Three of top 25 best sophomores in America play HS basketball in North Carolina
In the latest 247 Sports rankings, three of the nation’s top-25 players in the Class of 2023 are from the Charlotte area.
Lake Norman Christian’s Mikey Williams is No. 2, Combine Academy’s Robert Dillingham is No. 10 and Hickory Ridge’s Caleb Foster is No. 24.
▪ Williams is a 6-2, 175-pound combo guard who created national headlines last month when he moved from San Diego, California, to Charlotte. He is a five-star recruit with more than 2.5 million followers on social media. Williams scored 41 points in his first high school game last November and finished the season averaging 30 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists. MaxPreps named him its National Freshman of the Year.
In July, Williams released his top-10 list of colleges and said he would strongly consider attending a historically black college. Five made his top 10: Alabama State, Hampton, N.C. Central, Tennessee State and Texas Southern. They were joined by Arizona State, Kansas, Southern Cal, Memphis and San Diego State.
▪ Dillingham, a 6-1, 160-pound point guard, will play for former UNC star Jeff McInnis at Combine Academy, which is in Lincolnton. Dillingham raised eyebrows this summer, scoring 46 points and 56 points in consecutive games in Rock Hill. Dillingham has offers from schools like Kansas, Pittsburgh, Mississippi, South Florida and Wichita State.
▪ Foster, a 6-3, 170-pound point guard, gained acclaim playing for Stephen Curry’s Team Curry travel team this summer. Foster played on a team of high school juniors, even though he is a sophomore. He holds offers from Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
▪ The top ranked S.C. player was Jordan Butler, a 6-10 forward from Greenville who plays for Christ Church Episcopal. Butler was No. 26. Columbia Ridge View’s G.G. Jackson, a 6-8 power forward, is No. 29. Gray Academy 6-7 power forward Brandon Gardner is No. 42
