Answering the Hot Topic Questions from the 2024 On3 150 Update

On Monday, On3 released an updated 2024 On3 150 ranking. The previous ranking update for this class was in August. In the time since the previous update, we saw USA Basketball training camp, evaluation camps, workouts and practices, and preseason jamborees and events. The On3 national team has racked up the air miles along with watching countless hours of streams and film. 

This update saw Cooper Flagg hold serve at the No. 1 spot. On3 first moved Flagg to the No. 1 spot when he first announced his re-class to 2024 in August. Flagg continued with strong workouts and camps as well as an excellent Border League showing. We also saw two new five-stars in this update, with Carter Bryant (No. 10) and Derrion Reid (No. 12)  making their move.

On3’s rankings use a baseline of first projecting for the NBA Draft, with a career in the league being a secondary projection tool. Our goal is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential, ultimately manifest by the NBA Draft. We look at a player’s career developmental arc and how each of their games projects moving forward. 

Storylines from the 2024 On3 150 update

Here are some of the hot topic questions, applied to the 2024 class, that we get after each update.

How Close was the race for No. 1?

For this update, the race for No. 1 was not very close. Cooper Flagg was brought up and quickly agreed upon. However, the next tier of players did get interesting. 

Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Jayden Quaintance, VJ Edgecombe, and Tre Johnson (Nos. 2-6) all bring interesting pieces to the table. Not only do they all have projectable upsides, but they also have each already experienced a good bit of production. 

It is worth seeing what type of steps each of those players take over the next six to eight months. What will be interesting to monitor in this class is whether one of those players takes enough of a step to challenge Flagg at the top of the class. 

At this point in the 2024 cycle, Flagg is the top player in the class. Will that be set in stone for the duration of the class?

Which players are you higher on than others?

Each time we update the player rankings, no matter the class, there are a handful of players throughout the rankings that we are higher on than others. It works that way across the industry. For the purpose of this article, I am going to focus on the five stars. 

For starters, when we look at our rankings, we look toward the NBA Draft. Of the fourteen players rated as five-stars, there are three that stand out for this writing. Carter Bryant is a 6-foot-8 forward at Corona (CA) Centennial High. His frame, length, and athleticism have always popped, but until recently his production has not matched his physical traits. While still a bit inconsistent, we have seen the jump shot come around along with confidence on the ball. 

Bryant jumped to No. 10 in the updated rankings. He is still developing as a player, but there is a real defensive upside, with shooting, and some handle there. Given his size and continued upward trajectory, his player archetype is in line with what they look for at the highest levels. He is starting to show a skill set for what he could be moving forward. He is No. 19 in the Industry Ranking. 

Bryson Tucker did not play travel ball this summer, but he did have very positive showings at the UA Next Elite 24 and the NBPA Top 100 Camps. Tucker, who came in at No. 12 in the 2024 On3 150 update, has a confident handle and is advanced in the mid-range. At 6-foot-7 with length, Tucker’s game and play style fit prominently with the guards projecting forward. He is No. 18 in the Industry Ranking. 

Aiden Sherrell, an Alabama commitment, is No. 14 in the update. Looking at Sherrell’s game, you see the athletic fluidity. He has touch that extends beyond the three-point arc and ability over both shoulders. While still developing, and carving out his game, Sherrell is a lengthy 6-foot-11 center who can protect the rim, stretch the floor, and open his hips to move his feet. There is an obvious path to reach an archetype very useful in today’s game. He is No. 24 in the Industry Ranking.

Who was the toughest player in the class to rank?

As we mentioned the On3 150 rankings are set with the NBA Draft in mind. In looking at the projections there are different levels to that. Looking through the high school basketball landscape, we see high-upside players whose athletic makeup projects toward the NBA. You also have players whose athletic makeup is not traditional, but their current production is at the top of the class. 

Kon Knueppel led Nike’s EYBL Circuit in scoring this summer. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard averaged 22.5 points while shooting 46.7 percent from three. His athleticism can be questioned; however, his feel, skill base, and processing are elite. While he does project toward the NBA, it might take more than one year to get there. Knueppel is No. 15 in the update. 

The conversation is similar for Boogie Fland, On3’s No. 1 point guard in the class. He has produced at the club level, the international level, and the high school level. Fland takes care of the ball, he is an excellent leader, and he can shoot the ball with deep range. He has all the intangibles you want from a point guard. Like Knueppel, Fland is also someone we project toward the NBA, however, also like Knueppel, he is someone that could take more than a year to get there. 

When ranking any class, you have to find the proper way to weigh current production against future projections. 

Which player could you see outplaying their ranking?

Both Andrew Crawford and Kuol Atak are players that On3 is higher on than the industry. They are also both players that I could see continuing to take steps over the next few months and possibly continuing to climb in the On3 150. 

Crawford is a 6-foot-6 wing from Highlands Ranch (CO) ThunderRidge High and is committed to Colorado. The intrigue with Crawford comes with his feel and his processing. Given his initiation capabilities with his physical makeup, there is a lot to like about his connecting possibilities. The question with Crawford is his shooting. Can he evolve from a connector into a secondary type or a wing scorer?

Atak on the other hand, is one of the better shooters in the class. At 6-foot-9, Atak has great length and a really quick load and delivery off the catch. His thing is that he needs strength and to develop more around his game. With how prevalent shooting is, the Oklahoma State commit is No. 70 in the update. It is worth watching how his next six to eight months look.