifies to the 2021 class, as some think he might, the teaming of Christie and Bates for one year at Michigan State could really be something to behold.

Indiana: Jalen Washington, Power Forward

High school: West Side High (Gary, Indiana)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 200 pounds

Jalen Washington Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 4 power forward (2022)

College list: Indiana, Alabama, Purdue, Iowa, DePaul, Xavier

Bottom Line: Jalen Washington

Jalen Washington is finally healthy and ready to compete after two major injuries over the last few years — a fractured shoulder and an ACL tear in November 2019 that forced him to miss all of his sophomore season.

The two best players in basketball-crazy Indiana right now are both power forwards. Fort Wayne's Caleb Furst is a four-star power forward headed to Purdue.

Washington is a great example of why the high school season has become somewhat marginalized. He's become a five-star recruit and potential NBA draft pick and only played six high school games in two years.

Iowa: Tucker DeVries, Shooting Guard

High school: Waukee Senior High (Waukee, Iowa)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds

Tucker DeVries Facts

Career highlights: Des Moines Register Elite All-State (2020), Class 4A All-State (2020), Class 4A runner-up (2020)

College list: Drake (committed)

Bottom Line: Tucker DeVries

Tucker DeVries lit up the competition in a breakout junior year. He averaged 21.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and shot an amazing 48.1 percent from beyond the 3-point arc on the way to a state runner-up finish.

DeVries is a natural fit at shooting guard, and at 6-foot-6, he could be a matchup problem at the next level.

After another year to work on his game, he chose to play at Drake, where his dad is the head coach. Tucker also had scholarship offers from Iowa State, Oregon, Florida, South Dakota State and Air Force.

Kansas: Kendall Brown, Small Forward

High school: Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds

Kendall Brown Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 small forward (2021)

College list: Baylor (committed)

Bottom Line: Kendall Brown

Kendall Brown left his native Minnesota and headed to noted basketball factory/prep school Sunrise Christian Academy for his final two seasons of high school basketball, and he thrived in his time there.

Brown's move did exactly what he hoped. He became a five-star recruit with offers from almost every program in the Top 25.

Sunrise Christian will have a top 10 small forward from the Class of 2022 on its roster as well with small forward Gradey Dick, a transfer from Wichita Collegiate.

Kentucky: Zion Harmon, Point Guard

High school: Marshall County High (Benton, Kentucky)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 160 pounds

Zion Harmon Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 point guard (2021), ESPN 100 No. 19 overall (2021)

College list: Western Kentucky (committed)

Bottom Line: Zion Harmon

If you're trying to understand the odyssey of the elite level basketball recruit, take a look at Marshall County point guard Zion Harmon, a Western Kentucky commit who picked the Hilltoppers over his many Power Five suitors.

Harmon began playing varsity basketball in the seventh grade (in Kentucky you can play five years of high school basketball) and is now on his fourth high school in five years.

How special is Harmon? Do you remember seeing a lot of Top 50 recruits that are 5-foot-10?

Louisiana: Kyran Ratliff, Power Forward

High school: Booker T. Washington High (Shreveport, Louisiana)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 200 pounds

Kyran Ratliff Facts

Career highlights: Class 3A All-State (2020)

College list: Georgetown, Arkansas, LSU, USC

Bottom Line: Kyran Ratliff

Kylan Ratliff has offers from LSU, Arkansas and Georgetown.

Kyran Ratliff was just starting to creep onto recruiting radars before a standout season for the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Team Livon-Fleur-Des Lis out of New Orleans. Growing two inches before his junior season also helped.

Ratliff doubled down by averaging 18.6 points and earning Class 3A All-State honors for Booker T. Washington High and grabbing offers from Georgetown and Arkansas.

Ratliff is listed as a power forward but in all reality has been a center for most of his career and is just learning that position. But he's catching on quick.

Maine: Cash McClure, Point Guard

High school: Maranacook High (Readfield, Maine)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 160 pounds

Cash McClure Facts

Career highlights: Varsity Maine All-State (2020), Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B Player of the Year (2020), Class B State runner-up (2020)

College list: None

Bottom Line: Cash McClure

Cash McClure averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in leading Maranacook all the way to a heartbreaking, double-overtime loss to Caribou in the Class B state championship game.

McClure lit up the scoreboard for 33 points in the championship and turned heads across the state, including scoring his 1,000th career point in the final.

McClure and Maranacook's pursuit of Maine's famed "Golden Ball" — the trophy for the state championship team — will be an epic chase to follow along with. We're in.

Maryland: Benny Williams, Small Forward

High school: St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Potomac, Maryland)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 180 pounds

Benny Williams Facts

Career highlights: 247 Sports No. 9 small forward (2021), Washington Post All-Metro (2020)

College list: Syracuse (committed)

Bottom Line: Benny Williams

Syracuse has a real one with Benny Williams, an elite wing who can shoot 3-pointers and is adept at protecting the rim.

If another top Syracuse recruit, Dior Johnson, reclassifies to the Class of 2021 as many think he will, it will be a potent combination between the two players. Maybe Final Four potent.

If Syracuse does manage to light it up in 2021-22, a lot of it will be credited to Williams, who was the first commit to this class for the Orange.

Massachusetts: Bennett Pitcher, Power Forward/Center

High school: Deerfield Academy (Deerfield, Massachusetts)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 270 pounds

Bennett Pitcher Facts

Career highlights: 247 Sports four-star recruit (football, 2021), 247Sports three-star recruit (basketball, 2021)

College list: Harvard (committed)

Bottom Line: Bennett Pitcher

Never accuse Bennett Pitcher of not being able to think for himself.

Pitcher was one of the most sought-after football recruits in the country as an offensive tackle and seemed destined to play for a Power Five school, but an injury during football cost him almost his entire junior season in both sports and changed his thinking.

How good did the nation's best college football coaches think Pitcher could be? Baylor, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, UCLA, Northwestern and Virginia were among his suitors. Instead, he'll play basketball for Harvard.

Michigan: Emoni Bates, Small Forward

High school: Ypsi Prep Academy, after Lincoln High (Ypsilanti, Michigan)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 200 pounds

Emoni Bates Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 overall (2022), ESPN 100 No. 1 overall (2022), Gatorade National Player of the Year (2020), Ann Arbor News Player of the Year (2019)

College list: Michigan State (committed)

Bottom Line: Emoni Bates

Emoni Bates is, simply put, the best high school basketball prospect to come along since LeBron James in 2003. Bates has been on the radar of NBA teams and elite college coaches since he was 12 years old, and even with two years of high school basketball left (unless he graduates early in 2021), he would be the hands-down No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft now if he were allowed to enter his name.

Bates decided to transfer to Ypsi Prep Academy — a new school started by his father so he can play tougher competition — after averaging 33.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals in his sophomore year at Lincoln in 2019-20.

It won't be the last time Bates does something impressive. The future of basketball is with him.

Minnesota: Chet Holmgren, Center

High school: Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 7-foot, 190 pounds

Chet Holmgren Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 overall (2021), two-time Class 2A state champion (2018, 2019)

College list: Gonzaga, Minnesota, Purdue, Texas, Auburn

Bottom Line: Chet Holmgren

Chet Holmgren is one of the more intriguing prospects to come along in years. Video of him went viral after it showed the 7-footer dribbling through defenders, nailing 3-pointers and blocking shots.

Holmgren's skills translate to the NBA on the level where he's already a lock to be a lottery pick whenever he's able to make the leap, and if you're looking for an NBA comparison think Dirk Nowitzki or Kevin Durant.

Take our advice and cue up his highlight reel whenever you get a chance.

Mississippi: Daeshun Ruffin, Point Guard/Shooting Guard

High school: Callaway High (Jackson, Mississippi)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 155 pounds

Daeshun Ruffin Facts

Career highlights: Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Class 5A state champion (2020), Class 5A All-State (2020), Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen (2019-20)

College list: Ole Miss (committed)

Bottom Line: Daeshun Ruffin

Daeshun Ruffin is an example of great things coming in small packages. He's one of the most explosive scorers in the country and is just 5-foot-10. Some even list him at 5-9.

Ruffin's stop-and-pop jump shot can go up from anywhere past half court and is almost impossible to guard. On defense, he's an absolute disruptor who can guard the other team's point guard and get plenty of steals.

One knock is he turns the ball over too much and doesn't get enough assists. But that's nitpicking.

Missouri: Aminu Mohammed, Small Forward

High school: Greenwood Laboratory School (Springfield, Missouri)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 200 pounds

Aminu Mohammed Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 10 overall (2021), Gatorade Player of the Year (2019), Class 2 state champion (2019)

College list: Georgetown (committed)

Bottom Line: Aminu Mohammed

Aminu Mohammed might be undersized for a small forward at 6-foot-4, but don't let that fool you.

Mohammed has almost-unmatched strength and athleticism on the court, and he's developing a long-range shooting game that will make him a legitimate shooting guard in a few years. But don't expect him to ever back off rebounding the ball like a madman.

Mohammed, whose older brother plays for Missouri State, averaged over 30 points and 15 rebounds in his sophomore and junior seasons.

Montana: Alex Germer, Small Forward

High school: Sentinel High (Missoula, Montana)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 200 pounds

Alex Germer Facts

Career highlights: Class AA All-State (2020)

College list: Montana State (committed)

Bottom Line: Alex Germer

Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle is pretty darn good at finding diamonds in the rough. Alex Germer is one of three players on this list headed to play for the Bobcats. And Germer might be the best of the bunch.

At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, he's a versatile wing player that can guard three and sometimes four spots on the opposing team, and averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds as a junior.

Crazy fact? Germer's father, Chad, was an All-American offensive lineman at the University of Montana in the early 1990s, and his older brother, Nick, played wide receiver for Montana.

Nebraska: Hunter Sallis, Point Guard/Shooting Guard

High school: Millard North High (Omaha, Nebraska)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 175 pounds

Hunter Sallis Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 19 overall (2021), Journal Star Super-State Captain (2020), Class A State runner-up (2020)

College list: Gonzaga (committed)

Bottom Line: Hunter Sallis

It's not hard to see where dynamic guard Hunter Sallis' basketball skills come from. His mother, Jessica Haynes, is in the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame, was a star at San Diego State and even played for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Sallis has NBA written all over him. He's 6-foot-5 and still growing and has a 37-inch vertical leap.

Sallis' junior season ended with heartbreak in the Class A state championship game and a 64-62 loss to Bellevue West and Gatorade Player of the Year Chucky Hepburn.

Nevada: Jaden Hardy, Point Guard/Shooting Guard

High school: Coronado High (Henderson, Nevada)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 195 pounds

Jaden Hardy Facts

Career highlights: Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), three-time Class 4A All-State (2018-20), Team USA Junior National Program (2018-present)

College list: Kentucky, Arizona, Arizona State, Georgetown, Georgia

Bottom Line: Jaden Hardy

Jaden Hardy is already projected as a first-round pick in the NBA draft and could play his way into the lottery with a solid freshman season wherever he chooses to play college basketball.

Hardy averaged 30.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.4 assists as a junior on the way to leading Coronado High to the Class 4A regional semifinals.

Hardy is already a three-time all-state selection and was named Nevada's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.

New Hampshire: Micawber Etienne, Power Forward/Center

High school: Brewster Academy (Wolfboro, New Hampshire)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 245 pounds

Micawber Etienne Facts

Career highlights: Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year (2019), All-NEPSAC (2019), 247 Sports No. 11 center (2021)

College list: UCLA (committed)

Bottom Line: Micawber Etienne

It's not hard to see the NBA comparison for Micawber Etienne. From the game to his hair, it's gotta be Joakim Noah.

There aren't a lot of elite, college-ready post players out there, and Etienne is one that all of the blue-blood college teams are going after. He chose UCLA and began with the Bruins at the start of the 2021 winter quarter as a mid-year enrollee.

He was originally the best player in Connecticut but transferred from Suffield Academy to recruiting hotspot Brewster Academy after his junior season, in part so he could team up with AAU buddy Yann Farrell.

New Jersey: Jonathan Kuminga, Small Forward

High school: The Patrick School (Hillside, New Jersey)

Graduation year: 2021 (adjusted)

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 205 pounds

Jonathan Kuminga Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 1 overall (2021)

College list: None

Bottom Line: Jonathan Kuminga

Yes, we had to fudge a little bit to get Jonathan Kuminga on this list. But here we are.

The 6-foot-8 small forward from the Congo is an athletic marvel who has been at the top of national recruiting lists since his sophomore year.

Kuminga, thinking outside the box, decided to go with the NBA's brand-new G-League Select Team in July 2020, signing a one-year contract to play at the professional level for one year before being eligible for the 2021 NBA draft, where he seems like a surefire lottery pick.

New Mexico: J.B. White, Small Forward

High school: Santa Fe High (Santa Fe, New Mexico)

Graduation year: 2021 or 2020

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 190 pounds

J.B. White Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 15 small forward (2021), Class 5A state runner-up (2019)

College list: New Mexico (committed)

Bottom Line: J.B. White

J.B. White is a strange case. He's a talented, college-ready 6-foot-8 forward committed to play at his home-state University of New Mexico.

White averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for Santa Fe High as a junior and told the Santa Fe New Mexican in May 2020 that his intention was to try and graduate in the summer so he could enroll in college early — saying he felt "unappreciated" and "targeted" by the referees.

(Note: The publication of Stadium Talk's "Best High School Basketball Player in Every State" story came before White's tragic shooting death on Aug. 1, 2020, in Santa Fe.)

New York: A.J. Griffin, Small Forward

High school: Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, New York)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 200 pounds

A.J. Griffin Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 7 overall (2021)

College list: Duke (committed)

Bottom Line: A.J. Griffin

A.J. Griffin is already being talked about as a possible No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. The son of former NBA player and Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin, A.J. Griffin is committed to play college basketball (albeit shortly) for Duke.

There aren't many things A.J. Griffin can't do. He can guard three positions and can play three positions. Some scouts think he could play the power forward in a small-ball lineup used on several NBA rosters, which makes him sort of a "combo forward" like his father was during his career.

North Carolina: D'Marco Dunn, Shooting Guard

High school: Westover High (Fayetteville, North Carolina)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 190 pounds

D'Marco Dunn Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 21 shooting guard (2021), Class 3A state champion (2020), Class 3A All-State (2020)

College list: North Carolina (committed)

Bottom Line: D'Marco Dunn

D'Marco Dunn became a big-time recruit the old-fashioned way — he showed out during the actual high school basketball season. Dunn led Westover High to a 30-0 record and the de facto Class 3A state championship (the title game was canceled) as a junior, when he averaged 20.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.7 steals.

There's an idea that not being able to play in the summer before his senior year on the AAU circuit may have hurt Dunn's recruiting, but he got offers from North Carolina, Arizona and Vanderbilt, among others. And ended up signing with North Carolina.

So that argument doesn't hold water.

North Dakota: Joe Hurlburt, Center

High school: Enderlin Area High (Enderlin, North Dakota)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 220 pounds

Joe Hurlburt Facts

Career highlights: Class B All-State (2020)

College list: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado, North Dakota State

Bottom Line: Joe Hurlburt

Joe Hurlburt faces an uphill battle on the recruiting front playing in North Dakota, but made inroads by showing out on a Minnesota-based AAU team and got a handful of Power Five offers.

Hurlburt is 6-foot-10 and even at 220 pounds seems like he still has quite a bit of muscle he could pack on at the next level. Quickness and explosiveness aren't big staples of his game, but he's got a really nice shooting touch from the outside and doesn't back down from contact around the rim, even if he's not as aggressive finishing there as he should be yet.

Will be a steal for whoever signs him.

Ohio: Chris Livingston, Shooting Guard

High school: Western Reserve Academy (Hudson, Ohio)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 175 pounds

Chris Livingston Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 3 overall (2021), NE Ohio Inland District Division II Player of the Year (2019), FIBA Americas U16 Championship MVP (2019)

College list: Ohio State, Akron, UAB, Kentucky, Louisville

Bottom Line: Chris Livingston

The top shooting guard in the Class of 2022, Chris Livingston has the elite skills that make him seem like he'll become an NBA lottery pick sooner than later.

With two years of high school basketball left, those raw skills will need to develop into more of a polished game offensively, but he's already an elite rebounder and tenacious defender, which translates well to the next level.

Livingston was the best player on the floor for the U.S. in leading them to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in 2019, when he took home Most Valuable Player honors and led the team in scoring.

Oklahoma: Trey Alexander, Shooting Guard

High school: Heritage Hall High (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds

Trey Alexander Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 8 shooting guard (2021), Class 4A state champion (2018), two-time Class 4A state runner-up (2020), two-time The Oklahoma Super 5 (2019, 2020)

College list: Auburn (committed)

Bottom Line: Trey Alexander

Trey Alexander can probably already claim the mantle as the greatest boys basketball player in Heritage Hall High School history. He seemed like a perfect fit for any of the Big 12 powerhouses in the Midwest but ended up heading to the SEC and signing with Auburn.

Alexander took a big leap forward every season of high school. After winning a state title as a freshman, Alexander helped lead Heritage Hall to back-to-back Class 4A runner-up finishes in his sophomore and junior seasons.

Oregon: Nathan Bittle, Center

High school: Crater High (Central Point, Oregon)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 185 pounds

Nathan Bittle Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 9 overall (2021), Class 5A All-State (2020), OSA Player of the Year (2020)

College list: Oregon (committed)

Bottom Line: Nathan Bittle

The argument for the best player in Oregon comes down to two players — Gatorade Player of the Year Ben Gregg and Crater High center Nathan Bittle, who has a game that's much more tailored to success on the next level.

As a junior, Bittle averaged 25.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and a whopping 4.5 blocks per game. When you're as big as Bittle, the defense is kind of expected, because you need to protect the rim.

What's unique about him is his offensive game because he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and hit 3-pointers.

Pennsylvania: Jalen Warley, Point Guard/Shooting Guard

High school: Westtown High (Norristown, Pennsylvania)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds

Jalen Warley Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 23 overall (2021)

College list: Florida State (committed)

Bottom Line: Jalen Warley

No state saw a bigger exodus of talent than Pennsylvania following the 2019-20 season, with five-star recruit Jalen Duren headed to Florida's Montverde Academy and five-star recruit Chance Westry headed west to California's Sierra Canyon to play alongside Bronny James.

Even with those two gone, there's still five-star combo guard Jalen Warley, who has great basketball roots. Both his father and uncle played for St. Joseph's and his grandfather, Ben Warley, played over a decade in the NBA and ABA, and was an ABA All-Star in 1968.

Rhode Island: Preston Murphy Jr., Point Guard

High school: St. Andrew's School (Barrington, Rhode Island)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot, 160 pounds

Preston Murphy Jr. Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 25 point guard (2022)

College list: DePaul (committed)

Bottom Line: Preston Murphy Jr.

Point guard Preston Murphy Jr. is the son of longtime Division I assistant coach and former Rhode Island point guard Preston Murphy. He's not very big, but don't let that fool you. Murphy Jr. can really play.

He's the kind of point guard who a college coach can feel comfortable piling minutes on early in his career and is adept at distributing the ball (he can really pass) and hits the open shot, even from beyond the arc.

Anytime you have the chance to sign a kid with this kind of pedigree, your program gets better.

South Carolina: Bryce McGowens, Shooting Guard

High school: Wren High (Piedmont, South Carolina)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 175 pounds

Bryce McGowens Facts

Career highlights: Class AAAA All-State (2020), Class AAAA semifinals (2020), 247Sports No. 10 shooting guard (2021)

College list: Nebraska (committed)

Bottom Line: Bryce McGowens

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton thought he found his next star in shooting guard Bryce McGowens, a 6-foot-5 scoring machine. But then McGowens decommitted and signed with Nebraska.

McGowens grabbed national headlines during the South Carolina Class AAAA state tournament when he scored 65 points in an opening-round win.

You can't help but be reminded of former NBA guard Tayshaun Prince when watching McGowens play — the most impressive thing about him might be his range. He's already hitting 3-pointers from NBA range on a regular basis.

South Dakota: Matthew Mors, Power Forward

High school: Yankton High (Yankton, South Dakota)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 225 pounds

Matthew Mors Facts

Career highlights: Two-time South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year (2019, 2020), three-time Class AAA All-State (2018-2020), Argus Leader Player of the Year (2020)

College list: Wisconsin (committed)

Bottom Line: Matthew Mors

Power forward Matthew Mors has been the dominant high school basketball player in South Dakota almost since the moment he stepped on the court for Yankton High School as a freshman.

The Wisconsin-bound power forward has the size, at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, to play at the next level, and with a little extra quickness, he's got the shooting ability to be able to play on the wing as well.

High school players aren't usually this big and this strong. Also, Mors loves to attack the rim and is especially good on follow dunks.

Tennessee: Johnathan Lawson, Small Forward

High school: Wooddale High School (Memphis, Tennessee)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 170 pounds

Johnathan Lawson Facts

Career highlights: Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year (2020)

College list: Oregon (committed)

Bottom Line: Johnathan Lawson

Tennessee was one of the toughest states to pick, but elite wing player Johnathan Lawson gets the edge over Mason Miller, the son of former NBA player Mike Miller.

Lawson does too much to pass him over. He averaged 25.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals as a junior in leading Wooddale High to the Class AA state quarterfinals.

Lawson's weight — he's only 170 pounds — might have kept a lot of Power Five schools away, but Oregon was able to sign Lawson away from Vanderbilt, Alabama, Arkansas and Iowa State. And the Ducks got a winner.

Texas: Keyonte George, Shooting Guard

High school: iSchool of Lewisville (Lewisville, Texas)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-4 190 pounds

Keyonte George Facts

Career highlights: Class 6A All-State (2020), 247Sports No. 12 overall (2022), District 6-Class 6A MVP (2020)

College list: Baylor, Mississippi, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M

Bottom Line: Keyonte George

The best player in the state of Texas is shooting guard Keyonte George.

He's an electric, bouncy player who just transferred from Lewisville High to something called iSchool of Lewisville — a team that doesn't play in either the UIL (Texas public schools) or TAPPS (Texas private schools) in order to play almost an entirely national schedule.

George, a five-star recruit, averaged 23.9 points as a sophomore. One thing that sticks out when you watch him play? He makes everything look really easy.

Utah: Richard Isaacs Jr., Shooting Guard

High school: Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 180 pounds

Richard Isaacs Jr. Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 24 overall (2022), FIBA Americas U16 Championship (2019),

College list: Arizona, Arkansas, Boston College, Cal, Florida State, UNLV

Bottom Line: Richard Isaacs Jr.

Richard Isaacs Jr. jumped on recruiting radars all over the country when his hometown team, UNLV, offered him a scholarship as an eighth grader.

Like so many elite recruits, Isaacs is at his second high school in three years after transferring from Las Vegas' Coronado High to Wasatch Academy in Utah.

Isaacs averaged 14.2 points, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals as a sophomore and already has bona fides with the national team, after making the United States' U16 team following his freshman year.

Vermont: Chisom Okpara, Small Forward

High school: Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, Vermont)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 195 pounds

Chisom Okpara Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 31 small forward (2022), NEPSAC Class AAA All-Conference (2020), All-FAA (2019)

College list: Ole Miss, DePaul, Providence, Harvard, Yale

Bottom Line: Chisom Okpara

Chisom Okpara could see his name skyrocket up recruiting lists with a solid junior season in 2020-21, but already holds a handful of Division I offers.

Okpara is going to offer more to a program than just his skills on the court wherever he goes. Academically, he's appealing enough that he already has offers from Harvard and Yale.

Okpara is a wing who handles the ball well enough he could also play shooting guard in a pinch, and if he fills out a little more, he could do the same at power forward.

Virginia: Dior Johnson, Point Guard

High school: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)

Graduation year: 2022

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds

Dior Johnson Facts

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 5 overall (2022)

College list: Alabama, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, LSU, Memphis, Nebraska, Ole Miss

Bottom Line: Dior Johnson

Dior Johnson is a prep superstar. He committed to Syracuse, then decommitted in 2020.

Don't be surprised if other big-time programs come calling like Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Georgetown, Maryland, Notre Dame and Indiana.

He will have his pick. He also might just decide to go straight to the NBA G League instead of playing a year of college basketball. He's that good.

Washington: Paolo Banchero, Power Forward

High school: O'Dea High (Seattle, Washington)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 235 pounds

Paolo Banchero Facts

Career highlights: Washington Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Class 3A state champion (2020), 247Sports No. 3 overall (2021), Seattle Times Player of the Year (2020)

College list: Duke (committed)

Bottom Line: Paolo Banchero

It's not hard to look at Paola Banchero, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound power forward, and envision him making millions of dollars in the NBA really, really soon.

Banchero is a beast — a player who already has the body to rebound against the best players in the world. There's nothing he doesn't do well on a basketball court, and he's surprisingly nimble with the ball and making moves to the basket.

Banchero averaged 22.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks as a junior and led O'Dea High School to the Class 3A state title.

West Virginia: David Jones, Small Forward

High school: Teays Valley Christian School (Scott Depot, West Virginia)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 195 pounds

David Jones Facts

David Jones of Grant Union — David Jones signed with DePaul.

Career highlights: 247Sports No. 19 small forward (2021), FIBA U17 World Cup (2018)

College list: DePaul (committed)

Bottom Line: David Jones

David Jones came to the United States from the Dominican Republic and has turned himself into a top national recruit, moving up from three stars to four stars in the Class of 2021 rankings from 247Sports.

Jones got on the radar of big-time college basketball coaches by his consistent, stellar play in international competitions. He's been representing the D.R. on the global stage since 2016 in the Centrobasket U15 Championship and through several FIBA World Cups — his consistent motor and rebounding winning him fans along the way.

Wisconsin: Patrick Baldwin, Small Forward

High school: Hamilton High (Sussex, Wisconsin)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 210 pounds

Patrick Baldwin Facts

Career highlights: Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Greater Metro Conference Player of the Year (2020), Division I All-State (2020)

College list: Duke, Georgetown, Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan

Bottom Line: Patrick Baldwin

It's not a stretch to say Patrick Baldwin is one of the high school stars that represents the future of basketball. He's a stretch forward who can shoot the 3 and already projects as an NBA draft lottery pick.

Baldwin averaged 24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 blocks as a junior and was named Wisconsin's Gatorade Player of the Year.

Wyoming: Sam Lecholat, Power Forward

High school: Sheridan High (Sheridan, Wyoming)

Graduation year: 2021

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds

Sam Lecholat Facts

Career highlights: Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year (2020), Two-time Class 4A All-State (2019, 2020), Class 4A Player of the Year (2020)

College list: Montana State (committed)

Bottom Line: Sam Lecholat

Yep, there's another Montana State commit on the list. Sam Lecholat dominated high school basketball in Wyoming as a junior, and in a usually basketball-barren state, he's one of two elite recruits alongside 7-foot center and Colorado commit Lawson Lovering.

Playing at football powerhouse Sheridan High, Lecholat averaged 18.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a junior, and the Broncs made it to the Class 4A state tournament quarterfinals.