The final Rivals150 for the class of 2022 is set to release next week, and rankings will be set in stone thereafter. It's been a couple months since the last update, so plenty has changed in that time. This week in I've Got Five On It, Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy has a look at five players to watch when rankings are released next week.
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Florida Man: Notes from the road, GG Jackson FutureCast
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
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Whitmore may not have the one-and-done potential of some of the five-stars ranked in the top 20, but his college impact and long-term ceiling could well be on par with that sort of elite company.
A Villanova signee, Whitmore has made the case to move up the rankings at every turn. He used his rare combination of athleticism and strength to put himself in the thick of the conversation for McDonald’s All-American game MVP before going for 19 points on just eight shots at the Nike Hoop Summit.
He knows how to use his broad shoulders to secure rebounds and possesses a motor that doesn’t quit. He’s made his case for five-star status and could see his stock rise significantly in the final Rivals150.
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The Oregon signee has had a great last couple months punctuated by an impressive performance in the McDonald’s All-American Game and a hyper-effective night off the bench at the Nike Hoops Summit. Ware is becoming a bit more physical, and his ability to finish in the paint is now being complemented by an improved shooting stroke.
Ware glides his 7-foot frame around the floor like a much smaller prospect and is becoming a more engaged rebounder. On the defensive end, the quickness is there. He changes his share of shots and will likely grow into being an elite shot blocker as he continues to add muscle and become more aggressive.
NBA front office people I’ve spoken with have been enamored by his upside for some time and seem to have become even more intrigued in the last month.
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The Houston-bound Walker is already a five-star and sits at No. 15 in the Rivals150. For that reason, it will be difficult to give him a massive bump. Still, the way he’s played in the final couple months of his high school career has brought the fringe of the top 10 within reach.
Walker was a standout at the McDonald’s All-American game before showing out for his IMG Academy team a couple days later at GEICO Nationals. He remains a bit raw from an offensive efficiency perspective, but he can score in spurts in the paint and while running the floor, and knocking down the occasional 3-pointer.
Walker doesn’t just change and block shots in the half court, but his athleticism and size allow him to be a menace in transition, where he’s executed a handful awe-inspiring chase-down blocks in recent weeks.
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Washington sits outside the Rivals150 as things stand, but that will change when the rankings get their final refresh. The Texas Tech signee had a nice season at Arizona Compass Prep, but his 19-point performance against Team USA in a Nike Hoop Summit scrimmage provided an exclamation point.
Washington is all of 6-foot-4 and has proven to be a lethal shooter and versatile defender. He has a reliable pull-up jumper and can also convert from deep in catch-and-shoot situations. His range is complemented by an ability to finish through contact and get to his spots in the half court. Washington has taken impressive forward steps this year and is undoubtedly undervalued.
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Mitchell is an interesting case to say the least. The future Texas Longhorn might be the top defender in the 2022 class and is also one of its most gifted natural athletes. He’s proven he can score at a high clip against truly top-flight competition, as he did fairly regularly as a senior at famed Montverde Academy.
Still, questions about his jumper have always held him back a bit. His peripheral tools and ability to score off the bounce have become so developed and impressive, however, that his lack of a reliable three-point stroke seems a bit less important than it did six months ago.
A bet on Mitchell is, in essence, a bet on Chris Beard to refine the five-star’s elite-level, as he has early-lottery draft potential if he becomes even a slightly above-average shooter. Mitchell currently sits at No. 11 in the class, but his name has been kicked around for a move into or just outside the top five.
