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Plenty of talent graduated from the area and found rosters on college programs.

But that doesn’t mean the 5Star Preps coverage area is bereft of talent now.

Actually, it’s doing just fine — and maybe as loaded as ever.

We break down the top point guards, combo-guards, wings, forwards and centers in the Greater Knoxville Area.

And we look even further into some of the area’s top talents in the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 classes in our boys’ basketball preview.

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POINT GUARDS TO WATCH

Joe Anderson (Maryville, senior, 6-1)
With some of the area’s sickest handles and a valuable 3-point stroke to boot, Anderson committed this past offseason to play for Furman. He led the Rebels to the Region 2-AAA semifinals last season by averaging 22 points, 5 assists and 3.5 steals per game.

B.J. Edwards (Catholic, sophomore, 6-2)
The 2019 5Star Preps Underclassman of the Year averaged 17.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a freshman. He’s a four-star prospect and one of the Top 50 players nationally in the 2022 class, holding offers from South Carolina, Auburn and Seton Hall.

Dante Harris (Lakeway Christian, senior, 5-11)
Harris recently signed his NLI to play for Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas. Harris led Lakeway to an NACA Division 5 National Championship last season with 30.6 points, 9 assists and 4 steals per game.

Edward Lacey (Fulton, senior, 5-9)
Lacey is full of passion and seemingly enjoys every minute he’s on the floor. His speed and energy is unrivaled in this area, and he used that to averaged 15 points and 5 assists per game and lead Fulton to another appearance in the Class AA championship game last season.

Micky Jphilippe (The King’s Academy, senior, 6-1)
J’Philippe, a native of Belgium, won’t stay a secret at TKA for too much longer. Not once the season gets going. He looks bigger than his listed 6-1 frame and plays like a seasoned vet. He knows how to angle his body slashing in the paint to create space and score. He can hit the open 3 and strong anticipation and delivery in his passing skill.

Kendrick Holland (South-Doyle, senior, 5-9)
Holland had a breakout season last year, making game-winners and filling up the boxscores with his speed and ability to get into the lane to score or distribute. He’s now showing even more explosiveness with some in-game dunks. He’s driven, passionate and one to watch in District 2-AAA. He was the Rocky Top Fall League MVP.

Hayden Llewellyn (Jellico, freshman, 6-2)
Llewellyn caught our eye through social media and then he showed well in the Rocky Top Fall League with 14.6 points per game. He could be special. Keep an eye on this kid.

 

COMBO GUARDS

Luke Burnett (Webb, senior, 6-1)
Burnett led the Spartans to a Division II-A state championship last season, the first in program history. He averaged 13.7 points and shot 40.5 percent from the 3-point line. The perimeter specialist recently signed with Alabama-Huntsville.

Zack Tilley (The King’s Academy, senior, 5-11)
A relentless, tireless worker, Tilley’s efforts produce on the floor. He averaged 28.75 points per game as a junior, going over the 40-point mark three times and scoring more than 30 points 10 times. How good of an athlete is he? He also had more than 1,000 receiving this fall for the TKA football team.

Domenic Holland (Fulton, senior, 6-2)
Holland came into his own as a standout player for Fulton during the Falcons’ postseason run to a Class AA runner-up finish. Head coach Jody Wright poured out praise on Holland quite a few times during that stretch, and Holland should thrive more offensively this season with the graduation of Trey Davis and Deshawn Page.

Shawn Park (Gibbs, senior, 6-3)
Already a career 1,000-point scorer, Park can score from deep, And do it in bunches. He averaged 18 point and nine rebounds last season for the Eagles. Don’t underestimate his mid-range game, either.

Trey Morrow (Scott, sophomore, 6-2)
Morrow caught District 4-AA by surprise last season as a freshman and then didn’t let up, earning Newcomer of the Year and All-District Tournament Team. Some of his highlights included his 21 points and buzzer-beating shot to beat Austin-East — as well as a 22-point, 15-rebound performance against Halls.

Blue Cain (Catholic, freshman, 6-1)
Social media has been abuzz about the arrival of Cain into the local high school ranks for a while now. His travel ball highlights and dunk videos definitely show the potential. He scores from 3 and can slash and finish or distribute. 

Tai Cates (Alcoa, freshman, 6-0)
Cates doesn’t have your typical frame for a freshman. That was evident at the Blount County basketball jamboree last week. While Alcoa is loaded with senior guards, Cates might wind up being the most talented of them all by season’s end.

Nemanja Kovacevic (The King’s Academy, senior, 6-2)
Kovacevic averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game last season for the Lions. He’ll likely see some time at wing when Zack Tilley and new point guard Micky J’philippe are on the floor.

 

WINGS TO WATCH

Tevon Summers (Central, senior, guard/wing, 6-3)
One of the area’s more gifted 3-point shooters, Summers averaged 18 points per game last season en route to being named All-District 3-AAA. He made seven 3s in a win over Karns in late January. And, he can be a sneaky good on-ball defender.

Cameron George (William Blount, senior, guard/wing, 6-4)
George popped up on the radar this offseason with some social media highlights and then proceeded to win the 2019 Blount County Basketball Jamboree’s dunk contest last week. Then, he followed that display by nailing three 3s in the jamboree quarter against Maryville. He could be poised for a breakout season. After all, he scored 27 in a season-opening win Tuesday.

Ty Hurst (Carter, senior, guard/wing, 6-3)
Hurst recently signed to play for UNC-Pembroke, as he erupted over the summer as a next-level prospect, even scoring 51 in a game. He was one of Knoxville’s top talents as a junior, averaging roughly 17 points per game last year and earning All-District 3-AA. He kickstarted his senior season with a monster dunk in the jamboree Monday night.

Jai Jordan (Lakeway Christian, senior, guard/wing, 6-5)
Jordan defends, rebounds, scores. He’s the perfect complement to Georgetown signee and senior point guard Dante Harris. He’s frame allows him to play above the rim in transition and also makes him tough to score on.

Tyler Nordin (Bearden, senior, wing, 6-4)
Every now and again last season, Nordin would enter the game and throw down a dunk in transition that’d make your eyes bulge. It basically served as a notice that even after Drew Pember (Tennessee), Ques Glover (Florida) and Trent Stephney (Asheville) went to college that Nordin would be “the guy” next season. Well, next season is here.

Wes Maples (Sevier County, senior, guard/wing, 6-4)
A next-level talent, Maples played a major role in the Smoky Bears reaching the state tournament for the first time since 1991. He averaged 16.8 points per game with 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game. 

Tariq Daughton (Webb, senior, guard, 6-2)
One of the most athletic players on the Spartans roster, Daughton is getting plenty of college looks. He could see more of an increased scoring role with the transfer of Emory Lanier to Georgia. Daughton averaged 10.8 points and shot 40 percent from the 3-point line last season.

Caden Cupp (Gibbs, senior, wing/guard, 6-3)
Cupp averaged a double-double last season for the Eagles, chipping in 15 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He’s due to top 1,000 career points soon, and Cupp has no problem playing above the rim in transition. 

 

FORWARDS/CENTERS TO WATCH

Akeem Odusipe (Catholic, senior, forward, 6-9)
Odusipe averaged 14 points, 9.6 rebound and 2 blocks last season for the Irish. He was selected to the NBPA Top 100 Camp and the Steph Curry Select Camp this past summer. Auburn, Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Maryland, Seton Hall, Miami (Fla.), South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Wichita State, Georgia and Texas A&M have offered.

Handje Tamba (Catholic, sophomore, forward, 6-11)
Raw a season ago, Tamba found his role as a shotblocker, rebounder and point-blank-range scorer. But this offseason, he bulked up, improved his ball handling and shooting. He’s more aggressive at the rim, showing reasons why Auburn has offered him a scholarship.

B.J. Marable (Grace Christian, senior, forward, 6-9)
Marable continues to tap into his potential. UNC-Asheville noticed that, offered him and received a commitment. Marable signed with UNCA this week. He averaged 15.8 points and 6.0 rebounds as a junior.

Uriah Powers (Webb, senior, forward, 6-4)
The MVP of last year’s Division II-A state tournament, Powers may not be a social media highlight-reel sensation. But he’s consistent and one of the area’s most unheralded talents. He averaged 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 35.2 percent from the 3-point line

Aingar William (The King’s Academy, junior, center, 7-0)
A native of Chad, Africa, the 7-foot William is new to The King’s Academy this fall and easily plays above the rim. But he’s already getting noticed, having already worked out in front of West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. William runs the floor well and excels at soccer, too. That agility and footwork will aid in his basketball development. 

J’Marion Jenkins-Gooch (The King’s Academy, junior, forward, 6-8)
While Gooch is raking in Power 5 football scholarship offers in 2019, the sought-after lineman has a deep passion for the game of basketball. He spent time camping this summer with the TKA basketball team and will help comprise a formidable front court with 7-footer Aingar William.

Braden Ilic (Morristown East, sophomore, forward, 6-9)
Ilic made an impact immediately as a freshman for the Hurricanes last season. Not only does he have a 7-foot wing span, but he proved to be highly effective around the perimeter, too. He buried a 3 at the buzzer to send the District 2-AAA championship into overtime.

Ben Knight (Lakeway Christian, senior, 6-8, forward)
The 6-8, 220 Knight helped lead the Lions to a NACA National Championship last season and is becoming an attractive prospect. He received an offer from South Alabama this summer. He’s a banger down low, snagging offensive rebounds and scoring on stick-backs. He can also extend his scoring farther from the basket.

ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON THESE TALENTS

SENIORS

Nick Roberts (Alcoa, guard, 6-4)
T.J. Martin (Alcoa, guard, 5-10)
Jajuan Ware (Alcoa, guard, 6-0)
Lance Davis (Powell, forward, 6-2)
Tyler Kirkess (Powell, forward, 6-3)
Colton Webb (Powell, post, 6-3)
Matija Tanaskovic (TKA, wing/forward, 6-2)
Trent Lovelace (Morristown West, guard/wing, 6-2)
Jeremy Wise (Cosby, guard, 5-10)
Evan Winchester (Clinton, guard, 6-2)
Chase Lockard (Clinton, guard, 5-11)
Marvin Castro (Sevier County, guard, 5-9)
Isaiah Johnson (Oak Ridge, guard, 5-11)
Jack Neizgoda (HVA, guard, 6-3)
Noah Harris (FBA, guard, 6-2)
Sawyer Smith (Morristown West, center, 6-7)
Gabe Harper (Carter, guard, 5-11)
Dalton Greer (Karns, guard, 6-3)
Camden McElhaney (Sevier County, forward, 6-4)
Mikey Robinson (Gibbs, guard, 5-9)
Traven Jackson (Karns, forward, 6-4)
Nate Brackett (Rockwood, guard/wing, 6-3)
Blake Staininger (Pigeon Forge, forward, 6-4)
Aaron Dozier (Farragut, guard)
Robbie Geron (Farragut, guard)
Cahlib Edwards (Bearden, guard, 5-8)

JUNIORS

Harper Neal (Kingston, guard, 6-0)
Tommy Sweat (Fulton, guard, 6-3)
Trey Johnson (Cosby, guard, 6-0)
Carter Jett (Anderson County, guard, 5-10)
Jonathan Zhao-Olmos (Sevier County, guard, 5-11)
Izaiha Bredwood (Bearden, guard, 5-7)
David Sanger (Webb, guard, 6-0)
Jonathan Milloway (Oak Ridge, center, 6-6)
Jeremy Miller (Oak Ridge, guard, 6-3)
Jack Brown (Maryville, guard, 6-3)
Josh Seiler (Maryville, guard, 6-3)
Greg Moore (Central, guard, 6-1)
Sam Sompayrac (Catholic, guard, 6-0)
Parker Rothery (Heritage, guard, 6-0)
Kolby Morgan (Oneida, forward, 6-1)
Austin Long (Sweetwater, guard, 5-11)
Donavan Blankenship (Loudon, guard, 5-11)
Logen Sutton (Powell, guard, 6-1)
A.J. Pruitt (Bearden, wing, 6-0)
Parker Bebb (McMinn County, wing, 6-5)
Brody Grubb (Grainger, guard, 6-1)

 

SOPHOMORES

Micah Simpson (Morristown East, guard, 6-0)
Dillon Stakely (Sequoyah, guard, 6-3)
Connor Martin (Anderson County, forward, 6-5)
Eli Walls (Powell, guard, 6-1)
Jaylon Green (Webb, guard, 5-10)
Kell Slater (Oak Ridge, guard, 6-0)
Will Biven (West, guard, 6-2)
Jayden Housewright (CAK, forward, 6-5)
Charlie Rice (Maryville, guard, 6-0)
Reid Satterfield (Greeneville, guard, 6-3)
Darian Bailey (Central, guard, 6-3)
Spencer Boshears (Campbell County, guard, 5-10)
Presley Patterson (Catholic, guard, 5-10)
Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Greeneville, guard, 5-10)
Josiah Brown (Grace Christian, forward, 6-6)
Isaiah Smith (Farragut, guard)
Dillon Atwell (Farragut, guard)
Walker Kyle (Bearden, forward, 6-4)
Terrence Dorsey (Maryville, guard, 6-1)
Lorenzo Currie (TSD, guard, 5-9)

FRESHMEN

Dante Oliver (CAK, guard, 6-3)
Lukas Walls (Webb, guard, 6-2)