Where we ranked the Elite Eight stars as HS prospects
Just after scoring 23 points to lead No. 4 Alabama past No. 6 Clemson, Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears answered the infamous question on whether high school hoops clout factors in for success during the madness of March.
“I’m 6-1, I ain’t have all the potential like these guys did in high school,” Sears said. “But hard work is undefeated! Hard work is undefeated.”
As four teams punched their tickets for Glendale this past weekend we zeroed in on four stars and took a look back at where they stood during their high school playing days before breaking down how they were able to steal the spotlight.
March Madness: Where we ranked Sweet 16 stars | Previewing the Sweet 16 | Ranking the Sweet 16 games | Ten likely stars of the second weekend of the NCAA tournament | Where the first-round stars were ranked in high school | Second round | Yahoo's March Madness coverage
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2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2026 Rankings: Top 100
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Burns’ skilled, bully-ball style earned him a four- star rating in high school and he ended up committing to Tennessee in 2018. Burns transferred to Winthrop after his first season and is now in his second year at NC State. On Sunday, he dominated Duke, posting 29 points, four rebounds and three assists to lead the No. 11 Wolfpack past No. 4 Duke, 76-64.
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Clingan’s versatile scoring prowess was well documented during his playing days at Bristol Central, earning the distinction of a four-star prospect in the Rivals150 during his senior season in 2022. In the end, the Huskies edged Iowa to reel in the 7-foot-1 center. On Saturday he scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 1 Connecticut past No. 3 Illinois, 77-52.
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The Canadian big man earned a three-start rating during his senior season at IMG Academy and ended up picking Purdue over Baylor and Santa Clara. On Sunday, Edey obliterated the competition, scoring 40 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to lead No. 1 Purdue past No. 2 Tennessee, 72-66.
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Don’t look for Sears in the Rivals150 during his senior year in 2020, despite his knack for scoring the ball at all three levels, he flew below the national radar during his playing days at Hargrave Military Academy. Still, he showed enough to be considered a three-star prospect. Sears committed to Ohio out of high school and transferred to Alabama in 2022. On Saturday, he drained seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead the Tide to the Final Four. Sears was named Most Outstanding Player of the West Region.