The final Rivals150 for the class of 2023 is set to release this week, and while there isn't usually as much movement in the last update as there is in the preliminary ones, there will still be plenty of deck shuffling.
Today, Rivals.com's Rob Cassidy explores three questions that will be answered when the final rankings are released.
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WILL THE KING STAY KING?
USC signee Isaiah Collier has topped the Rivals rankings for the better part of six months and has certainly made a case to keep the No. 1 next to his name this week. Collier, who was co-MVP of last month’s McDonald's All-American game, is as steady a prospect as there is in this class and impacts games in multiple ways.
But while Collier feels like the safe choice, upside picks such as stretch big man Aaron Bradshaw, the electric DJ Wagner and well-rounded wing Justin Edwards all make convincing cases for being No. 1. The decision hasn’t been an easy one because the class of 2023 doesn’t include a no-brainer headliner and never has. Still, somebody has to be top dog, and the debate about exactly who that should be is a nuanced one to say the least.
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HOW HIGH WILL BRONNY JAMES CLIMB?
The most talked about prospect in the 2023 class has developed quickly as a senior and is starting to make waves in NBA circles as a possible first-round pick down the road based on his ability to light it up from deep and defend multiple positions. That’s a conversation for down the road, however.
What’s more pressing is where the evolving prospect should slot in the final Rivals150. James has long been a polarizing figure. One thing that is clear, however, is that his current ranking of No. 43 is too low for a guy with the skill set he possesses today. James can be lethal from deep and has developed as both a ball-handler and a defender in the last year.
James made an emphatic statement on a national stage with a solid week at the McDonald’s All-American game, but it’s his consistency as of late that will boost him up the rankings. The only question remaining is how big a bump to give him.
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WHO WILL GAIN FIVE-STAR STATUS?
A handful of highly regarded four-star prospects made convincing cases to add stars since the last refresh. Bronny James, Baylor signee Ja'Kobe Walter, Oregon pledge Jackson Shelstead and future Auburn Tiger Aden Holloway are on the short list of guards under consideration. Meanwhile, forwards Cody Williams, a Colorado signee, and Oklahoma State-bound Brandon Garrison created discussion as well.
They won’t all make the cut, as the list of five-stars will include just 20 prospects this cycle, but each of their names was brought up in internal conversations.
