The coronavirus pandemic brought a halt to college and high school basketball in the United States in March. Only recently have club teams in some states like Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania and Georgia, among others, opened up gyms for players looking to improve their games or secure athletic scholarships.
With players having fewer opportunities to showcase their talent over the past few months, live streams and film have become more essential to evaluate players amid precautions and travel restrictions.
So in updating the espnW 100 for the Class of 2021, our staff pored through hours of film and talked with coaches to re-rank the top high school seniors in the country.
Here are the top five seniors and five other prospects whose stocks rose over the past few months.
Top 5 prospects
1. G Azzi Fudd
St. John's College High School (DC) | GTS Fusion
Uncommitted
Fudd has a unique distinction, as she is one of those players who maintained the No. 1 spot throughout her prep years. When she came onto the high school scene, she was considered one of the most dominant players as a freshman that many had ever seen.
Fundamentally, she has no holes in her game. As a three-level scorer, she is a tough matchup for anyone. She is a knock-down 3-point shooter (remember the viral video of her making 268 3s in an 18-minute workout?), has had a money pull-up jumper since middle school and can finish at the rim with contact among the best of them. She has a naturally strong frame that lends to efficient rebounding and helps her be a gritty defender.
Fudd has a poise and maturity that allows her to be a big-time shot maker. Although she battled a knee injury that sidelined her for much of her junior summer and high school season, her résumé boasts some all-time accomplishments. Think of her skill set as a hybrid of former WNBA greats Kara Lawson and Katie Smith.
2. PG Raven Johnson
Westlake High School (Georgia) | FBC United
Committed to: South Carolina
In the girls' high school basketball scene, Johnson is synonymous with winning. Her Westlake squads have won the past three state championships in Georgia's highest classification. Her FBC United teams have been considered the best in the club circuit over the past few summers as well.
Johnson is a long-armed true point guard who brings out the best in teammates. Skill-wise, she has improved steadily, and her stock has continually increased year to year. She has always displayed a knack for making good decisions in the pick-and-roll game. Last season and into this summer, she proved to everyone that she can also be a threat from the 3-point line.
On the ball, her length and tenacity make her a problem for opposing guards, and she can even block some shots down on the weak side. Her game is in the mold of Chelsea Gray with some Lindsey Harding to go with it.
3. W Saniya Rivers
Ashley High School (North Carolina) | Carolina Flames
Committed to: South Carolina
When Rivers first burst onto the scene, it was clear she had tremendous potential thanks, in part, to her eye-opening motor. Over time, her skills have grown. She added a slashing ability from the wing and elbow areas on the court. Then came her agility, as she improved her change-of-direction abilities to her handle. And as a shooter, she became more consistent from the free throw line and on the catch-and-shoot.
The 6-foot Rivers was one of the most sought-after prospects in the 2021 class before Dawn Staley landed her commitment. Defensively, she can guard anyone on the floor and can rebound with the best of them. She is a terror in the passing lanes and uses her length on the ball to disrupt ball handlers. Rivers shows flashes of Angel McCoughtry and Courtney Williams, a dangerous combination.
4. F Sania Feagin
Forest Park High School (Georgia) | Georgia Pearls
Committed to: South Carolina
Simply put, Feagin is a gifted basketball player. The 6-foot-3 Gamecocks commit has elite length, size and skill with the physicality of a power forward. In addition to her presence, her passing stands out; she can make good reads out of the double team and in the high-low game.
Feagin attacks the basket very well and is a high-level finisher. She has expanded her range with a natural stroke from 15 feet. Her effort on the glass is also impressive, pursuing rebounds from all over the court. Her calculated timing in the paint and out to the perimeter makes her a strong shot-blocker. She is an active defender whose game is reminiscent of Sylvia Fowles, Joyner Holmes and Natasha Howard.
5. W Caroline Ducharme
Noble and Greenough School (Massachusetts) | Exodus
Committed to: UConn
Ducharme is the total package offensively. She is a 6-foot-2 guard with an impressive handle, elite footwork, a quick release and range from beyond the arc. She had to overcome a knee injury that sidelined her for some of her freshman season and a shoulder injury that caused her to miss games during her sophomore season, but all signs point to her being 100% now.
She has added strength and agility, which has in turn brought a physicality that has her seeking contact on finishes and rebounding relentlessly. She sees the floor well, so as often as she is the focus of her opponents' defensive game plan, she knows how to facilitate for her teammates.
Defensively, she can guard various positions, and she showed all summer that she reads passing lanes well, especially in the press. She jumped from No. 37 to No. 5 in the rankings. Ducharme's game is like a hybrid of Katie Lou Samuelson and Allie Quigley.
5 stock risers
G/W Jersey Wolfenbarger
Fort Smith Northside High School (Arkansas) | Banshees
Committed to: Arkansas
Ranking: 7 (previous: 18)
Wolfenbarger was considered a late bloomer based on her physical growth spurt(s). She started out a small but energetic guard who was talented enough to play above her age group. Then she grew to 6-foot-2 and now stands at 6-foot-5, and her confidence is noticeable.
She has developed one of the smoothest shots in her class. Wolfenbarger methodically attacks opponents with a purpose, showing flashes of DeWanna Bonner and Elena Delle Donne in her floor game.
"Not only is she the hardest-working player the Banshees have ever had, she is the most focused and detail-oriented person I've ever met," said Nathan Sadler, director of the Banshees. "Jersey has a plan for all aspects of her game and she methodically attacks them with purpose and maturity."
PG Rori Harmon
Cypress Creek High School (Texas) | CyFair Premier
Committed to: Texas
Ranking: 10 (previous: 20)
Harmon is a spark on the floor. She's also an instant bucket. As a young player, she was often the smallest player on the court against older opponents. She now stands at 5-foot-6, but is one of the most efficient prospects in the Class of 2021.
She can create space from anywhere on the court. Harmon also has a mean hesitation that devastates opposing defenses, and she has a quick release to get her shot off. She has improved her rebounding and her on-ball defense over time. Harmon reminds evaluators of Crystal Dangerfield and Andrea Riley.
W Aubryanna Hall
Huber Heights Wayne High School (Ohio) | Sports City U
Committed to: South Carolina
Ranking: 14 (previous: 26)
Hall's coaches describe her as competitive, and that is clear. She has always had the physical abilities to make in impact on the floor, and as her skills improved, she started to become more of a difference maker.
"The sky is the limit, and I truly believe she is a future pro," Hall's high school coach, Travis Trice, said.
She is disruptive defensively, and she also became more consistent from the 3-point line, increasing her 3-point percentage from 24.1% as a sophomore to 38.8% as a junior. Think of Hall's game as a mix between Megan Walker and Leaonna Odom.
W Destiny Adams
Manchester Township High School (New Jersey) | Exodus
Committed to: North Carolina
Ranking: 20 (previous: 35)
Adams, a 6-foot-3 wing, shows elements that allow her to become more of a "point forward" player on the court. For as good on the perimeter as she is, she embraced a more rugged approach and found value in the forward position over the past year. She became more assertive and improved her rebounding abilities and her defensive game.
"She's proving to be one of the better two-way players in her position," said Thomas Davis, Adams' Exodus club coach.
She went from averaging 14.7 points and 7.1 rebounds as a sophomore to 18.1 points and 11.8 rebounds as a junior. At the next level, picture Adams as part Napheesa Collier and part Alysha Clark.
G/W Shyanne Sellers
Aurora High School (Ohio) | SMAC Lady Ballers
Committed to: Maryland
Ranking: 22 (previous: 44)
Sellers is a skilled 6-foot-2 guard who has a natural feel for the game. The daughter of former NBA veteran Brad Sellers, Shyanne improved her skills off the dribble and added a pull-up 3-point shot to her game over the summer.
She makes reads and smart decisions on the floor. And with her size and length, she can guard multiple positions and play in different defensive schemes. She has all the tools to make an impact at the next level, showing flashes of Seimone Augustus and Shekinna Stricklen.
The Premier Basketball team includes Joey Simmons, Shane Laflin, Brittany Graham, Katie Hensle, Jason Key, Jineen Williams and Mark Williams.