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Evans Seven: States with most 5-stars in 2020-22 classes

Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

The Rivals150 rankings for the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 were updated earlier this month. In doing so, we have a better grasp of where the very best reside or will be found once next season begins. The latest Evans Seven does its part to hash out which states will boast the most five-stars in the fall with the top seven states boasting 38 of the 67 five-stars found between the 2020-2022 classes.


2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position

2022 Rankings: Top 75


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1. FLORIDA - 11

Primarily due an annual talent infusion, Florida takes top billing for where the most five-stars reside. The emergence of national powers IMG Academy and Montverde Academy make the state what it is. Whether it was drawing top-ranked senior Cade Cunningham, or Dariq Whitehead, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, and Day’Ron Sharpe making the move into its borders last year, or just over the last few weeks, seeing Jalen Duren and Jalen Bradley decide to leave their home states for Florida, no other state boasts more blue-chip talent.

Of the entire group, just Scottie Barnes is a true Florida native. That doesn’t slight the number of four-stars that fall outside of the elite territory but Montverde and IMG make Florida No. 1 with 11 five-stars in all.

2. CALIFORNIA - 10

If it was about the mixture of in-state talent and out-of-state transfers, California would supersede Florida. Sierra Canyon has definitely helped the cause, bringing BJ Boston from Georgia, and Amari Bailey from Illinois, and we haven’t even discussed Bronny James, who could take ahold of five-star status down the road.

However, Jalen Green, Ziaire Williams, and Josh Christopher are faces of the 2020 class that call the Golden State home, as does Peyton Watson and Kijani Wright from the upcoming classes, giving California 10 five-stars.

Expect for the state to remain among the best for the production of future NBA prospects in the coming years thanks to the Los Angeles area, and the presence of Prolific Prep and Sierra Canyon, who should each draw its fair share of outside talent.

3. TEXAS - 5

Greg Brown
Greg Brown (Jon Lopez/Nike)

It is about the home-grown talent when it comes to the Lone Star State. Greg Brown is the top name to know, but there is more upcoming talent that could draw similar reviews.

Whether it is Harrison Ingram in the 2021 class, or Keyonte George out of the 2022 class, the state has one top-10 prospect in each of the three upcoming classes. One would expect that there might be more than just five five-stars considering the talent in the Dallas-Forth Worth area and Houston. The 2022 class is a promising collection and no state has more talent found throughout the top-half of the Rivals150 than Texas.

4. TENNESSEE - 4

Tennessee could actually have been a bit higher and tied with Texas for the third most five-stars if it wasn’t for Kennedy Chandler’s recent decision to leave his home state. In the meantime, the Volunteer State is sitting with four five-stars thanks to Moussa Cisse’s transfer last fall.

While Chandler left a void in the state, it was replaced some by Skyy Clarke, an elite playmaker that comes eastward after spending two seasons in California. While neither Cisse or Clarke are Tennessee natives, Brandon Miller and Keon Johnson are. Together, the four possess tremendous qualities that should make them instant producers in college and also receive more than enough attention from the NBA.

T5. GEORGIA - 3

One of the more surprising totals is Georgia, though that is no fault of its own. A few elite talents have decided to leave the state, as in a Dariq Whitehead, and a few others, including Bruce Thornton and Scoot Henderson, are on the cusp of a five-star rating.

In the meantime, the three that does possess such a highly coveted ranking are among the best and most popular in the game. Sharife Cooper, headed to Auburn in the fall, will be the next from Tigers star from Atlanta. North Carolina will enroll Walker Kessler and the Peach State native should be a heavily discussed name early in Chapel Hill. Lastly, top-five junior Jabari Smith has continued to climb the rankings in recent updates and solidified his standing as one of the best forwards in the game.

T5. KANSAS - 3

We have Sunrise Christian Academy to thank for Kansas finding its way into the five-star rankings. Kennedy Chandler and Kendall Brown, two of the best available prospects from the 2021 class, will play there this fall. Neither call the state as home as Chandler grew up inTennessee and Brown in Minnesota.

The third five-star is Mark Mitchell, the lone Kansas native of the group. The Bishop Miege High program was the former home for one-time five-star and now Villanova standout Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

T5. ARIZONA - 3

Arizona has become a breeding ground for some of the best prep programs in the nation. Boasting three highly-rated talents within its borders, none of the three call the state home, while just one is from the United States.

That one is top-10 junior Michael Foster. Raised in Milwaukee, Foster spent the past season at Hillcrest Prep and is the highest rated talent in the state. His teammate for the final portion of the season, Makur Maker, is another that has caused a commotion with his play in recent years and while we remain unsure of where or if he will even play in college in the fall, the talent is there. Finally, Sadraque Nganga, a top-15 talent out of the 2022 class, is the third piece to the state’s five-star ensemble who is a blessed forward that fits today’s positionless game.

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