Rori Harmon
Peyton Verhulst of DeSoto, Kansas is one of the highest ranked new faces in the ELITE 60 for 2021. *Photo by Chris Hansen.
The summer is a wrap. Well for teams it is. There are still several elite individual events across the country such as the Check Me Out Showcase and Elite Basketball Academy on the calendar but with team events complete, it’s time for the ProspectsNation.com ranking team to expand the ELITE 25 to 60 for the 2021 class.
The No. 1 player, Azzi Fudd of Arlington, Virginia, missed the summer with a knee injury. Her body of work up until that injury kept her atop the rankings at this stage. Saniya Rivers of Wilmington, North Carolina, is the new No. 2. Her explosive game and upside are off the charts. She has the potential to make a run at the top spot.
The highest newcomer to the group is Saylor Poffenbarger of Middletown, Maryland. The 6-foot-1 guard tore up the USA Basketball National team trials with her smart play and shot making. She capped off her summer by committing to Connecticut.
Joining her as a new face in the top is Payton Verhulst of De Soto, Kansas. The 6-1 combo guard was terrific at USA Trials and added stellar play carrying her Next Level Eclipse squad in July.
Other names in the top half of the ELITE 60 include No. 13 Latasha Lattimore of Toronto, Canada; No. 19 Kyndall Hunter of Houston, Texas; No. 22 Jersey Wolfenbarger of Fort Smith, Arkansas, No. 27 Talia Von Oelhoffen of Pasco, Washington; No. 28 Shayeann Day-Wilson of Toronto, Canada; and No. 29 Chloe Dallas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Risers from the previous ELITE 25 rankings include Rori Harmon of Houston, Texas, who moved up to No. 5; Aaliyah Moore of Moore, Oklahoma, who moved up to No. 8; and Sania Feagin of Ellenwood, Georgia, who checks in at No. 9.
SHIFT TO THE MIDWEST
While the rankings will expand twice more before the 2021 class is over, it’s rare that Texas and California don’t have the biggest groups in the rankings. The State of Georgia is currently leading the way with nine players but the Midwest is seeing a resurgence led by the State of Illinois which has six players in the ELITE 60.
Add in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin and the number is 15, or a quarter of the ELITE 60.
PLENTY OF SIZE
There are 24 players in the ELITE 60 standing 6-2 or taller. Amari Deberry of Williamsville, New York, at 6-5, is the tallest of the group.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Committed players
7 – Posts, Wings
13 – Forwards
14 – Point Guards
16 – Shooting Guards
NEW IN 2019
For the first time ProspectsNation.com will include Canadian players in the ELITE Prospect rankings.
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase and ELITE is EARNED events. He can be reached at chris@prospectsnation.com.
