What’s happening Ballislife fam? I simply wished to provide a fast introduction of myself, as I’m the newest member to affix the Ballislife editorial group. My identify is Rodger Bohn and I’ve been protecting basketball full time for the previous 17 years. I’ve finished work with Rivals.com, DraftExpress, and am nonetheless contributing at SLAM. I additionally personal and function an NCAA Licensed Scouting Service and seek the advice of with three NBA groups.
I used to be the assistant director of Ohio Basketball Membership (previously Cleveland Basketball Membership) for 5 years on the Adidas circuit and this system nonetheless has produced extra NBA gamers than anybody within the state of Ohio. I’ve born and raised in Cleveland (have it tatted throughout my physique), however the journey that’s the recreation of basketball has taken me to quite a few cool spots {that a} poor child from CLE would have by no means imagined going. I frolicked dwelling in North Carolina (all all through Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), Norfolk, and Houston (working for John Lucas). My newest cease in life is Minneapolis.
Amidst the insane climate and flight chaos that we had on this nation, I used to be one of many casualties. After protecting the Tarkanian Traditional in Las Vegas, I had plans of capturing to Atlanta and Chicago to cowl a couple of different highschool video games. Sadly, that didn’t work out and I needed to reroute all of my journey to easily make it again to Minneapolis for Christmas. Moreover, I hoped to make it to South Carolina for submit Christmas occasions, however flight cancellations didn’t make it worthwhile for me to actually simply roll down for a day or two.
That being stated, this introductory piece goes to be on among the native Minnesota expertise that I’ve seen over the previous three weeks. January goes be a reasonably loopy journey month for me, so I’m positively going to have rather more on the nationwide stage for Bilateral readers shifting ahead.
Listed here are a couple of of the highest guys who I’ve seen in Minnesota submit Christmas:
Casmir “Money” Chavis, 6’3, PG, Park Middle HS (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), 2024The main scorer (20 factors per recreation) for the perfect group within the state, Chavis has been getting it finished excess of his group’s official 5-0 file displays. His squad has high quality wins over each Minnesota Prep and West Oaks Academy (FL) of the Grind Session, however video games needed to be counted as “exhibitions” attributable to Minnesota state guidelines. Chavis, who was the main scorer for J-Sizzle 17U on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, is a lockdown on ball defender who’s an elite finisher and regularly growing playmaker. Sitting at No. 48 within the newest Ballislife FAB 50 nationwide rankings, Chavis and Co. are the favorites to repeat as state champions in Minnesota.
Nolan Winter, 6’10, PF, Lakeville North HS (Minn.), 2023The state’s greatest jumbo sized shooter, Winter is producing at a excessive stage for Lakeville North and his group’s success has adopted. The Wisconsin recruit is averaging 19.7 factors and 12.3 rebounds per recreation for a 6-1 group that has solely misplaced to the state’s prime ranked group (Park Middle). The prototypical new age ahead, Winter makes use of his dimension in opposition to smaller defenders on the block, but additionally has the athleticism and agility to blow by slower defenders on the perimeter. Nolan might not be finished rising but both, as his father (Trevor) is a real 7-footer who performed for the Timberwolves again within the day himself.
Jayden Moore, 6’0, PG, Hopkins HS (Minnetonka, Minn.), 2026If you’ve adopted any semblance of center college basketball over the previous few years, you’re most likely accustomed to Moore. He’s been enjoying varsity for certainly one of Minnesota’s most storied applications since seventh grade. He additionally performed up two years for J Sizzle (Jalen Suggs’ AAU group) on the Adidas 3SSB circuit. A brilliant heady PG, Moore can also be a dynamic scorer, dropping 34 factors, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds within the Augsburg Vacation Traditional. He already holds a West Virginia supply, has an excellent change of tempo, and has made himself a extra versatile guard with an improved jumper. Moore is sitting on the prime of Minnesota’s 2026 class and that doesn’t look like altering anytime quickly.
Anthony Smith III, 6’1, combo guard, Hopkins HS (Minnetonka, Minn.), 2025One of the extra improved guys within the state of Minnesota, Smith III is certifying himself as severe D1 prospect. He dropped 34 factors (together with 7 three pointers), six assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals on the Augsburg Vacation Traditional. The D1 Minnesota product (performs on Adidas 3SSB circuit) is a severe shooter with no scarcity of confidence. Proudly owning a proposal from George Mason, Smith is a man who might be including loads extra as soon as faculty coaches see the expansion in his recreation in the course of the stay interval in April.
Jack Janicki, 6’5, SG, White Bear Lake HS (Minn.), 2023Janicki might legitimately be the perfect division one stroll on in America. Turning down greater than a dozen D1 affords, Janicki opted to go to Wisconsin as a most popular stroll on, and has the potential to play there instantly. The lefty capturing guard is exceptionally artful, scores the ball at a excessive price with a restricted quantity of dribbles, and throws defenders off along with his change of tempo. He’s a fiery competitor who confirmed that he might maintain his personal on the nationwide stage working with D1 Minnesota on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, and is trending to do the identical factor within the Huge Ten at Wisconsin.
C.J. O’Hara, 6’4, SG, Park Middle HS (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), 2023One of probably the most versatile defenders within the state, O’Hara is the defensive catalyst for undefeated Park Middle. O’Hara proved himself to be a respectable D1 prospect along with his play in opposition to each West Oaks (FL) and Minnesota Prep, however has continued within the state highschool season by posting 20 factors per recreation. The mixture of productiveness and defensive versatility that he affords make him the state’s greatest unsigned perimeter participant within the class of 2023.
Kyle Jorgensen, 6’9, C, Minneapolis Washburn (Minneapolis, Minn.), 2024Arguably the perfect participant within the Minneapolis Metropolis League, Jorgensn is solely having a monster begin to his junior season, posting 24 factors and 14 rebounds per evening. The expert large man has excellent footwork on the block, can step out and shoot it from three, and makes use of his body to complete via contact. Nonetheless below the radar, Jorgensen is beginning to entice curiosity from D1 applications all through the Midwest.
