The final 2023 rankings are being released this week and we started it off today with the Five-Star Countdown. We revealed all 20 five-stars individually, with recruiting director Rob Cassidy's take on each.
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1. Isaiah Collier (USC)
Cassidy's Take: A USC signee, Isaiah Collier retains his No. 1 ranking after an all-star season that saw him win co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game. He’s one of the highest floor prospects in the country and projects to be a major part of the Trojans' 2023-24 campaign due to his ability to create for his teammates and himself.
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2. Aaron Bradshaw (Kentucky)
Cassidy's Take: At 7-foot-1, Aaron Bradshaw has developed as a long-range shooter and is a hyper-intriguing prospect due to his versatility and ability to create extra possessions. He’s the prototype of a modern, floor-spacing big man and has become a better rim protector in recent months. Bradshaw is headed to Kentucky as part of the Wildcats’ top-ranked class.
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3. Justin Edwards (Kentucky)
Cassidy's Take: Justin Edwards is headed to Kentucky and has played like the top prospect in the class for stretches this year. He’s long been in the conversation for the top spot due to his shot-creation ability. He scores at all three levels but sometimes battles innocent stretches when it comes to shooting and making wise decisions with the ball in his hand. He could outperform his lofty ranking if he becomes more consistent.
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4. Matas Buzelis (G League)
Cassidy's Take: A 6-foot-10 wing that boasts serious perimeter skills, Matas Buzelis has lottery potential that hasn’t always translated to production at this early stage. That said, his rare skill set makes him a good bet to develop into what the NBA wants down the road. Buzelis, who is headed to the G League, is a certified playmaker that functions as a point forward. He’ll need to bulk up in the year ahead but his ceiling is lofty to say the least.
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5. Ronald Holland (Texas)
Cassidy's Take: If it’s production you want, look no further than Ronald Holland, a Texas signee that is lethal in transition. He’s a bit of a hot-and-cold shooter and sometimes goes as his jumper goes, but most other parts of his game are elite. He’s improved as a ball handler but will need to continue to do so in Austin.
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6. DJ Wagner (Kentucky)
Cassidy's Take: When you talk about three-level scorers capable of taking over a game, you talk about DJ Wagner, who is as lethal as anyone in this class on his best days. The Kentucky signee puts constant pressure on defenses as plays as hard as any guard in America.
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7. Cody Williams (Colorado)
Cassidy's Take: Cody Williams, who is headed to Colorado, is the highest-ranked signee in program history and has developed rapidly over the past year. He is the younger brother of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams and has yet to scratch the surface of his massive potential. Williams is an athletic 6-foot-8 slasher who is becoming more skilled by the month. His trajectory is encouraging to say the least.
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8. Mackenzie Mgbako (uncommitted)
Cassidy's Take: A former Duke commit who recently backed off his pledge, Mackenzie Mgbako is considering St. Johns, Louisville, North Carolina and others. At 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, he has the look of a college-ready prospect and is well versed is using his size to his advantage. He’s become a somewhat reliable shooter from deep and is able to create for himself all over the floor.
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9. Stephon Castle (UConn)
Cassidy's Take: Stephon Castle’s length is what jumps off the page, but the 6-foot-6 prospect can play either guard spot without missing a beat. The future UConn Husky spent the last year impacting games in endless ways and has a way of stuffing box scores.
What he lacks in truly elite shooting, he easily makes up for with versatility, defensive prowess and the ability to create for his teammates. There may not be a more well-rounded guard in America.
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10. Omaha Biliew (Iowa State)
Cassidy's Take: Omaha Biliew's potential has given way to production over the last year but he hasn’t yet reached his massive upside. The highest-ranked signee in Iowa State history, Biliew turned in one of the most impressive performances during McDonald’s All-American Game practices, where his physicality and motor were unmatched.
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11. Jared McCain (Duke)
Cassidy's Take: Jared McCain, a Duke signee, is as steady as any prospect in the class and doesn't seem to have a hole in his game. He’s a mature and patient guard that understands pace and rarely makes poor choices with the ball. He understands how to use his body to create shots and knocks them down with a quick release.
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12. Ja'Kobe Walter (Baylor)
Cassidy's Take: Ja'Kobe Walter is signed with Baylor. The Texas-based guard earned his bump in the final rankings by popping off the page when juxtaposed with the other elite wings in the class while playing a national schedule as a senior at Link Academy.
Walter is able to impose his will on both ends because of his built upper body and above-average athleticism. He scores at all three levels and his ability to use his strength to create space on offense is notable. So is the fact that he impacts games on the glass.
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13. Dennis Evans (Louisville)
Cassidy's Take: Dennis Evans, who is headed to Louisville, is one of the premier rim protectors in the country. His offensive game is still developing. The 7-foot-1 center moves fluidly, however, and has the athleticism and tools to become a dominant force on the college level.
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14. Robert Dillingham (Kentucky)
Cassidy's Take: Robert Dillingham is the best ball-handler in the class, but the future Kentucky Wildcat is more than a one-trick pony. There are few players more exciting than Dillingham, who is at his best when he isn’t asked to bear the scoring load by himself.
When Dillingham stays within the offense, creates for others and avoids forcing poor shots, the Overtime Elite star looks like a future NBA talent.
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15. Xavier Booker (Michigan State)
Cassidy's Take: A bet on Xavier Booker is a bet on the Michigan State signee’s massive upside, which he’s still taking steps toward reaching. Booker is incredibly mobile and shows flashes of greatness in a number of areas. He’ll need to build both muscle and confidence as he seems to blend in when the competition level is high. At 6-foot-10 his hands and touch around the basket are rare commodities.
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16. Sean Stewart (Duke)
Cassidy's Take: Sean Stewart’s motor is impressive as the Duke signee is always in attack mode and never takes a possession off at either end of the floor. The 6-foot-8 power forward lacks ideal positional length but remains an elite rebounder based on instincts and effort.
He’s a high-level athlete that has developed quickly from a skill perspective, even if he has a ways to go to become a reliable outside shooter. Stewart’s high-level defense will allow him to stay on the floor even when his shot isn’t falling.
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17. Kwame Evans Jr. (Oregon)
Cassidy's Take: The 6-foot-9 Kwame Evans is absolutely beaming with potential. On the occasions that everything clicks, he can absolutely dominate a game. For now, however, he’s an elite long-term prospect that needs to become more consistent and motivated. That said, the left-handed Oregon signee is an underrated shooter that can score in a number of ways, especially in transition.
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18. Caleb Foster (Duke)
Cassidy's Take: Caleb Foster is headed to Duke and will arrive on campus as a broad-shouldered, physical guard. He scores with creativity and is an above-average shooter from all over the floor, He’ll take the next step as he develops as a facilitator. For now, he projects as a score-first point guard.
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19. Jackson Shelstad (Oregon)
Cassidy's Take: Nobody had a better last few months than Jackson Shelstad, a future Oregon Duck that continues to improve as a well-rounded point guard. He wow’ed NBA scouts at the recent Nike Hoops Summit and has quickly climbed up the rankings based on his court vision and ability to blow by defenders. He’s a college-ready guard that can hurt opponents as a scorer or a distributor despite lacking elite length.
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20. T.J. Power (Duke)
Cassidy's Take: TJ Power’s consistent productivity has been impossible to ignore over the past year. He’ll arrive at Duke with the reputation of a versatile prospect who looks comfortable with both hands and can hurt opponents from long range as well as in the paint. Power has long had elite tools but has refined himself from a skill perspective in the past year. He has room to grow as a defender as he boasts solid athleticism.
