SBLive Boys Basketball Recruiting Rankings: O'Dea's Paolo Banchero ranked No. 1 in Washington

In an effort to shine a brighter spotlight on Washington high school basketball players, we are introducing our first-ever SBLive Boys Basketball Recruiting

SBLive Staff | Jan 8, 2021

SBLive Boys Basketball Recruiting Rankings: O'Dea's Paolo Banchero ranked No. 1 in Washington /

In an effort to shine a brighter spotlight on Washington high school basketball players, we are introducing our first-ever SBLive Boys Basketball Recruiting Rankings.

Our rankings are compiled by SBLive Basketball Analyst Dan Dickau based on observations and conversations with an extensive network of coaching and media sources across the country. The players have been evaluated through a college recruiting lens and analyzed in four categories: athleticism, ball skills, basketball IQ and upside.

Over the past several weeks we rolled out our Top 25 players in Washington. You can find the full rankings at the bottom of the post.

Here’s a closer look at No. 1 on the list, O'Dea senior Paolo Banchero.

PAOLO BANCHERO

SBLIVEWARANKING: NO. 1

➡️ HEIGHT: 6-FOOT-9

➡️ WEIGHT: 235 POUNDS

➡️POSITION: FORWARD

➡️CLASS: 2021

➡️2019-20 STATS: 22.6 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.7 apg

➡️HIGHSCHOOL: O'DEA

➡️HIGH SCHOOL COACH: JASON KERR

➡️CLUB TEAM: SEATTLE ROTARY

➡️OFFERS: SIGNED WITH DUKE

➡️TWITTER: @pp_doesit

DICKAU’S ANALYSIS

ATHLETICISM: Banchero's tremendous size, strength, length and balance allows him to dominate at the high school level. He will be physically ready on day one of college and would be ready physically for the NBA if allowed to go directly to the professional ranks.

BALL SKILLS: Banchero can score in literally any way for a 4-man at the high school level and this will translate easily to college and beyond. He can handle it to create for himself and when the defense collapses he can make the correct pass for others.

In pick-and-roll situations he can pop and knock it down or roll and catch and finish in traffic. The only situation I'm not sure of is his ability to run off pin-downs and read screens ... but when was the last time a 4 came off single/doubles? His skills are off the charts for a high school player with his size and athleticism.

BASKETBALL IQ: Even though there have been bigs with great skills and athleticism, that doesn’t always make them difficult to game plan for. That is different with Banchero because he is also a great teammate and plays the right way. He does a great job spacing the floor, cutting with a purpose and screening when it’s appropriate. He also takes coaching with a humble spirit.

UPSIDE: Let’s put it this way: if not for the requirement to go to college for a year to be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft, I don’t think we would be seeing Banchero prepare to head to Duke.

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SBLIVE WA RECRUITING RANKINGS

NO. 25: OMARI MAULANA, LIFE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

NO. 24: KELSON GEBBERS, BREWSTER

NO. 23: TYCE PAULSEN, CURTIS

NO. 22: GAVIN MARRS, ELLENSBURG

NO. 21: COBI CAMPBELL, PUYALLUP

NO. 20: TYLER BILODEAU, KAMIAKIN

NO: 19: COOPER CHURCH, TAHOMA

NO. 18: CAYDEN MCDANIEL, WILSON

NO. 17: QUIN PATTERSON, MOUNT SI

NO. 16: TYLER MRUS, SEATTLE PREP