Video: Evan Mobley highlights See the Rancho Temecula big man in action during his junior season.
The 2019-20 high school basketball season is almost here. We tip-off our preseason content with the top 10 big men to watch this season.
Follow along with our preseason coverage through late November for everything you need to know for the upcoming high school basketball campaign.
The talent is abundant this season led by a senior class loaded from top to bottom.
Here's a look at some of the top bigs in the game:
One of the more physical big men in the country, the 6-foot-11 post has a strong frame whose presence is felt in the paint night in and night out. While his offensive game is still developing, the Top 50 class of 2020 prospect can dominate a game with his defensive impact as an elite shot blocker and rebounder. Look for the bruising big man to have a strong senior year for an ultra-talented Lions squad.
The only underclassman to make the list is the 6-8 Cahillite center. He ranks No. 2 overall in the class of 2022, according to
247sports composite rankings. Duren earned first team MaxPreps Freshman All-American honors, averaging 12.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game for a team that finished the season ranked No. 50 in the final Top 100.
After
three seasons at Norfolk Academy, Williams transferred to the
defending national champions in the offseason, filling a major void left
by a pair of McDonald's All-Americans. The Ascenders look for him to be the
anchor for an ultra-talented team looking to repeat. At
7-foot-0, he runs the floor well for a big man and has a high
motor on both ends of the court.
The War Eagles fell in the GHSA Class AAAA semifinals to eventual state champions Carver (Columbus) despite a monster year from Kessler. The North Carolina pledge averaged 21 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.4 blocks per contest en route to first team All-State honors. Behind Kessler, Woodward Academy enters the 2019-20 campaign as overwhelming favorites to capture the Georgia Class AAAA crown.
Showed off his versatility
last year, filling up the stat sheet to the tune of 28 points, 15
rebounds, 5.4 blocks and 4.3 assists per game. After a transfer to Word
of God for his senior season, the Michigan bound big man is set for
another monster campaign after earning second team MaxPreps Junior
All-American honors in 2018-19. Todd is a match-up nightmare with unique
vision and ball handling ability for a big man.
Holmgren was one of the biggest risers of the offseason, starting the summer at No. 61 in the class of 2021 in 247sports composite rankings, but climbed to No. 4 overall. Although the 7-0 big man possesses a frail frame, an excellent shooting touched combined with elite shot blocking ability make him a name to watch for a Red Hawks squad looking for its fourth straight state title.
He missed
over a month of action last season due to injury, but managed to
come back and average 30.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 5.4 blocks per game
to earn third team Junior MaxPreps All-American honors. If the Top 10
class of 2020 prospect can stay healthy this year, his stats could
skyrocket to video game-like numbers in a league he's dominated since
his incredible freshman campaign.
After a breakout junior season that saw the Eagles' standout climb the rankings and establish himself as a 5-star prospect, expectations are extremely high. Last year, the North Carolina commit averaged 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. The transfer led South Central to its first state title in program history, finishing 30-1 and ranked No. 11 in MaxPreps final Top 100.
Mobley is the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2020, with an elite two-way skill set that has scouts
raving. The USC pledge earned first team MaxPreps Junior
All-American honors last year averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per
game for the 26-6 Eagles. Rancho Christian will enter 2019-20 with high expectations as the National Player of the Year candidate
will be the catalyst.
Last season, the first team MaxPreps Sophomore All-American led O'Dea to its first state title since 2007, averaging 18.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest. Banchero is set for a monster year, looking to lead the Fighting Irish to back-to-back state titles. A trip to the City of Palms Classic in mid-December will showcase the gifted junior's talent against elite national competition.
Paolo Banchero, O'Dea
File photo by Justin Fine
Oct. 30 — Top 10 wings
Oct. 31 — Top 10 guards
Nov. 6 — Preseason Top 25 rankings
Nov. 13 — Preseason Top 100 rankings
Nov. 19 — Tournaments and events to watch
Nov. 20 — Best team in all 50 states
Nov. 21 — MaxPreps National Player of the Year Watch List
Nov. 27 — Toughest schedules
