California’s top high school boys basketball players: Meet the state’s best small forwards
From Harvard-Westlake's Brady Dunlap to Jesuit's Andrej Stojakovic, California is loaded with talented small forwards.
Here's an inside look at the best small forwards in California high school boys basketball.
The main criteria for SBLive’s top small forwards are 2021-22 statistics, film review, discussions with coaches and college interest. The list was compiled by SBLive reporter Connor Morrissette.
MORE: TOP POINT GUARDS | TOP SHOOTING GUARDS | TOP POWER FORWARDS | TOP CENTERS
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TOP SMALL FORWARDS IN CALIFORNIA BOYS BASKETBALL
(Players are listed in alphabetical order)
Courtney Anderson - Dublin - Junior
Anderson scored 19 points in a 59-54 win over San Ramon Valley on Jan. 27.
Tyler Bey - Fairfax - Senior
Bey is a consistent double digit scorer for the Lions. He scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Fairfax's 82-39 win over LACES earlier this season. Bey plans to play at a prep school next season.
Rishod Brown - Sacramento Grant - Senior
Brown scored 29 points in Grant's 66-53 win over Burbank on Jan. 17.
Rodney Brown Jr. - Rancho Christian - Junior
Brown scored 25 points in a 70-61 win over Torrey Pines on Jan. 29.
Carter Bryant - Fountain Valley - Sophomore
Expect Bryant to emerge as a national recruit in the next few years. He scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 68-50 win over Marina on Jan. 25.
Brayden Burries - Riverside Poly - Freshman
Burries has put together an exceptional freshman year so far. He scored 29 points in a blowout win over Notre Dame Riverside on Feb. 2.
Derrick Claxton - Inderkum - Senior
Claxton has emerged as one of the top players in Sacramento this season. He scored 42 points in a win over Antelope earlier this season.
Zack Davidson - Mater Dei - Junior
Davidson is Mater Dei's top player. He's received scholarship offers from UC San Diego, Cleveland State, Southern Utah and San Jose State.
Khemanni Davis - Rancho Verde - Senior
Davis was named the SBLive Player of the Game at the State Preview Classic after scoring 21 points in a 61-51 win over Oak Hills.
Chol Deng - Fairmont Prep - Senior
Deng can score at all three levels. He put in 28 points in a 72-67 win over Capistrano Valley Christian on Jan. 11.
Jurian Dixon - St. Augustine - Junior
Dixon is arguably the top player in San Diego. He scored 25 points in a 60-45 win over Mission Bay on Feb. 4.
Brady Dunlap - Harvard-Westlake - Junior
Dunlap is a future high major Division 1 college basketball player. He scored 20 points in the Wolverines’ 76-68 win over Crean Lutheran on Jan. 29.
Isaiah Elohim - Sierra Canyon - Sophomore
Elohim is arguably the top 2024 recruit in the country. He'll be a major part of Sierra Canyon's Southern Section Open Division playoff push.
James Evans - West Ranch - Sophomore
Evans is having a huge season for West Ranch. He scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in an 81-67 win over Santa Clarita Christian on Feb. 3.
Kevin Gad - Granada - Senior
Gad is one of Northern California's top players. He scored 24 points in a 52-47 loss to De La Salle on Feb. 3.
Deshawn Gory - Hillcrest - Sophomore
Gory is a hidden gem in the 2024 class. He scored 15 points in a 61-50 loss to Los Altos at the State Preview Classic.
Christopher Hammond - Campbell Hall - Senior
Hammond scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out six assists in Campbell Hall's 64-63 loss to Crossroads on Feb. 1.
Jayden Harper - Notre Dame - Sophomore
Harper will be the next great boys basketball player at Notre Dame. He scored 15 points in the Knights' 61-53 win over Heritage Christian earlier this season.
Tyler Harris - Salesian - Junior
Harris is another top player in NorCal. He scored 18 points in a 67-58 loss to Modesto Christian on Jan. 17.
Jaden Henley - Colony - Senior
Henley is committed to Minnesota. He's the top player on a Colony team that finished the regular season 23-2.
Javon Johnson - De La Salle - Senior
Johnson led De La Salle to a 61-50 win over San Ramon Valley on Feb. 10. He scored 13 points.
Parker Jones - Loyola - Senior
Jones poured in 26 points in a 78-71 loss to Notre Dame last month.
Keyon Kensie - Taft - Junior
Kensie is one of the top athletes on this list. He's a consistent double digit scorer for the LA City Section Open Division bound Toreadors.
Nikolas Khamenia - Harvard-Westlake - Freshman
Khamenia may only be in his first year of high school basketball, but he's emerged as a top recruit in the 2025 class.
Miles Klapper - San Mateo Serra - Senior
Klapper scored 23 points, had eight rebounds and three assists in Serra's 60-48 win over Valley Christian on Feb. 5.
Trent MacLean - Westlake - Freshman
The son of Don MacLean, Trent has had an impressive freshman season. He scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in a win over Oaks Christian earlier this year.
Jack McCloskey - Mater Dei - Senior
McCloskey transferred from Santa Margarita and since becoming eligible to play for Mater Dei in December, he's been a starter playing big minutes. He scored 17 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out two assists and had two steals in a 55-48 win over Los Altos at the Nike Extravaganza.
John McFadden - San Juan Hills - Senior
McFadden is one of the top players on a San Juan Hills team that enters the Southern Section playoffs with a 23-4 record.
Ariik Mawien - Capistrano Valley Christian - Junior
Mawien is committed to Pepperdine. He scored 17 points in a defeat to Fairmont Prep earlier this season.
Andrew Meadow - West Ranch - Junior
Meadow is one of the top scorers on this list. He scored 31 points in an 81-67 win over Santa Clarita Christian on Feb. 3.
Kaden Minter - Mater Dei - Senior
Minter does it all for Mater Dei. He scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a Trinity League win over Servite earlier this year.
Jovani Ruff - Long Beach Poly - Freshman
Ruff is arguably the top freshman in California high school basketball and he's already developed a reputation for being clutch in the fourth quarter. Ruff scored 10 fourth quarter points in a Moore League clinching win over Lakewood earlier this month.
Derek Sangster - Archbishop Mitty - Junior
Sangster is averaging 16.2 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game for Mitty this season.
Kaleb Smith - Damien - Senior
Smith is committed to UC Riverside. He scored 15 points in a 59-45 Southern Section Open Division clinching win against Etiwanda last month.
Andrej Stojakovic - Jesuit - Junior
Stojakovic is putting together an incredible run to end the regular season in his junior year.
Seydi Thiombane - Rolling Hills Prep - Senior
Thiombane paced Rolling Hills Prep with 21 points in a 68-58 win over Saugus at the State Preview Classic.
Cameron Thrower - Harvard-Westlake - Senior
Thrower can play any position from point guard to power forward for Harvard-Westlake and he excels in every role. Thrower is committed to the University of Pennsylvania.
Tyus Parrish-Tillman - Clovis West - Senior
Parrish-Tillman has had a huge season for 27-1 Clovis West. On Feb. 1, he scored 28 points to lead his Eagles team back from a 22-point deficit against Central Fresno to win 97-87 in overtime.
Payden White - Riverside Poly - Senior
White is one of Riverside Poly's top players and a big reason why they're the No. 1 seed in the Division 1 Southern Section playoffs. He scored 17 points in a 61-56 win over Fairmont Prep on Jan. 17.
Trey Wilborn - Edison - Senior
Wilborn is Edison's top player. He led the Chargers to a Surf League title in the Southern Section this year.
Tyler Weaver - Aliso Niguel - Senior
Weaver is a tremendous shooter. He put in 43 points in a win over Dana Hills last month.
Curtis Williams - Etiwanda - Junior
Williams has received a scholarship offer from USC. He scored 27 points in a loss to Corona Centennial at the Classic at Damien.
Noah Williams - Village Christian - Sophomore
Williams is a talented 2024 prospect. He scored 12 points and grabbed 10 boards in a victory over Whittier Christian earlier this month.
Tounde Yessoufou - St. Joseph - Freshman
Yessoufou broke the backboard on a monster dunk at the start of his freshman season and he's been a consistent double digit scorer for St. Joseph since. In a win over Paso Robles on Feb. 10, Yessoufou scored 16 points.
