Former Little Rock Central guard and University of Arkansas target Bryson Warren and Jordan Walsh, who recently visited the Razorbacks, were elevated to 5-star prospects in the latest ESPN rankings released on Wednesday.
Warren, 6-2, 160 pounds, will play his junior year at Link Year Prep in Branson after leading the Tigers to a 23-5 record as a sophomore and averaging 24.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.5 steals.
''Combines length, agility and cleverness,'' ESPN National Director of Recruiting Paul Biancardi said of Warren. ''The ball is part of his hand as he is in control of the bounce while he displays passing acumen and scoring talent. Anticipates very well defensively which leads him to fall into steals. Natural fluid movements with body control and a burst of speed.''
He's also the No. 4 point guard and the No. 16 overall prospect in the nation for the 2023 class. Warren was previously rated ESPN's No. 11 point guard nationally before his latest upgrade.
Walsh, 6-7, 200, made one of the biggest jumps in the updated ESPN rankings going from the No. 32 prospect in the nation to No. 12 for the 2022 class. He and his family visited Fayetteville on June 24-26.
He was the No. 11 small forward and is now the No. 6 rated prospect at his position.
''He was already a high level player who continued to make progress on his game,'' Biancardi said. ''I think he makes tough shots and has a really strong vertical bounce. ... He can elevate over guys at he rim. He drives and finishes pretty convincingly. I think he uses his drive game and his athleticism and his passion. He plays hard for the most part, so that's attractive at 6-7.''
He will attend Southern California Academy in Castaic, Calif., this fall after playing at Oak Cliff (Texas) Faith Family Academy as a junior.
Biancardi serves on the selection committees of the McDonald's All-American game, Gatorade Player of the Year and Naismith Player of the Year.
Sylvan Hills guard Nick Smith Jr., 6-4, 170, remained a 4-star recruit but saw his ranking elevated from No. 41 prospect nationally to No. 37 in the 2022 class. He's the No. 6 shooting guard in the country and remains the No. 1 rated recruit in Arkansas.
''He has the ability to really shoot the ball," Biancardi said. "He's a guy that makes shots and that's probably the most coveted skill right now. Doesn't matter what size you are. [The] ability to shoot the ball is probably the most attractive thing if you can do it at a high level. I think he's a mid-30% three-point shooter, but he's also [a] pretty high-level free throw shooter, too.''
Smith was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps player of the year after averaging 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. He plans to officially visit Fayetteville on Sept. 10-12.
Magnolia guard Derrian Ford, 6-4, 205, is now the No. 59 overall in the nation after previously being the No. 42 prospect in the 2022 class. He remains a 4-star recruit and the No. 2 prospect in Arkansas.
''He's really settling into his spot,'' Biancardi said. ''Obviously, he's still very elite because he's in the rankings. It's not like he played poorly. This is just where he's kind of settling in."
The Gatorade Arkansas Player of the Year, Ford averaged 23 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game as a junior.
Center Kel'el Ware, 7-0, 221, of North Little Rock, stayed a 4-star recruit but jumped into the top 100 for the first time at No. 75 while improving his position ranking from being No. 22 in the nation to No. 14 for the 2022 class.
"Undeniable measurables with a face-up game who runs pretty well, and he's got really good hands," Biancardi said. "He's got touch. I think he's still evolving as a player and his best years are ahead of him. I think he's more prospect than player right now. He still has to play with more effort. He disappears at times. He can still do more to impact the game from the rebounding and shot-blocking standpoint. He's good at shot blocking but he could be better."
Ware and Ford officially visited Arkansas on June 1-3.
Senior power forward Kijani Wright, 6-9, 228, of Los Angeles Windward School, remained an ESPN 5-star prospect and the No. 2 power forward in the nation but went from the No. 16 overall recruit to No. 18. He's the No. 4 recruit in California.
"He's a physical specimen. He's long physically," Biancardi said. "The strength the size and he's got IQ for the game. I like his aggressiveness. I love the way he rebounds. He' one of he best rebounders in the glass. He produces not just by rebounding but by scoring with his physicality and his shooting touch. He really does his work in the paint, on the glass and at the rim."
Wright made an official visit to Arkansas on June 21-23.
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