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"Chaos is a ladder." - Littlefinger, Game of Thrones
GG Jackson dropped a bomb on Thursday night when he officially decommitted from North Carolina. However, he isn't expected to be back on the market for long as all signs point to him being a Gamecock in the class of 2022.
With the early enrollment decision of Jackson, the No. 1 player in the 2023 class, looming in the air, the throne of the 2023 class is about to be up for grabs.
We saw the 2022 throne change five times largely due to reclassifications (Emoni Bates, Jalen Duren, Dereck Lively, Shaedon Sharpe and Nick Smith) and 2023 is now falling victim to the reclassification bug.
We've said it before but the crown of the 2023 class is truly a complete toss-up at this moment.
If Jackson were to make his decision final today, DJ Wagner would become the No. 1 player by default but is he truly the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class?
Sunday marks the beginning of the final July period as Peach Jam tips off in North Augusta, SC with Wednesday marking the start of the final live period as coaches head out on the road to get final evaluations heading into the school year.
Players will be competing for circuit championships, scholarships and now - more than ever - there will be a question desperately in need of an answer of 'who really is the number one player in this class?'
It's a debate we have been having behind the scenes for months and GG Jackson came to the rescue but now who?
Several players are in contention and at this point all have a legitimate case to be made and it's like splitting hairs to come to a conclusion.
Jackson is expected to leave the throne vacant and this week will be a Game of Thrones to see who rises to the top and captures the title for the next few months.
Littlefinger said it best: "Chaos is a ladder."
Who will rise above the fray this week?
Let's take a look at the candidates.
As I said, if Jackson decides to reclassify before the next update, DJ Wagner will become the No. 1 player again in the 2023 class by default as he is currently the No. 2 overall prospect in the class.
It's hard to blame anyone who were to vote for Wagner, after all he is an easy player to vote for as there's a comfortability with him.
The strongest point to be made with Wagner is the fact that he is a winner and has won in every setting he plays in.
He won a state championship with his Camden (N.J.) High School team this season - something that hadn't been done since his father suited up at Camden -, he just won a gold medal with the USA U17 National Team in the FIBA U17 World Cup and now the last title missing is a Peach Jam Championship.
Wagner isn't the most efficient, he's not the most dynamic, he's not the best scorer or playmaker, he's not the most physically gifted but he is a fearless competitor and at the end of the day he leads his teams to wins.
Each time he steps on the floor you basically know exactly what to expect, which in this class, means a lot. He's going to compete at a high level, he is going to have his foot on the gas pedal, he won't back down from the moment, he'll put points on the board, tally a couple of assists and it's highly likely he walks out the gym with a 'W'.
The next candidate we come to is Justin Edwards, the current No. 3 overall prospect in the 2023 class.
Edwards has surged up the rankings over the last year and for good reason.
He's a 6-foot-7 wing that's polished on the offensive end with a high IQ, he's long, athletic and impacts the game in a variety of ways.
Edwards' value has been built on the fact he lets the game come to him and he takes whatever the opposition gives him.
He is a good passer and is willing to share the rock, he is a very good rebounder for the position, he can defend at a high level and he can score at a high level.
The biggest question surrounding Edwards this spring has been a spell of inconsistent efforts, sometimes coasting and not asserting himself into a game.
Edwards is the most well-rounded player in the class when he's firing on all cylinders. He's a 6-foot-7 wing with length and athleticism who can dribble, pass and shoot with a polished offensive package able to go out and create his own offense at any given moment and can rebound and defend at a high level.
Xavier Booker was the hottest prospect of the spring, skyrocketing up the rankings to the No. 4 spot.
He was very much alive in the conversation for the throne during the last update but has since started to cool off and is entering the final period further back in the pack for this hunt.
He's a 6-foot-10 big man with elite physical tools. He has great size and length, he's a fluid athlete, he has great hands and touch to go along with flashes of skill that are very exciting for evaluators.
The one question we have been seeking to have answered with Booker in this debate is his motor.
To his point, it is late in the season and fatigue for EVERYONE is setting in but if he goes out and dominates on the defensive end and on the glass likes he's very capable of doing while doing his part offensively of catching lobs, running the floor, finishing at the rim and occasionally going out and getting his own bucket, he could make this conversation very interesting.
From a sheer natural talent perspective, Booker is one of the top two talents in the entire class. His physical tools are special, something that only Kwame Evans can contend with.
Booker is also a bit of a late-bloomer with tons of potential so when looking at it from a long-term perspective, Booker arguably has the highest upside of anyone in the class with his potential as a defender and rebounder who has some projections as a face-up/spot-up four man.
During the high school season, before Jackson solidified himself as the No. 1 player in the country, Mookie Cook was making his own case for the title.
The 6-foot-6, 200-pound wing recently reopened his recruitment himself but missed the spring sessions while filming for LeBron James' new movie "Shooting Stars".
He's got some rust to shake off from his time off but could re-emerge into the conversation this week.
He's an athletic two-way wing who can make shots on the perimeter, is a talented passer and can really defend.
He's a high impact two-way wing who makes shots on the perimeter, can score in transition, is a great defender and has upside as a playmaker on the offensive end with his passing ability.
He has shown flashes of some Jaylen Brown to his game, who was the No. 1 prospect in his own class at one time.
Matas Buzelis was once a top three prospect and heavily in the mix for the No. 1 title and he could be reemerging into the conversation.
It was a rocky high school season for the five-star prospect but he's had some very impressive outings this spring and summer.
He's got size, athleticism, ball skills, passing ability and can make shots on the perimeter.
Areas he can improve in include his effort and engagement on the defensive end to go along with valuing the basketball more.
He's since decided to take his talents to the G League and getting stronger will be also be a crucial piece to him fulfilling his ultimate potential.
He's a 6-foot-9 playmaking forward who is a good athlete, a talented passer with impressive ball skills. He has a unique blend of size and athleticism with his skillset in this class.
The dark horse in this class to claim the title is AJ Johnson, the current No. 37 overall prospect in 2023.
He's a 6-foot-5, 160-pound combo guard with long arms and electric athleticism. He is a prototypical late-bloomer but is already a dynamic scorer and playmaker.
At this stage he is all arms and legs but he can create his own offense, create for others, has instincts off the ball on defense and has tremendous potential.
He is still feeling out his decision making with his shot selection and his balance of scoring and passing but he's an exciting prospect whose best basketball is still ahead of him.
His measurables relative to his position compete with that of Xavier Booker and Kwame Evans. He's a dynamic offensive creator who can get his own buckets from all three-levels but has also shown ample flashes that leave you optimistic about him as a playmaker.
A wise evaluator once told me to always bet on the late-bloomers and that's exactly what Johnson is. His ability to impact the game while still being so physically immature compared to others in this class is tantalizing and he is just scratching the surface of what he can become.
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