Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the new 2022 position rankings
The revamped Rivals150 for the class of 2022 was released on Tuesday, and the new position rankings have now been unveiled. Here, Rivals.com has a look at the top player at each position as well as an additional player of note at each spot.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Previews: Biggest rankings questions to address during the next refresh | Toughest rankings decisions
Monday: Top five countdown for 2022
Tuesday: New 2022 Rivals150 released | Top storylines in new ranking
Wednesday: New 2022 position rankings released
Thursday: 2023 Rivals150
Friday: 2024 top 65
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POINT GUARD
TOP DOG: Nick Smith
Smith continues to trend upward and snatched the top spot at point guard because of an evolving game that seems to feed into what the modern NBA wants in a point guard. The North Little Rock (Ark.) High School prospect is signed to play for Arkansas next season and will arrive in Fayetteville as a proven scorer at the highest levels of high school hoops. Smith creates his own shot and is starting to understand how to use his length on the defensive end, where he’s capable of guarding three positions.
NOTABLE: Jayden Pierre
Previously unranked, Pierre landed at No. 123 in the Rivals150 on the back of a senior season that saw him fill the box score for Long Island Lutheran High School. Nowhere was Pierre more impressive, however, than he was on the big stage at this year’s Hoophall Classic.
There, the Providence signee scored 16 points on 70% shooting and dished out nine assists despite sitting out the entirety of the fourth quarter. Pierre doesn’t come equipped with the elite length of some of the highly ranked point guards in this class, but his well-rounded skill set and ability to dictate tempo while making wise decisions make him a steal for the Friars.
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SHOOTING GUARD
TOP DOG: Cason Wallace
The top player on one of the top public school teams in America, Wallace looked every bit the star leading his Richardson (Texas) High team to the top of most polls this season. The future Kentucky Wildcat boasts elite length and can play both guard spots in addition to being one of the best backcourt defenders in this class. There are few better two-way players in America.
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NOTABLE: Anthony Black
The intrigue surrounding Black stems from his standing as America’s top-ranked uncommitted prospect. The No. 27 player in the 2022 class, Black seems to be torn between Gonzaga and Oklahoma State and is likely to land at one of those two schools. Black’s father played at Baylor, so it’s impossible to rule out the Bears, but the Cowboys and Bulldogs have long seemed to have a leg up in the race to land the Texas-based star.
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SMALL FORWARD
TOP DOG: Dariq Whitehead
Whitehead hasn’t been perfect this season, but he’s been as consistent and dominant as anyone can expect when you consider the elite level competition he plays at Florida’s Montverde Academy. Whitehead, who is headed to Duke, has an impressive build that allows him defensive versatility and has proven to be a true three-level scorer.
When the five-star wing is going well, he gets to the rim seemingly at will and knocks down pull-up jumpers with regularity. He spent the season proving his game translates against truly elite competition and turned in limited off nights while doing so.
NOTABLE: Dillon Mitchell
A case can be made for Mitchell as both the best defender and the best raw athlete in the class of 2022, and he has spent his senior season proving he belongs in the thick of not only those discussions but also the top 10 of the national rankings. Mitchell is slowly becoming a better shooter and a bigger offensive threat, but his undeniable upside is what pushed him to five-star status.
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POWER FORWARD
TOP DOG: Kyle Flipowski
Flipowski was in the thick of the discussion for the No. 1 overall ranking for good reason, as the versatile forward has proven he can do it all. At 6-foot-11 Flipowski is more skilled than most prospects his size and is seemingly always in attack mode. And while he doesn’t encounter the same level of high school competition as some other highly ranked players, he did manage to get the best of No. 3 overall prospect and fellow Duke signee Dereck Lively in a head-to-head meeting a month or so back.
NOTABLE: Malik Reneau
A Florida signee, Reneau seems to be one of the smarter players in the class when it comes to making decisions with the basketball. The Montverde Academy star always seems to make the right pass and plays within the offense while taking high-percentage shots and limiting turnovers. He may not be the flashiest player in the top 20, but being a sure finisher with great hands and a massive motor can take a big a long way in the SEC.
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CENTER
TOP DOG: Dereck Lively
A bet on Lively is a bet on sky-high upside, as the 7-foot-1 prospect is incredibly mobile and a game-changer on the defensive end. He has all the tools to stuff a box score as well but needs to become more assertive and consistent. That said, the Duke signee has the physical tools of a high-level pro and could outperform his lofty No. 3 ranking if things start to click offensively on a regular basis. There’s a reason he was under consideration for the top spot in the Rivals150, after all.
NOTABLE: Adem Bona
A UCLA signee, Bona has developed his game in the high post over the last year and remains an absolute monster on defense and on the glass. He shot up 12 spots in the Rivals150 and may still be able to outplay that ranking if he continues on his current trajectory. Bona is a high-level athlete that gets up and down the floor as well as anyone his size and dunks almost anything he catches near the rim. If he becomes a better shooter, look out.