When it comes to the top-ranked prospects in the state, the Public League has propped up those rankings over the past couple of decades.
Fans across the state have flocked to watch the state’s best, the star-studded list of players the city has produced.
How dominant has the city’s talent been?
When ranking the state’s top 25 prospects in each class over the past 20 years, there has been an average of seven Public League players up and down those rankings.
The Class of 2018, led by Morgan Park’s Ayo Dosunmu and Simeon’s Talen Horton-Tucker at the top, featured 11 Public League players ranked among the top 25. The Class of 2013 had five Simeon players alone ranked in the top 25, including future NBA players Jabari Parker and Kendrick Nunn, with eight total from the city.
What brought the overall average down a bit was last year’s Class of 2025. There were only three players among the top 25 prospects in the state: Kenwood’s Aleks Alston, Young’s Antonio Munoz and Lane’s Dalton Scantlebury.
This year — and in the classes that follow — the numbers will likely even be lower
The current Class of 2026 has just two players — Young’s Marquis Clark and Lane’s Matt Szafoni — among the top 25. The Class of 2027 is on pace to also have two, while the Class of 2028 has only one player currently ranked among the top 25 prospects.
The number of Division I prospects and the overall drop in individual talent in the Public League is startling.
Young’s Marquis Clark, who recently committed to Tennessee, is this year’s top senior in the Public League and is ranked among the top five prospects in the state.
Big Dipper Holiday Tournament adds some stars
The Big Dipper Holiday Tournament at Rich has tradition and history. There is also a strong local appeal and vibe in comparison to many other holiday tournaments.
But this long-running tournament, which began in 1973, has taken its lumps in recent years. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride since the Dipper’s heyday from 1995 to 2015.
The direction of the tournament, however, appears to be on the upswing again with recent news a trio of teams are leaving the Proviso West Holiday Tournament for the Big Dipper in late December.
Warren and Young will bring with them two of the elite players in the state — Young’s Clark and Warren’s Jaxson Davis, arguably the best player in the state regardless of class. Talented Lincoln Park will also be joining those two over the holidays at the Dipper.
Young, Warren and Lincoln Park join a few tradition-rich south suburban locals in Thornton, Hillcrest, and Homewood-Flossmoor, along with tournament host Rich and defending city champ Kenwood.
Super sophomore Cole Kelly adds offers
Neuqua Valley’s Cole Kelly, one of the top talents in the state, has been busy on the recruiting trail.
The 6-6 sophomore has taken unofficial visits to Nebraska, Illinois, DePaul, Missouri and Iowa. While Nebraska, Illinois and DePaul previously offered, Kelly picked up offers from Missouri and Iowa during his recent October visits.
Kelly, who put up significant numbers as a freshman last season with 19 points a game, is ranked among the top 50 players in the country in the Class of 2028.
