With two live periods officially in the books, players both familiar and new to the radar have improved their stock as prospects. This week in I've Got Five On It, Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy explores five such players and explores what each has done to make a mark on the spring so far.
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MORE CASSIDY: Top prospect goes to Overtime Elite League; who's No. 1 in 2023?
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
2024 Rankings: Top 40
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WHAT HE DID: The son of former NBA star Peja Stojaković has been on the radar for nearly a year and currently sits at No. 63 in the Rivals150. He’s outplayed that ranking by a wide margin this spring, however, and college coaches and scouts alike have taken notice. The four-star prospect has gotten significantly taller in the last year and has become a hyper-versatile wing that can handle the ball and shoot it from range. He shines in the pick-and-roll game and posts eye-popping rebound numbers. At just 16 years old, the Compton Magic standout is impossibly skilled and starting to make waves with blueblood programs by dominating adidas 3SSB circuit games.
RECRUITMENT: Kentucky is the latest program to offer Stojaković, but it isn't the first and won’t be the last. Schools such as Tennessee, Indiana, Washington State, UConn, Kansas and Florida have also made things official. There’s no telling what direction his recruitment will go, but the elite wing certainly seems wowed by UK's decision to enter his recruitment.
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WHAT HE DID: The major revelation of April’s first live period, High impressed at the Orlando EYBL session and has since built on the waves he made at the event. High is a long, active defender that has shown the ability to make shots in a number of different ways, be it off the bounce, at the rim or in catch-in-shoot situations. High is a double-double threat each time he steps on the floor and uses his massive wing span to disrupt passing lanes. He’ll undoubtedly move into the top 100 when the rankings are updated.
RECRUITMENT: Texas, Michigan, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Alabama, Kansas State and others have all offered High since he broke out a few weeks back, and more attention is certainly on the way. The Texas-based forward is possibly one of the biggest stock risers in the country this spring, as he’s gone from a regionally known commodity to full-fledged national recruit in the span of a couple months.
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WHAT HE DID: Currently unranked, Momcilovic won’t hold that distinction for long. The 6-foot-8 Team Herro wing has put his name on the marquee this spring with a smooth shooting stroke and a game that translates to the next level. He scored 26 points in a matchup against top 10 prospect Justin Edwards over the weekend, and he also comes equipped with playmaking ability that impressed Rivals analyst Travis Graf, who watched Momcilovic in person over the weekend.
RECRUITMENT: Momcilovic has welcomed offers from Virginia Tech, Creighton, Xavier, Miami and others in recent weeks. Iowa State, Marquette and Minnesota have also made things official. Kentucky watched the rising star play over the weekend, while other major programs are also kicking the tires on his recruitment.
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WHAT HE DID: A 2024 prospect, Missi arrived at the first live period with only a handful of offers, but he has used the month of April to aggressively accelerate his recruitment. The 6-foot-10 center is proving to be a game-changing rim protector that is starting to develop a well-rounded offensive game. He’s averaging nearly 10 rebounds per contest playing 16U in the Nike EYBL and is unquestionably one of the most promising young big men on the circuit. His current ranking of 39th seems a bit too low after seeing him live on a couple of occasions.
RECRUITMENT: Missi held offers from Rutgers, UCLA and a couple others before the grassroots season kicked off. Those early believers have been joined by schools such as Kansas, Indiana, Syracuse and Michigan on Missi’s offer list in the last few weeks. The picture of his recruitment is going to get a lot more crowded before it begins to clear up.
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WHAT HE DID: Asemota has long been a high-profile prospect with a bright future. There’s a reason he currently ranks No. 25 in the Rivals150, after all. After two live periods, however, it’s clear that 25 isn’t nearly high enough for the 6-foot-9 forward who plays the circuit with The Syndicate grassroots organization. Asemota has long had the build and the agility to impress college coaches, but he’s shooting the ball incredibly well from distance lately and is slowly becoming more aggressive when it comes to getting to the basket. He knocked down six three-pointers on his way to 36 points on 14-for-19 shooting in an EYBL game over the weekend and continues to make his case to move into striking distance of the top five.
RECRUITMENT: Arizona State likes where it stands with Asemota, who plays his high school ball in Phoenix, but the competition is stiff to say the least. Oregon, North Carolina, Kansas, Illinois and Auburn are all also involved.
