There is no doubt that Arizona has arguably become one of the nation’s hotbeds for national level prep schools. 

Programs such as AZ Compass Prep, Hillcrest Prep, and Dream City Christian reeling in some of the country’s top grassroots talent and even some of the more coveted international prospects. Those programs have thrown the state’s 2022 player rankings on its head.  

However, the state still has a ton of homegrown talent with many of them already committed to Division I Universities.  

PHHoenix Prep’s and Tucson native, JT Elder, recently committed to Georgia. Sunnyslope High’s 6-foot-8 forward Elijah Saunders has committed to San Diego State and his running mate at Slope, 5-foot-10 point guard Oakland Fort, made his decision to stay close to home and will head two and half hours north up to Northern Arizona.  

One of the top prospects in America, Perry High’s 6-foot-11 power forward Dylan Anderson, committed to the University of Arizona.  Six-foot-2 combo guard Nate Pickens (Dream City) committed to UC-Riverside, a great get for that program who does a great job of recruiting the state of Arizona. Six-foot-5 shooting guard Mekhi Mason (AZ Compass) committed early to head coach Scott Pera and the Rice program. Hillcrest Prep’s 6-foot-9 strong-as-an-ox, high-motor forward/center Duke Brennan has committed to Arizona State. 

Though the program he committed to is a Division-II one in Point Loma, one of the state’s best bucket-getters in 6-foot-2 combo guard Jake Lifgren has removed himself from the ‘Uncommitted Board’ with his verbal to them.  I believe he will be an all-conference type of player over there. 

And there are still some Division-I caliber players on the board here in the state and in the AIA.  Saint Mary’s has a pair of them in 6-foot-5 wing Garrison Phelps, an Uber-athletic two-way guy that is a very underrated prospect on the West Coast. Six-foot-9 center Bear Cherry who has a good inside game and poses as a raw prospect that could grow into a real player at some point for a program at the next level.  

Brophy Prep’s 6-foot-4 guard Patrick Chew is a high-level IQ guy that can really shoot it from the outside and has the potential to be an all-conference defender if he lands in the right spot.  Six-foot-1 scoring point guard Dasean Lecque is a popular name on the west coast who can really fill it up on the offensive end and get in someone’s jersey on the defensive side of the ball.  

Six-foot-2 guard Andrew King from Desert Vista had committed to Rice with Mason but opened his recruitment back up shortly after.  An in-your-face perimeter defender who can knock it down from the 3.  Apollo’s lightning-quick 5-foot-11 point guard Ahamed Mohammed, PHHoenix Prep duo of 6-foot-8 forward Will Coates and 6-foot-5 wing Garrett Anderson and AZ Compass Prep’s duo of 6-foot-5 wing Nathaniel Knight and 5-foot-10 point guard LJ Ginnis stand as five other Arizona high school prospects that hold Division I offers.