Initial On3 2024 rankings headlined by No. 1 Naasir Cunningham

On3 imageby:Gerry Hamilton•04/11/22•

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On3 has released the initial top 25 basketball player rankings for the 2024 cycle. This rankings release is the first of six updates for the Class of 2024. This update is heavily impacted by sophomore season evaluations and early spring AAU events prior to the beginning of the live period in April last weekend.

On3 heavily prioritizes the high school season for in-person evaluations and data gathering ahead of the spring and summer AAU seasons. 

Grading On3 Top 25 for 2024

The basketball player rankings scale is as follows: Five-star prospects have grades 98-100, four-star recruits have grades 90-97, while 80-89 grades are for three stars.

The first four prospects are five stars with a rating of 98 or higher. The rankings for current cycles will be updated on a regular schedule throughout the year with 20 five stars by the final ranking of a cycle. 

Our goal is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential in college basketball, ultimately manifested by the NBA draft.

Let’s get into some of the storylines surrounding the On3 Top 25.

Naasir Cunningham is No. 1 for 2024

Five-star small forward Naasir Cunningham is the first No. 1 ranked prospect in the 2024 cycle. Cunningham sits atop the On3 Consensus ranking as the only player ranked No. 1 in the industry by every recruiting service.

The 6-foot-7 1/2 quick-twitch scorer with an ideal wingspan sports 11 early offers that include Duke, Maryland, UCLA, Rutgers and LSU. On3 National Basketball Analyst Jamie Shaw is a big fan of Cunningham.

“Naas Cunningham is a long, rangy and athletic wing prospect,” Shaw said. “You first notice the frame. He looks like a basketball player. Offensively, Cunningham is an adept shot-maker, extending out to three, off the catch. He will need to continue putting on weight and getting stronger. He is an explosive athlete, which he shows in transition. His length, positional size, and quick-twitch athleticism give the belief he can become a good team defender in time. Would like to see him attack the basket more, not settle for jump shots. But his ability to create space and knock down shots has him trending at the top of the 2024 class.”

Meet first 5 stars in On3 2024 rankings

Naasir Cunningham is joined by three more prospects with five-star rankings. Shooting guard Ian Jackson, small forward Bryson Tucker and shooting guard Tre Johnson round out the five-star recruits in the ranking. While Cunningham currently holds the top spot, there will be plenty of competition from the trio of scorers for the top spot overall in the next year and a half.

Jackson, who is 6-foot-5, checks in at No. 2 overall. Jackson is a skilled guard that can score at all three levels. He attacks contact with a physical mindset. He features an array of scoring moves that include the ability to finish with either hand in traffic, the ability to create space with hesitation, and a change of direction that leads to clean looks going right or left. Jackson’s offer list is made up of Connecticut, Seton Hall, Nebraska, Kansas State and Oklahoma State.

No. 3 Tucker has as much upside as any prospect in the class early on. The 6-foot-6 small forward out of Maryland is a smooth prospect that plays with an ideal pace. His ability to move without wasted motion and get to the desired spots on the offensive end is high-end for a young player. He is a confident scorer from all three levels. Duke is the most recent offer joining Georgetown, Illinois, Notre Dame, Maryland and others.

Checking in at No. 4 is 6-foot-5 guard Tre Johnson out of Lake Highlands High in the Dallas area. Johnson arguably ascended to be the top prospect in Texas regardless of classification this season. He scores from all three levels, can make three’s in bunches, and plays strong with the ball. His range is limitless for his age. He’s adept at shot-making, which includes a baseline fall-away jumper going right. He averaged nearly 24 points as a sophomore, along with 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Johnson’s offer list is headlined by Baylor, where his father played. Kansas, Texas, Tennessee and Texas Tech are also on the early offer list.

Florida leads all states with 5 in top 25

The Sunshine State is more than arguably the top-producing football state in the country on an annual basis. The state has quietly become extremely talented on the hardwood as well with a boost from Montverde Academy and IMG Academy.

Two players that play out of Montverde Academy headline the prospects in the state — No. 10-ranked Derik Queen and No. 23-ranked Amier Ali. Queen is a 6-foot-9, 230-pound power forward with an old-school offensive game that wins with skill and feel over vertical athleticism. Queen’s offer list of 10 includes Maryland, the state he is originally from. Ali is a transfer from the state of Texas, and currently sports offers from LSU, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Here’s a look a the players from Florida in the top 25:

  • No. 10 PF Derik Queen, Montverde (Fla.) Montverde Academy
  • No. 14 SF Karter Knox, Tampa (Fla.) Tampa Catholic
  • No. 20 SF Marcus Allen, Miami (Fla.) Norland
  • No. 23 SF Amier Ali, Montverde (Fla.) Montverde Academy
  • No. 24 SF Asa Newell, Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) Choctawatchee Academy