The state of Texas has historically never had a shortage of talent in terms of national basketball prospects, and the class of 2022 is no exception to the rule. The attention is the past has generally been in the Houston Metro area but recently the Dallas area has made a strong push in terms of producing high quality prospects. There are many elite level prospects in the area but there are five prospects who have began to create separation from the rest of the pack.
Anthony Black 6’6 Coppell High School Coppell, TX
Over the past six months, Black has really taken that next leap in becoming a national household name. His confidence is on another level and he has started to look miles ahead of his competition. He can get wherever he wants to on the floor and scores the ball with ease. His long athletic frame makes him a difficult matchup for opposing teams at the high school level. A legit two sport star, he will have the choice to decide if wants to dominate on the field or on the hardwood at the next level. His outside shot is becoming more consistent and it is only a matter of time before he has cemented himself as one of the best 25-30 players nationally. Auburn, Baylor, TCU, Texas, and Texas Tech are just a small portion of the stacked list of schools that are currently involved. This list will only increase over the next 6-12 months.
Cason Wallace 6’4 Richardson High School Richardson, TX
In terms of long-term upside, Wallace is the real deal. He can simply take over a game without breaking a sweat. Silky smooth ball handler who gets by any defender who you throw in front of him. He is a one of the best on the ball defenders that you will find nationally regardless of class. He loves to compete and never backs down from challenge. This last years NBA draft produced the likes of RJ Hampton and Tyrese Maxey, who hail from the same area, and with hard work and dedication Wallace could reap those same rewards. One of the biggest attributes that he possesses is that he simply loves to play the game of basketball and the likes of Arizona, Auburn, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Texas are lining up to get his commitment. Although his list has already surpassed 20 plus schools, there is no reason to believe that it wont grow beyond those numbers.
Keyonte George 6’4 iSchool Academy Lewisville, TX
George might be the pound for pound best scorer in all the country. He flat out scores the basketball in bunches unlike anybody else that you will find. He is lightning quick with the basketball in his hands and get wherever he wants to on the floor whenever. He spent a tremendous amount of time improving his three-point range and has become increasingly comfortable shooting the ball from deep. Defensively he has seemed to pick up his level of intensity and has only added to already lethal arsenal of on court abilities. The fact of the matter is that George has all the capabilities to be a top 10 national recruit when it is all said and done, and we fully expect for him to continue this upward trajectory nationally. Texas, TCU, Kansas, Baylor, Arizona, and Ole Miss are a few of the powerhouse universities that are actively recruiting George currently. The blue blood programs are actively watching and have began their pursuit as well.
Rylan Griffen 6’5 Richardson High School Richardson, TX
Griffen has quietly become an elite top 30 talent by simply producing every time he steps out on the floor. He is seen as the heart and soul of the loaded high school team that he plays for. Many prospects who play with the likes of a Cason Wallace would seemingly take the back seat but Griffen has done the opposite and elevated himself to form arguably the best backcourt in all of Texas. He is exceptionally good with the basketball in his hands and always seems to make the right play. He can defend at multiple positions and loves to take on the challenge of shutting down opposing teams’ best players. He has made great improvement in his jump shot and has increasingly become comfortable shooting the ball from well beyond three-point range. We fully expect for his name to be mentioned among the top players in the region as well as nationally. Arkansas, Auburn, DePaul, Oklahoma, SMU, and Texas are a few schools of the over 15 schools that are actively recruiting currently. This list will grow well beyond these numbers over the next 6-12 months.
Jordan Walsh Faith Family Academy Cedar Hill, Texas
Walsh is one of the players that reminds people of the tough nose players from past eras. He does not mind getting physical and doing the dirty work that is needed to compete at a high level. The one attribute that he possesses that makes him so special is that he does what it takes to win. He is a fierce competitor who does not mind shutting down the best player on the opposing team. His defensive intensity translates to the things that he does well offensively. He has extended his range on shot and has a great feel to finish around the basket. One of the areas that he has shown steadily improvement is in his ball handling. He has grown increasingly comfortable putting the ball on the floor and attacking the rim with either hand. Cal, Auburn, Texas, Arkansas, and Texas A&M are a short list of the impressive group of programs that are currently recruiting Walsh at the time. We fully expect for this list to grow outside of the region and for his name to be mentioned as one of the top 40 players nationally.