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Bossi's Best: 2022 players who could have pushed for national rankings

Chris Bunch
Chris Bunch

The spring evaluation periods are always huge for players between their sophomore and junior years. With no chances for college coaches to see potential breakout sophomores this spring, we've been doing our best to spotlight many of them in our "Hello My Name Is ..." series.

In this week's edition of Bossi's Best, we look at some more talented sophs - like California wing Chris Bunch - who could have bolstered their cases for the national rankings this spring.

MORE: Twitter Tuesday | Three-Point Play

2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position

2022 Rankings: Top 75



*****

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Offers: Blue just added first offer from Western Illinois while Big Ten and Big East programs are starting to take notice.

Why him? We have had our eye on Blue as a potential breakout player for many reasons. He's long, he's athletic and he knows how to get to the rim and finish. His jump shot doesn't look too bad, either, and he's just scratching the surface.

*****

Offers: Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Syracuse, USC and several others.

Why him? Bunch showed off an impressive blend of size, skill and athleticism when we watched during the winter. He used his size to help on the glass and didn't waste a bunch of dribbles. He's already pretty good but also not maxed out and has room to grow.

*****

Offers: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, St. John's, Vanderbilt and VCU.

Why him? Farrell is an always-on athlete who plays with a motor and enthusiasm. He finishes breaks, gets on the glass and can defend multiple positions. He's tough, and he has the capability of playing either the three or four.

*****

Offers: Nebraska.

Why him? There's no way on Earth that Green would have made it out of April with just one single offer. He's skilled, he's patient, he's a sneaky athlete who has some range on his jump shot and is an ideal combo-forward type for today's game.

*****

Offers: Arizona State, Houston, and TCU among others.

Why him? One of the highest scoring sophomore guards in the country, this lean combo guard with long arms can put up points in a hurry. He is fearless when it comes to letting shots fly and he has plenty of potential as a deep jump shooter.

*****

Offers: Arizona State, Arkansas, Dayton, DePaul, Fresno State, Kansas, Massachusetts, St. John's, UNLV and USC.

Why him? He's a big guard with a great frame to build on and a nose for the rim. He can dance with the ball before breaking down defenders, can play all around the perimeter and makes enough jumpers to keep defenders honest.

*****

Offers: Penn State, VCU and Virginia Tech.

Why him? Versatility and skill are the name of the game and they form the foundation of Nickel's game. He has excellent size, he can shoot, he is tough around the rim and he's another who can play either forward position.

*****

Offers: Creighton.

Why him? A Canadian who is attending school in the States, Sharpe is a high flyer who knows what to do when he gets to the rim. He plays for an outstanding high school program, defends and is working his way to becoming a dangerous all-around wing on both ends of the floor.

*****

Offers: Alabama, Providence, St. John's, Syracuse and Washington.

Why him? Capable of playing as a point or a two guard, Starling put up big numbers as a sophomore. He's started to fill out his body and is the kind of combo guard that many programs are seeking.

*****

Offers: Alabama, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State and South Florida.

Why them? Twins are always intriguing, especially a pair with size and athleticism like the Thompsons bring to the table. They are fun to watch in transition and are each quickly developing all-around skill sets. Both appear poised to take off.

*****

Offers: Stanford and USC.

Why him? Thompson really intrigued last fall with his ability to score inside and out. He's got length, he can shoot some from deep and he's already shown that he can be reliable scorer. It's hard to imagine he wouldn't have seen his stock soar out West had coaches spent the past two weekends watching him.

*****

Offers: Virginia Tech and Western Kentucky.

Why him? White is still a little bit raw from an overall skill standpoint, but he's long, he runs the floor, looks to have pretty good hands and dunks everything around the rim. He's active on the glass and was a guy we had pegged for a major breakout this spring.

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