The Rivals150 for 2023 has been finalized, locked in and set in stone forever. As usual, the final update didn’t include as many drastic moves as earlier refreshes, but there was still significant shuffling of the deck.
Below, Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy examines some of the most notable storylines that emerged while assembling the final Rivals150 of the cycle.
Rivals Rankings Week: Five-Star Countdown for 2023 class
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COLLIER FENDS OFF CHALLENGERS, STAYS NO. 1
In one of the more wide-open races for the top spot in recent memory, Rivals’ longstanding No. 1, Isaiah Collier, finished atop the 2023 Rivals150. He didn't do so without some semblance of doubt, however, as there are a handful of other prospects that could make convincing cases to top the list.
Players ranging from Aaron Bradshaw (No. 2) to DJ Wagner (No. 6) have all had stretches where they look like the best prospect in the class. Collier, however, is the safe bet to reach his ceiling. The future USC point guard manages to impact the game every time he steps on the floor because his facilitation skills and defensive prowess help carry him even when he isn't scoring in bunches.
Collier’s court vision, ability to get to the bucket and knack for zipping passes all over the floor without being reckless are the traits that jump off the page, but the five-star has become a better long-range shooter and more willing defender in the last year. He also gets downhill quickly when attacking the basket.
In the end, it was Collier’s deep bag of ways to impact the box score that kept him at No. 1 in the Rivals150 despite some worthy challengers emerging beneath him.
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SHELSTAD KICKS IN DOOR TO FIVE-STAR CLUB
Oregon signee Jackson Shelstad has had an impressive climb up the Rivals150 over the last year. The point guard jumped into the top 30 in our last update and continued his rise in this one, ultimately finding himself with five stars next to his name on the No. 19 line.
At just 6-foot-1, Shelstad doesn’t boast the same elite length as some other point guards but he’s proven to be an alpha when he's shared the court with other elite prospects as of late. His most recent breakout came at the Nike Hoops Summit, where he had NBA personnel buzzing with his ability to touch the paint and score from every spot on the floor, including the 3-point line and through big men at the rack.
An argument could be made that, at times, he was the best player in a building with multiple future NBA players at the event and erased all doubts presented by his limited size. Shelstad may not be the most versatile defender there is, but he makes up for that in numerous other ways.
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BRONNY MAKES BIG MOVE
Everyone loves to talk about Bronny James, and the four-star guard gave everyone plenty to discuss this year by taking massive strides as both a shooter and a defender. Most recently, he found himself in the MVP running at a McDonald's All-American game some mostly uninformed people decided he was only invited to attend based on his name.
James’ rapid development and the way he’s handled unthinkable pressure at a young age have been impressive to say the least, so the Sierra Canyon senior certainly earned his 18-spot jump to No. 25 in the Rivals150. James sits just a handful of spots away from five-star status, as he has the look of a rapidly evolving prospect capable of making a sizable impact on college basketball as a freshman.
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MICHIGAN STATE PLEDGE HOPS UP 62 SPOTS
The most aggressive riser in the final update was Michigan State-bound forward Coen Carr, who has become much more than a big, powerful freak athlete with a knack for playing above the rim. Carr continues to evolve as a shooter even if he isn’t where he’d like to be yet from long-range.
That said, he can score in multiple ways in both the high and low post. He’s also become a decent passer. The 6-foot-7 Carr’s physical gifts give him tons of untapped potential. So while he’s been a certified weapon for Legacy Early College this year, he’s still getting better.
