The class of 2023 in basketball is shaping up to be one of the more remembered classes in recent memory, and there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered: Will social media superstar Mikey Williams commit to an HBCU or go the professional route? Will DJ Wagner play at his grandfather’s alma mater Louisville, or go to Kentucky and play for his father’s coach, John Calipari? What schools will Bronny James have to choose from for his commitment? While there could be columns written about all those things, and more for that matter, one of the bigger storylines lately has been the shakeup in recruiting rankings. 247Sports and Rivals have released new basketball recruiting ranks for the class of 2023. Here are ranking updates of ten of the current top prospects within the class and their Circuit stats, along with some winners and losers from the shakeup.
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Xavier Booker
C | 6’10 | 205 | Cathedral (Indianapolis, IN) | Michigan State
The Circuit: NO DATA
Booker rose quick in the spring and early summer. While not playing in The Circuit, Booker stays No. 1 at Rivals, but falls from three to No. 6 at 247 in the recent rankings. Regardless of where he ends up, Michigan State is getting a great talent.
Aaron Bradshaw
C | 7’0 | 210 | Camden (Roselle, NJ) | Undecided
The Circuit: 13 Games, 13.3 PPG, 60.3% FG, 81.8% FT, 25.0% 3P, 7.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.2 TOPG, 3.0 BPG
Bradshaw has been one of the biggest winners of the summer without a doubt. The 7’0 center has shown immense improvement rising from No. 18 to No. 4 at 247 and rising two spots from No. 10 to No. 8 at Rivals. The question now is, will he and Camden teammate DJ Wagner play together in college or go separate ways?
Matas Buzelis
SF | 6’9 | 190 | Sunrise Christion (Wichita, KS) | G-League Ignite
The Circuit: 10 Games, 13.0 PPG, 52.8% FG, 71.8% FT, 28.6% 3P, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.9 TOPG, 0.9 SPG
Buzelis now ranks No. 7 in both Rivals and 247 rankings. The Wichita native chose the G-League Ignite back in June instead of going to college. Buzelis shot well from the field and averaged a solid 13 PPG over 10 games in The Circuit.
Isaiah Collier
PG | 6’3 | 190 | Wheeler (Marietta, GA) | Undecided
The Circuit: 8 Games, 17.6 PPG, 53.3% FG, 69.8% FT, 43.3% 3P, 5.1 RPG, 6.5 APG, 2.1 TOPG, 1.4 SPG
Collier played well during the summer, and rose to the top spot in the 247 rankings, while staying the same at No. 4 for Rivals. The Marietta, GA native now has to make a college decision. Cincinnati, Michigan, UCLA, and USC are believed to the favorites.
Robert Dillingham
PG | 6’2 | 165 | Donda Academy (Simi Valley, CA) | Kentucky
The Circuit: 13 Games, 19.9 PPG, 52.9% FG, 79.0% FT, 38.4% 3P, 2.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.7 TOPG, 0.8 SPG
After decommitting from NC State in March, Dillingham committed to Kentucky in June, and also played great in The Circuit over the summer. The small, shooting point guard ranks lower at 247 than he does at Rivals, but John Calipari can expect a great offensive player in Dillingham regardless of his rank.
Justin Edwards
SF | 6’7 | 180 | Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, PA) | Kentucky
The Circuit: 13 Games, 17.0 PPG, 52.7% FG, 62.8% FT, 37.7% 3P, 6.2 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.5 TOPG, 1.6 SPG
Edwards had a great summer, and rose one spot to No. 2 in the Rivals rankings, but fell to No. 3 at 247. While there is still a while to go before any final rankings are submitted, Kentucky will be gaining a likely top 3-5 recruit in Edwards for its 2023-24 season.
AJ Johnson
CG | 6’5 | 160 | Donda Academy (Simi Valley, CA) | Undecided
The Circuit: 1 Game, 13 PPG, 54.5% FG, 0% FT, 0% 3P, 9 RPG, 1 APG, 1 TOPG, 2 SPG
Johnson, like Bradshaw, is one of the biggest winners of the summer. Rising from 25 to No. 9 at Rivals, and then 35 to No. 14 at 247. Johnson only played one game in The Circuit, but nearly had a double-double, and shot well from the field. Johnson still has not made a committment yet.
Mackenzie Mgbako
PF | 6’8 | 210 | Roselle Catholic (Gladstone, NJ) | Duke
The Circuit: 9 Games, 16.2 PPG, 40.3% FG, 86.7% FT, 19.7% 3P, 7.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 2.0 TOPG, 1.0 SPG
Playing 9 games in The Circuit, Mgbako played solid, shooting well from the field and free throw line but had below average three point shooting numbers. His game all around is solid, so if the shooting numbers get better than they were at The Circuit, then Duke can expect a great player in Mgbako.
Sean Stewart
PF | 6’8 | 210 | Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL) | Duke
The Circuit: 13 Games, 14.6 PPG, 55.0% FG, 56.2% FT, 40.0% 3P, 10.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.5 TOPG, 1.7 BPG
Fellow Duke commit with Mgbako, Stewart had a good run in The Circuit. Averaging a double-double and shooting well from the field and three-point line in The Circuit, the Blue Devils can expect another great player in Stewart.
DJ Wagner
CG | 6’3 | 165 | Camden (Camden, NJ) | Undecided
The Circuit: 12 Games, 20.3 PPG, 49.2% FG, 65.2% FT, 35.3% 3P, 3.5 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.8 TOPG, 1.8 SPG
While Wagner did very well for himself in The Circuit, he still dropped one spot in both 247 and Rivals. However, he still maintains a top three status in both and is the No. 1 player in the composite. Now the nation awaits Wagners college decision.
Winners
Rivals
Freddie Dilione – SG | 6’5 | 180 | Word of God Christian Academy (Fayetteville, NC) | Tennessee
Dilione had a huge jump from No. 113 to No. 35 in the class. He was unranked until his No. 113 rank on July 8, 2022.
TJ Power – PF | 6’10 | 210 | Worcester Academy (Worcester, MA) | Undecided
Power rose from No. 60 to No. 21 in the latest Rivals rankings.
247Sports
Elmarko Jackson – PG | 6’3 | 185 | South Kent School (South Kent, CT) | Undecided
Jackson rose a whopping 50 spots in these new rankings, from the No. 68 player to now the No. 18 player.
Jamari McDowell – SG | 6’4 | 180 | Manvel (Manvel, TX) | Undecided
McDowell was one rank off from rising 100 spots in the newest rankings. McDowell is now No. 42 in the class of 2023 after being previously ranked No. 141.
Losers
Rivals
Marvel Allen – SG | 6’4 | 190 | Montverde Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) | Georgetown
Allen fell to No. 52, after being previously ranked No. 22.
Mookie Cook – SF | 6’7 | 200 | Compass Prep (Chandler,AZ) | Oregon
Cook dropped from a top 10 prospect at No. 8 to No. 25 in the new Rivals rankings.
247Sports
Taylor Bowen – PF | 6’9 | 195 | Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH) | Florida State
Bowen falls 20 spots from No. 34 to No. 54 in the new 247Sports rankings.
Reed Sheppard – CG | 6’3 | 170 | North Laurel (London, KY) | Kentucky
Sheppard takes a drop to No. 44, falling 18 spots from No. 26.
