Most men’s basketball players from Illinois in the high school Class of 2022 have used up their NCAA eligibility at this point.
Or have they? Several are still in the mix because they redshirted early in their college careers for developmental or injury reasons. And now some courts are weighing in on just who can or can’t play this upcoming season following the adoption of the NCAA’s “five-for-five” rule, which allows student-athletes to play five seasons of college sports.
In any case, it’s a fitting time to look back on what was considered a solid class through the lens of the last four years.
Here’s a re-ranking of the top players from the Class of 2022, minus former Thornton swingman Ty Rodgers, once the state’s No. 2-ranked prospect, who probably still would be in the top five if not for a series of devastating injuries that changed his career trajectory:
1. Braden Huff, Gonzaga
(Glenbard West)
Rank in 2022: 1
Injuries have slowed his overall impact, but averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds last season for a college powerhouse keeps him in the top spot. A big final season is expected from the 6-11 forward, who led Glenbard West to a state title as a senior.
2. Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
(Glenbrook South)
Rank in 2022: 8
Originally headed to Elon before a coaching change there, the always over-achieving forward quieted doubters after switching to NU and the Big Ten. Martinelli twice led the conference in scoring and finished his career with 1,787 points.
3. Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
(Oak Forest)
Rank in 2022: 10
Avila, a 6-10 center, became a bit of a sensation, scoring nearly 2,000 points between Indiana State and Saint Louis.
4. Caden Pierce, Purdue
(Glenbard West)
Rank in 2022: 5
His stellar college career has included an NCAA Tournament appearance, the Ivy League Player of the Year Award and more than 1,000 career points — and the 6-7 forward still has his final season left at Purdue.
5. Tavari Johnson, Akron
(Lyons)
Rank in 2022: 11
A point guard, Johnson dazzled the last two years in the MAC, leading the league in scoring last season with 19.7 points per game) while fueling a team that reached the NCAA Tournament. Will he be eligible for one more season at Charleston after transferring?
6. Zach Cleveland, Normal
(Liberty)
Rank in 2022: 9
Cleveland, a 6-7 forward, was an absolute stat-sheet stuffer in college (1,220 points, 749 rebounds and 569 assists) and won Conference USA Player of the Year as a senior.
7. NJ Benson, DePaul
(Mount Vernon)
Rank in 2022: 12
He’s penciled in for an extra year at Georgetown after a productive four NCAA seasons — two at Missouri State and the last two at DePaul. The 6-8 big man averaged 11.7 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Blue Demons.
8. Jalen Quinn, Drake
(Tuscola)
Rank in 2022: 7
After playing a small role at Loyola for three years, the 6-3 guard exploded as a senior at Drake, leading the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring with 19.7 points per game last season.
9. Bobby Durkin, Minnesota
(Glenbard West)
Rank in 2022: 14
After a year of prep school following high school and solid production at Davidson for two seasons, Durkin, a 6-7 forward, averaged 10.2 points at Minnesota as a junior.
10. Cooper Noard, Cornell
(Glenbrook South)
Rank in 2022: 18
Noard, a guard, had a somewhat overlooked career in the Ivy League, which he led in scoring with 18.7 points per game last season.
11. Jaden Schutt, Kansas State
(Yorkville Christian)
Rank in 2022: 3
Schutt will finish his career at Kansas State after two years at Duke and two at Virginia Tech. The 6-5 guard averaged 7.7 points in each of the last two seasons in the ACC.
12. Xavier Amos, Loyola
(Young)
Rank in 2022: 4
It has been a topsy-turvy college career for the 6-8 forward because of injuries. He took off as a sophomore at NIU, transferred to Wisconsin, where he barely saw the floor, then played last season with the Ramblers, averaging 11.1 points but in only 19 games.