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Published Feb 21, 2020
Master Class: Top 100 high school players, Nos. 1-20
Eric Bossi, Corey Evans
Rivals.com

THE REST OF THE MASTER CLASS RANKINGS: Nos. 81-100 | 61-80 | 41-60 | 21-40

We recently updated our rankings of each class, but where do the country’s best high school players rank against other classes? This week Rivals.com releases our Master Class top 100 ranking of top high schoolers, regardless of class.

Obviously, the Master Class ranking needs to use each of our class rankings from 2020, 2021 and 2022 as a guide and there are also a select few from a class that we haven’t ranked yet, 2023, that make the list. So, you won’t see a four-star prospect from 2022 ranking over a five-star from 2021. But, that doesn’t mean that 2020’s No. 40 ranked player can’t rank ahead of a player who ranks higher in the class of 2021. Class strength, experience, overall ceiling and many other factors are included here.

Today, we reveal the top 20 as we count all the way down to No. 1.

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2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position

2022 Rankings: Top 75

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No. 20 - DeJaun Wagner Jr.

The highest ranked freshman on the list, he may be young but he’s in the argument for best long-term point guard prospect. A potential third generation McDonald’s All-American, he’s the real deal and has an unreal skill level for somebody so young.

MORE: It's all in the family for the Wagners

No. 19 - Jalen Johnson

Headed to Duke, he just returned to the floor after missing most of the season because of transfer. Big, physical and cut a little bit out of the Ben Simmonds mold, he can be tough to deal with when his energy is channeled in a positive direction.

No. 18 - Jalen Suggs

Provided he doesn’t elect to pursue professional options overseas, he’s going to be an absolute monster at Gonzaga. A big and physical guard who can really get to the rim and defends at an elite level.

No. 17 - Greg Brown

Pound for pound, there may not be a better athlete on this list. He’s almost like a better, new age version of the plastic man Stacey Augmon. His skill needs some refinement, but he can play fast and is versatile.

No. 16 - Scottie Barnes

He’s such a good playmaker, leader and high IQ player that Florida State is planning to use him some as a point guard. College ready body, does all of the little things and is the type of player that others love playing with.

No. 15 - Jaden Hardy

The top guard in the junior class, he’s got some young Brad Beal to his game and is an explosive scorer. He has good size, he’s strong and he is also a quite capable passer who has a good feel for the game.

No. 14 - Jabari Smith

He is exactly what teams are looking for in a modern day four man. He can shoot with range, rebounds his position very well and is a passer who finds guys out of the high post. Still adding strength and has huge upside.

No. 13 - Ziaire Williams

A tall and rangy wing who simply makes the game look easy. He’s smooth in the open floor, has a killer pull-up jumper and could climb even higher if he gets consistent as a three-point shooter.

No. 12 - Terrence Clarke

This guy should be ready to put up some numbers as soon as he arrives at Kentucky. Not only can he shoot with range, he’s a pretty creative ball handler and has excellent burst.

No. 11 - Chris Livingston

One of the most explosive wing scorers in all of high school basketball. He plays an in-your-face style predicated on getting downhill and attacking the rim. He supplements his drive with deep range on his jump shot.

No. 10 - B.J. Boston

Some guys just seem like they were put on the planet to score the ball and he falls in that category. Tremendous size, tremendous skill and he keeps getting better. It won’t be a surprise to see him develop into one of the SEC’s premier scorers during what should only be one season at Kentucky.

No. 9 - Chet Holmgren

People keep saying he’s too skinny, he just keeps putting up numbers. Fluid, skilled and capable of impacting the game on either side of the floor given his elite shot blocking ability. Whatever you do, don’t mistake his lack of bulk for a lack of toughness.

No. 8 - Patrick Baldwin, Jr.

Arguably as dangerous a jump shooter as there is in the country, he is a straight up sniper from deep. He’s got all-around skill as well and when you combine that with his size and a great basketball mind, you get a dude who is tough to stop.

No. 7 - Paolo Banchero

There may not be a more fundamentally sound player, regardless of position or class. A gifted passer, a big-time rebounder and a competitor who always seems to be in the right place ready to make the right play.

No. 6 - Jalen Duren

He has a birth certificate that proves he’s only 16 years old, but he could easily pass for an NBA veteran. One of the most impressive post prospects to come along in terms of how he’s put together physically since Dwight Howard.

No. 5 - Evan Mobley

Headed to play with his brother Isaiah Mobley and for his assistant coach father Eric Mobley at USC, he had held the No. 1 spot in 2020 for much of his high school career. He runs the floor, has soft hands, erases shots at the rim and has touch. How quickly he adds strength and develop more of killer attitude will determine much moving forward.

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No. 4 - Jalen Green

Still open in his recruitment, he is the most naturally gifted scorer in the high school ranks. His jumper is pure, he is a monster in the pick and roll and he’s a freaky athlete to go along with it all.

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No. 3 - Jonathan Kuminga

Potentially headed towards a reclassification into 2020, he’s another who is already put together like and NBA player. A big and physical wing with plus athleticism who is a streaky but competent jump shooter. He’s basically killing time until he can get paid millions.

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No. 2 - Cade Cunningham

There may be better athletes, there may be better passers and there may be better shooters. But nobody has a more impressive package of all of the above to go with big time size and leadership ability. There will be a lot of pressure on him to turn things around at Oklahoma State, but he’s built for it.

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No. 1 - Emoni Bates

With each passing day and each big-time performance (he had 63 points on Tuesday), his legend grows. What else is there to say other than he does it all and that he does it all with a fiery passion for the game? He will need to continue to get stronger and to tighten up his ball-handling and shooting, but he is a top five, maybe top three prospect of the Rivals.com era at this stage in his development.

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