Best high school boys basketball combo guards in the nation entering the 2023-24 season

Expect these 20 do-everything guards to put up big stats this winter

With October in the rearview mirror, the high school boys basketball season is officially underway, with Alabama becoming the first state to tip off Nov. 2.

SBLive Sports is highlighting some of the best players in the nation as we begin the winter season, which starts with Montverde Academy ranked No. 1 in the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Top 25.

Over the next week and a half, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the best of the best in high school boys basketball. We started with the top point guards, and now we shift to combo guards.

Here are 20 of the best multi-purpose guards in the nation entering the 2023-24 high school boys basketball season. 

Alijah Arenas, so., Chatsworth (California)

The son of former All-NBA guard Gilbert Arenas, Alijah Arenas is a five-star sophomore with numerous Division I offers. He was unstoppable for Chatsworth as a freshman, averaging 30.3 points, nine rebounds, two assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. 

Jalil Bethea, sr., Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania)

Bethea led the Philadelphia Catholic League in scoring as a junior at 23.2 points per game. The lights-out shooter is a five-star prospect who committed to Miami in September. 

Liam Campbell, sr., Owyhee (Idaho)

Campbell, a four-star recruit, averaged 17.4 points as a sophomore and was even better last winter while leading Owyhee to the Class 5A state title. The reigning 5A player of the year, Campbell will play college basketball in the Big Ten for USC. 

Isaac Carr, jr., Central Catholic (Oregon)

Carr averaged 14.8 points as a sophomore and shot 37 percent from beyond the arc. He committed to Oregon in October. 

Jamal Chretien, jr., Mayde Creek (Texas)

Chretien put up 22.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists during a dominant sophomore season for Mayde Creek. His Division I offers include TCU and George Mason. 

Andrew Crawford, sr., ThunderRidge (Colorado)

A four-star prospect, Crawford is staying in state to play college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He averaged 19.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists during his junior season. 

Dylan Harper, sr., Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey)

The nation’s No. 2 overall senior prospect, Harper is an electric guard who excels as a creator and a spot-up shooter. He averaged 24.9 points a season ago. 

Elzie Harrington, jr., St. John Bosco (California)

An all-around weapon, Harrington put up 15.5 points, 5.7 assists, five rebounds and 2.8 steals as a sophomore. He is a five-star prospect with offers from UCLA and USC, among others. 

Isiah Harwell, jr., Wasatch Academy (Utah)

An Idaho native, Harwell is a star two-way guard for Wasatch Academy. Alabama, Gonzaga and UCLA are among the schools after the five-star playmaker. 

Kaden House, so., Desert Mountain (Arizona)

The son of former NBAer Eddie House, Kaden House averaged 25.9 points, nine rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.6 steals and 1.1 blocks as a freshman. His twin brother, Kalek, also stars for Desert Mountain. 

Kon Knueppel, sr., Wisconsin Lutheran (Wisconsin)

Knueppel put up 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a junior. A deadly three-point shooter, Knueppel is a five-star prospect who committed to Duke in September. 

JR Leonard, jr., Riverwood (Georgia)

Leonard, who recently picked up an offer from Tennessee, can play either guard position for Riverwood. He lit it up as a sophomore, averaging 22.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and one steal. 

Trey McKenney, jr., St. Mary’s Prep (Michigan)

The reigning AP Michigan Division 1 player of the year, McKenney averaged 25.4 points and 11.1 rebounds a season ago. A five-star prospect, McKenney has the skill to play point guard and the size to play in the post at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. 

Liam McNeeley, sr., Montverde Academy (Florida)

McNeeley is another versatile offensive weapon who can play inside and outside for Montverde Academy. The five-star Indiana commit averaged 12.4 points, four rebounds, 2.2 assists and one steal as a junior. 

Darien Moore, so., Catholic Central (New York)

Moore averaged a double-double as a freshman with 23.2 points, 11 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. The small-school star’s early offers include Albany and UMass.

Parker Paxton, sr., Riverton (Wyoming)

The Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior, Paxton led Class 4A in scoring last winter at 18.5 points per game. Basketball is Paxton’s No. 2 sport as the talented athlete is a four-time state golf champion. He will golf in college for Colorado. 

Darryn Peterson, jr., Huntington Prep (West Virginia)

Playing for Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Peterson averaged 31.7 points as a sophomore and was a finalist for Ohio Mr. Basketball. Now at Huntington Prep, Peterson is a five-star guard with numerous college suitors. 

Derrion Reid, sr., Prolific Prep (California)

Reid helped lead Grovetown to its first Georgia Class 6A state title in 2022 and averaged 17.9 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 42.3 percent from three-point land as a junior. The versatile five-star playmaker transferred to Prolific Prep over the summer. 

Cam Scott, sr., Lexington (South Carolina)

Scott was voted South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior after putting up 19.2 points, six rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals. A five-star recruit, Scott committed to Texas in August. 

Jeshawn Stevenson, sr., Lindblom (Illinois)

One of the most prolific scorers in Chicago, Stevenson averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 steals and two blocks last winter. Stevenson recently committed to Cleveland State. 

(Isaac Carr photo by Soobum Im)

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports