Transfers have hurt state hoops
There has been a lot of debate about the recent decline in high school basketball talent in Illinois. It has been more about missing stars than shining ones.
The downward cycle began with the Class of 2016 and seems to be extending into the Class of 2020.
There are various theories and reasons for why the talent has dipped, but one simple one is attrition. Many talented players have left the state.
Here are five high- profile players who played in the Chicago area, many of whom are nationally ranked but left the state in recent years.
Alan Griffin, Class of 2018
Former school: Oak Park. Current school: Archbishop Stepinac ( White Plains, New York).
The 6- 5 shooting guard was impressive in his freshman season at Oak Park. He was already among the City/ Suburban Hoops Report’s top half- dozen prospects in the Class of 2018 before he moved.
As a senior this past season, he averaged 18 points and shot better than 40 percent from three- point range to lead Stepinac to city and state championships.
Griffin signed with Illinois in the spring.
Landers Nolley, Class of 2018
Former school: Curie. Current school: Langston Hughes ( Fairburn, Georgia).
There is a caveat with this one: Nolley initially transferred into Illinois, landing at Curie in the summer of 2015, before transferring back to the Atlanta area after his sophomore season.
Before he left, though, Nolley was an instrumental part of Curie’s state- championship run in March 2016.
Now the 6- 6 wing is a top- 100 player in the country and is headed to Virginia Tech.
Kahlil Whitney, Class of 2019
Former school: Solorio. Current school: Roselle ( New Jersey) Catholic. This one was a killer. Whitney was the City/ Suburban Hoops Report’s No. 1- ranked prospect as a freshman at Solorio. Watching him play on the club circuit with the Mac Irvin Fire, it’s clear the 6- 6 Whitney still would be the top- ranked player in Illinois in the Class of 2019.
Whitney has had a monster spring, is a coveted high- major prospect and is ranked among the top 50 players in the country. The Class of 2019 would look a whole lot better with Whitney at the top.
Malik Hall, Class of 2019
Former school: Metea Valley. Current school: Sunrise Christian ( Wichita, Kansas).
Hall averaged 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds as a sophomore at Metea Valley. Then he decided to transfer to a prep school and reclassify, moving from the Class of 2018 to the Class of 2019.
The extra year — and two more inches — have done wonders for Hall. He’s now a versatile 6- 7 wing and a top- 50 player in the country in the Class of 2019. He has an impressive list of high- major offers.
Nimari Burnett, Class of 2020
Former school: Morgan Park. Current school: Prolific Prep ( Napa, California).
Burnettwas a key player for a talentedMorgan Park team as a freshman. The 6- 3 guard was heralded as one of the top three prospects in Illinois in his class. Then he left for California and now is a top- 75 player nationally.