I've Got Five On It: Players poised to crash 2024 Rivals150
Next week, the Rivals150 for 2024 is set to refresh for the first time since the start of the high school season. And while familiar names will shuffle around, new players will be making their rankings debut. Today, in I've Got Five On It, Rivals recruiting director Rob Cassidy explores five prospects set to burst into the Rivals150 when the updated rankings are released March 8.
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PLAYER UPDATE: Kon Knueppel
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 80
Transfer Portal: Latest news
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1. KANON CATCHINGS
WHY HE’LL BREAK INTO THE RANKINGS: The nephew of WNBA legend Tamika Catchings, the 6-foot-8 wing has good length and has proven himself as a dangerous shooter capable of creating for himself and pulling up from multiple places on the floor. The book on Catchings has gone from potential to production quickly this season as the junior is becoming a more complete offensive weapon and has added a couple of inches of length since last summer. Catchings still needs to find ways to impact games more on the defensive end of the court, but his size, shooting ability and fluidity create matchup problems for most opponents. Catchings is a good bet to not only see his name in the Rivals150 but also to debut as a four-star prospect.
RECRUITMENT: Catchings is committed to Purdue.
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2. DONTAE RUSSO-NANCE
WHY HE’LL BREAK INTO THE RANKINGS: Russo-Nance has been a bit streaky this season playing for an Oak Hill team that has been overmatched at times while playing one of the toughest schedules in the country. That said, the New Zealand-born guard has looked fantastic in stretches. Russo-Nance is a confident passer that is often able to make plays out of seemingly nothing and is at his best when he’s shooting the ball well from deep, which he does for stretches. His battle, it seems, is with consistency, but his upside is obvious. He’ll see his name in the Rivals150 based on his first season in the United States, a season that featured plenty of performances worth getting excited about.
RECRUITMENT: Louisville and Xavier seem to lead the way for the four-star guard, who could reclassify into the 2023 class before all is said and done.
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3. JT ROCK
WHY HE’LL BREAK INTO THE RANKINGS: Rock has some work to do from a developmental standpoint, but the 7-footer has the mobility and perimeter skill to change games as he adds weight and gets more comfortable in the offensive post. Rock will have plenty of eyes on him this summer, as he hopefully becomes more of a force in the paint on the offensive end. However, his length and versatility are intriguing, to say the least. Rock feels like the kind of prospect that could make a gradual climb up the rankings in the year ahead if he bulks up and shines on the summer circuit. The ceiling is certainly there.
RECRUITMENT: Rock is committed Iowa State.
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4. VJ EDGECOMBE
WHY HE’LL BREAK INTO THE RANKINGS: Edgecombe might be the most obvious name on the list of Rivals150 debuts, as the Long Island Lutheran High School junior has had a wildly impressive breakout season that has college coaches from coast to coast getting familiar with his game. The Bahamas-born wing has a combination of size and shooting stroke that provide sky-high potential, but it’s his motor, upper-body strength and work on the defensive end that have helped set him apart from the pack this season. Look for him to make a lofty debut when the rankings refresh next week.
RECRUITMENT: It’s difficult to say anything with certainty about Edgecombe’s recruitment because of his late emergence and the fact that offers are still arriving. Mississippi State, Miami, Villanova, Charleston, Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan are among those in the mix for Edgecombe, but the future-four star is yet to take a single visit.
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5. JEREMIAH JOHNSON
WHY HE’LL BREAK INTO THE RANKINGS: Johnson is a bit of an interesting case. He missed some time early in his high school career due to injury, and it took him some time to round back into form when he returned to the floor. These days, however, the 6-foot-3 Johnson seems to be shooting the ball well from the outside again and he’s shined brightly in spurts for a loaded Wasatch Academy squad. Johnson has decent size for a guard and because of it has a knack for drawing contact and getting to the line. His play this season has proven enough to get him back in the thick of the rankings discussion and it feels as though the Oklahoma-born standout could help his stock even more with a statement summer.
RECRUITMENT: Johnson’s recruitment has a bit of a Midwest feel as schools such as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Tulsa are heavily involved. Kansas, Kansas State and Creighton are also kicking the tires on his recruitment but have yet to offer.