On3 2023 basketball rankings update headlined by new No. 1 GG Jackson

On3 imageby:Gerry Hamilton03/14/22

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On3 has released the latest update of its basketball prospect rankings for the 2023 cycle. This rankings release is the second update in the 2023 cycle. This update is heavily impacted by junior season evaluations prior to the beginning of the live period in April.

This update is also an expansion of the On3 2023 rankings from 50 to the Top 100. On3 heavily prioritizes the high school junior season for in-person evaluations ahead of the spring and summer AAU seasons.

Updated On3 top 100 for 2023

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 10 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 100.

GG Jackson ascends to No. 1

The 2023 cycle will be another one for the record books. That’s because there is not a clear-cut No. 1 prospect in the class. Plus, two or three players ranked in that area to begin the cycle have not continued to ascend.

The prospect under consideration by On3 that ascended as a junior on the court more than any other is G.G. Jackson of Columbia (S.C.) Ridge View.

The 6-foot-8, 210-power forward has displayed an ability to play on the perimeter off the bounce, and that sets him apart in the class. He is a threat from three off the catch, and he can create space and get clean looks off the dribble. Jackson has been physical in the paint, strong with the ball, and he scores in traffic. Jackson will also rebound outside his area. He’s developed into more of a sure-fire NBA prospect this season with the expanded offensive game. South Carolina is the favorite over Duke, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

When it came down to making the call, Jackson was the consensus choice over Ronald Holland.

The 6-foot-8 Holland is fresh off helping lead Duncanville High to another Texas 6A State Championship. Holland has expanded his game as a junior with the ability to knock down shots on the perimeter and a tighter handle against high-end ball pressure. Holland has always been an energy player on both ends that can run the floor at a 24-second shot clock pace, finish against long arms in traffic, rebound outside his area, and he can be a disruptor on defense. The much-needed expansion of the offensive game makes Holland a big riser. He jumped from No. 20 overall to No. 2 in the latest ranking.

Guard D.J. Wagner of Camden, N.J., checks in at No. 3. Wagner will always be a hot-button topic in the 2023 cycle, trailing only Bronny James in that regard. Wagner is No. 1 in the On3 Consensus ranking, and On3 agrees that he is a five-star prospect. We see Wagner in a similar way to others — as a 6-foot-3 combo guard with the ability to score in bunches and with a skilled and savvy way about putting the ball in the basket. His ability to get to the paint and score in a variety of ways is high-end for his size.

Former No. 1 Baye Fall of Parker (Colo.) Denver Academy Prep drops out of the top spot, checking in at No. 10. Fall remains one of the top two or three prospects in the class in terms of upside potential, but that has not shown at the level expected this season. This spring will be a huge one for fall in terms of where he ends up in the 2023 rankings, but it could also bring into the equation if he goes to college for a season or signs with the Overtime Elite league.

New 5-stars added

Four prospects added a fifth star in the latest update for the 2023 cycle. The list is headlined by No. 3 Ronald Holland. The Duncanville power forward has displayed an expanded offensive game as a junior. His ability to stretch the floor and handle the ball on the perimeter against pressure is vastly improved from the spring and summer. Holland has also flashed has sneaky court vision this season.

Other new five stars:

New entrants into On3 Top 100

The updated On3 top 100 rankings include 54 new names: