The Mountain West Conference is top-heavy as we look at the early signing period for the league. The teams at the top stay at the top with some terrific additions through the high school ranks from the class of 2022. Let’s dive into the MWC and look at the incoming players.

TOP OF THE CLASS: San Diego State. It’s hard to not like this class. This three-man group checks a lot of boxes and covers a lot of ground. 

Elijah Saunders, to me, is the gem of the class. The big man from Arizona has been on a steady climb of improvement and game development. At 6-foot-8, he’s big and strong and powerful down low. When he is a pick and pop guy, he’s efficient from deep as a shooter. His passing is good out of the post and he’s versatile enough to guard wings. Physically, Saunders is built for the college game and could develop into a real problem in the conference. There is a reason why his recruitment was coast-to-coast and at the high-major level.

Koren Johnson, a Seattle native at the helm of the powerful Wasatch Academy lineup, is a high-major talent with tons of big game experience. Maintaining a level of expectation at the top is nothing new for him. He’ll handle the rigors of being the quarterback of a great program like San Diego State. Johnson is jet quick, a crafty ball-handler and passer and battle-tested. He plays with confidence that you can trust.

If you can build a class with a long term sleeper and pair him with talent like Saunders and Johnson, you have to leave the early signing period happy. NorCal wing Miles Byrd is one of the most intriguing prospects on the West Coast. He’s long and active as a three and showed flashes of a guy who could be a major player in his early 20s. I love a good late-blooming prospect who has basketball in his DNA. Byrd checks those boxes.

TOP DOG: JoJo Hunter has big-time bounce, big-time scoring instincts and big-time bounce to glue it all together. And Fresno State has him to work within their lineup right away. Hunter hails from San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno and he’ll bring a big reputation to the Mountain West Conference. A host of Pac-12 schools recruited him but staying home to be a Bulldog won out. He has all-conference potential and star power. 

THE OUTSIDE OF THE TOP 100 SLEEPER:

Donovan Dent, New Mexico. Look back at the way Richard Pitino won everywhere he's been as a college coach. He's had a dynamic guard that can score, shoot, run a team and gets better each and every year. Dent is just that. He's shined at Corona Centennial in Southern California and there is no reason why he won't do the same thing when he's at UNM. The Lobos have a major player here and, arguably, one of the best steals in all of the country for the class of 2022. 

Our @JustinDYoung thinks @Donovandent1 is one of the true recruiting steals in the class of 2022 nationally and at any level. The @UNMLoboMBB signed a stud.

So, there's that. pic.twitter.com/M6XnQNaxL2

— HoopSeen West (@HoopSeenWest) November 16, 2021

HEY, WE STOLE ONE

If you’ve read HoopSeen or followed my social media accounts since the summer, you’ll probably not be surprised by my pick here. Jack Payne made me a believer from the first time I saw him at the Section 7 team camp during the June NCAA Live Period in Arizona. Payne and his Oywhee (ID) High School teammates put the West on notice with their play. Payne, a multi-sport athlete with Southern California roots, plays with a swagger that lets defenders that he isn’t going away or bowing down to competition. That’s the big draw right out of the gate with him. Teammates gravitate to his mentality and play in a way that just says “good luck stopping us”. Payne’s pace is fast and his weaponry can be felt with multiple positions on the hardwood. Don’t be surprised if he continues to grow his game at the collegiate level and thrive under head coach Niko Medved in Fort Collins. 

After seeing him shine at the @Section7Az camp, Idaho guard @jackpayneee11 saw his recruitment blow up. What kind of player is @CSUMBasketball getting? A really good one, says @JustinDYoung. pic.twitter.com/cehYfECzcw

— HoopSeen West (@HoopSeenWest) November 11, 2021

HEY, I HAVE A HOOPSEEN CHAPTER: Koren Johnson was one of the top overall performers from our first ever HoopSeen West Preview camp. After his dazzling performance, we wrote this: 

There was a mixture of swagger and seriousness to Johnson’s game that allowed him to play at a level that was higher than the rest of his peers. He is a special passer and plays with a combination of set up and scoring. His floater game was his go-to game throughout the game play. And that part of his game was opened up by his first step and incredibly ball-handling skills, which was probably the best at the entire camp. It’s easy to see why he’s a priority guy for Pac-12 teams. Just another Arizona and Washington recruiting battle. 

THREE THINGS I LIKE

1. There is some star power coming to Reno in guard Trey Pettigrew. The Chicago area guard Trey Pettigrew. The 6-foot-3 guard can play multiple spots on the floor and if you’ve ever followed the basketball philosophy of Steve Alford, you know how he likes to have that type of guard in his rotation. Pettigrew has multi-year starter value and could be an all-league guy when it is all said and done.

2. San Jose State - Got Garrett Anderson and Max Allen done right before the early signing period opened up, locking the Arizona prep school players. They join Minnesota guard Leo Torbor, who pledged to the program just a week prior. There’s no doubt that coach Tim Miles and staff will reel in some big fish at San Jose State. This class may be a foundational stepping stone for classes to come. Anderson could be a real prize out of PHH Prep. 

3. Utah State - I like what can happen for Utah State on the recruiting front. They currently don’t have any commitments or signees but the Aggies will be recruiting nationally to Logan. Don’t be surprised if you see junior college prospects, transfers, and a dip down South for players outside of the presence in the West, where they are already strong. Ryan Odom and staff know how to evaluate talent. 

SUPERLATIVES

TOP PG: Koren Johnson, San Diego State
TOP SG: KyeRon Lindsay, UNLV
TOP SF: JoJo Hunter, Fresno State
TOP PF: Elijah Saunders, San Diego State
TOP C: Caden Powell, Wyoming