Rivals Rankings Week: Roundtable on position rankings
2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2021 Rankings: Rivals150
It's Rivals Rankings Week for basketball, and we've updated the positional rankings for the class of 2020. Analysts Eric Bossi, Corey Evans and Dan McDonald discuss some of the themes they see at each position.
RELATED: Roundtable on the overall rankings updates
What is your impression of the point guard group, and whose long-term potential stands out relative to his current ranking?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
CLASS OF 2020 POINT GUARD RANKINGS
Bossi: I really like the versatility, size - in most cases - and overall skill level of the top 10 of this group. I also like that it appears to be a group full of multiple-year college players and not too many obvious one-and-done types – Cade Cunningham is certainly the exception. Right at the end of those top 10, I really like Zeb Jackson. He’s got length, he can shoot, he is still growing into his body and he has late-bloomer written all over him. Hanging on to his commit will be very important for Juwan Howard and Michigan.
Evans: There is quality depth when it comes to future college standouts, but, at the top, there is a limited amount of immediate star power. With this in mind, schools were smart to strike early, as already there are handful of prospects that have come to their college decisions. Duke, Michigan and Purdue are just a few that have struck early, which should pay major dividends down the road.
Whenever we are talking about long-term potential, it has to start at the top. Cunningham is not just the best point guard in 2020, but is also in the conversation for being the best overall prospect. While some might not see the upside with him, his recent track record of progression and just how versatile he is point to the fact that he has the chance to get much better as he gets older.
McDonald: I like this point guard class a lot. There is a lot of star power at the top with Cunningham, Cooper and Nix, but then I look all the way down 20th overall and see Jamal Shead, who I think will have a great college career at Houston. One prospect I was really impressed with earlier this travel season was Caleb Love. I like his size at the position and I like that he's both a scorer and a really good set-up guy. I'm not surprised in the least his recruitment took off over the past couple months. I wouldn't be shocked if he's the best from this class outside of Cunningham when all is said and done.
What is your impression of the shooting guards, and whose ranking do you believe most strongly in?
CLASS OF 2020 SHOOTING GUARD RANKINGS
Bossi: Top to bottom, I could argue that the shooting guards are the strongest group in the class of 2020. Many of them can play point in a pinch and a lot of them - like new five-star Bryce Thompson - are just starting to find their sea legs and really take off. It’s hard to believe that D.J. Steward - who just wrapped an official visit to Texas - only checks in at No. 11 in this group despite being a top 35 player. But that’s how stacked this group is. I’m really keen on Steward because of his quickness, ability to create a shot and because he can be a mad bomber from deep. Guys like him are crushing it in college right now.
Evans: This is where we find some of the top spring breakthrough performers. Thompson, Steward, Matthew Murrell and Ian Martinez are just a few players who have made the shooting guard position arguably the deepest position in the 2020 class. Whether you want college-ready stars, NBA prospects or four-year guys, the off-guard spot is where to find them.
One of those that I am really intrigued by is Niels Lane. The 6-foot-4 guard has packed on close to 20 pounds since last summer, has become better with his ball skills and is now a legitimate three-level scorer that must be accounted for each time that he hits the floor. He wasn’t ranked in the Rivals150 prior to this past update, but he is someone who is seeing his stock pick up. Florida, Providence and Virginia are already making him a priority.
McDonald: Looking at the very top of this list, I see two prospects with a ton of upside in Jalen Green and BJ Boston. Right behind them, I see a handful of prospects that I wouldn't be surprised to see pass those two at the top in the long run. I really liked what I saw from Josh Christopher at the EYBL back in April. He's such a gifted scorer with the ideal size and athleticism combination for the position. He screams NBA lottery pick.
