The pandemic took opportunities from the 2021 class and now with recent rule changes by the NCAA there’s a possibility that even more opportunities may be lost.  That being said there’s still a laundry list of 2021 prospects worth tracking on the board and today we look at five of them in the Midwest.

Note – Listed in alphabetical order

Hercy Miller – 6’3 – G – Minnehaha (MN)
A talented athletic guard with toughness, handles, instincts, and feel, Miller attacks the rim off the bounce and he can finish through traffic.  A solid guard in transition, Miller has also shown an ability to knock down the perimeter shot on occasion.  Defensively he has exceptional potential given his size and length.  His best basketball lies in front of him.

Ronald Kirk Jr. – 6’4 – G – Dominican (WI)
Kirk is starting to stretch his legs so to speak and his ability to impact the game on both ends is starting to open some eyes.  He can finish at multiple levels, he has solid rebounding instincts, and he’s shown an ability to impact the game on the defensive end with his size and length.  A sleeper in the truest sense, Kirk is one to track if you’re in need of a big skilled guard who can play.

A.J. Smith – 6’7 – F – Metro East Lutheran (IL)
A solid max effort type forward who can finish at multiple levels and clean the glass, Smith is also an excellent passing big.  He scores around the basket and at the mid-range level offensively and on the defensive end he’s versatile and disrupts things with his ability to guard multiple positions and contest shots.  He’s just starting to come into his own and his best years are obviously in front of him.  

Will Smythe – 6-4 – SG – Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep (MI)
An excellent marksmen with a pure perimeter stroke that can rip the nets on the move or spotting up in a variety of ways.  He has nice size and length and he pairs that with instincts and feel to make for a quality perimeter shooting specialist for schools in need of that.

Brennan Timm – 6’5 – F – St. Johns NW Military Academy (WI)
A max effort forward that brings excellent effort and high caliber floor production to the court.  He can score off the bounce, in transition, on put-backs, and at the mid-range level with his jumper.  He’s also shown an ability to occasionally knock down the three as well.  Defensively he plays hard and can cover multiple positions.  In terms of intangibles that’s where he stands out the most because his activity and effort fill the stat sheet and he does all the little things that help teams win games.