2023 Wings and Forwards to Watch For This Season

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">By Michael Wholey 10/6/22 9:00 AM EST</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><em>The updated class rankings came out in September.&nbsp; We continue to break down the rankings.&nbsp; Let's take a look at some of the top wings and forwards in the class of 2023.&nbsp;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='91657' first='Tyja' last='Beans']</strong> (Spruce Creek / FGB) – 5'11 Wing / Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: 39</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Position Ranking: 8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Beans body stands out in a crowd as she has excellent length and athleticism.&nbsp; She has great versatility and can play the wing and the forward spot.&nbsp; Utilizing her length and wingspan, she can guard both interior players and perimeter players.&nbsp; Her best attribute could possibly be her defensive pressure and on ball defense.&nbsp; Beans enters her Senior season ranked # 39 overall in the class of 2023.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='166163' first='Madelyn' last='Leslie']</strong> (Gulf Coast / Candace Parker Hoop Dreams Elite) – 5'10 Wing</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":208733,"width":320,"height":292,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/Madelyn-Leslie-No-Name-14-e1651679365124-1024x935.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-208733" width="320" height="292"/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: 45</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Position Ranking: 6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Leslie is a big wing with deep 3-point range that is headed to the University of Tampa next season.&nbsp; Having an opportunity to see Leslie several times over the years and both with her high school and travel team this season, it is always a joy as she is so competitive and plays hard and aggressive every possession.&nbsp; She is one of the state's top shooters and is in range and dangerous from all over the court.&nbsp; She is expected and needs to have a big Senior season for Gulf Coast her Senior year and enters as the # 45 ranked player overall and the # 6 wing in the class of 2023.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='352557' first='Uniyah' last='Franklin']</strong> (Everglades / FGB Running Rebels) – 6'2 Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":415588,"width":420,"height":280,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/04/Uniyah-Franklin1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-415588" width="420" height="280"/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: 57</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Position Ranking: 12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Franklin makes a big jump in the rankings moving up 30 spots from # 89 overall to # 57.&nbsp; At 6'2, she has a strong and athletic build and can play inside and out.&nbsp; She runs the floor and moves well for her size.&nbsp; She is a capable offensive and defensive rebounder who is extremely effective when she is active and playing with a lot of energy.&nbsp; Her size, versatility and athleticism are intriguing to a number of college coaches and has her name on their radar.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='515779' first='Joelle' last='Wilson']</strong> (Miami Sr. HS / Miami Suns Mompremier) – 5'11 Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: 74</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Position Ranking: 11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Wilson enters the rankings at # 74 overall and the # 11 forward in the class of 2023.&nbsp; She is one of the most under rated prospects in the entire class.&nbsp; She is an active defender who has a much-improved skill set.&nbsp; Not just an interior post player, she has begun to add more and more perimeter skills each time I see her play.&nbsp; Wilson does a good job advancing the ball with on defensive rebounds, pushing her team into transition.&nbsp; Her versatility allows her to cover interior players and perimeter players.&nbsp; Her activity level is elite and she is a hustle player that does all the intangibles to help her team win.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='515796' first='Tessa' last='Engelman']</strong> (DME Academy) – 6'3 Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Ranking: 65</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Position Ranking: 12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Engelman enters the rankings at # 65 overall.&nbsp; At 6'3, she is a versatile and skilled face up forward that can also play the wing.&nbsp; Her tall, skinny, slender build is an area that Engelman needs to continue to work on building strength but her skillset is advanced.&nbsp; She is a high percentage 3-point shooter who has good court vision, a high basketball IQ, and is a good decision maker often setting her teammates up for easy buckets .</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Michael Wholey</strong> is the lead scout for Florida Prep Girls Hoop Florida and a former division one Assistant Coach at American University, University of Memphis, and Georgia Tech.  Wholey and the rest of the Prep Girls Hoop staff, seek to cover the entire state of player, keeping subscribers up to date with player evaluations, recruiting info, and statewide news.  Our audience often supplies us with some of our best information.  If you have any information on players, teams, or statewide news in the state of Florida, emailing Michael Wholey at <a href="mailto:WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com">WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com</a> or DM him through Twitter or Instagram @WholeyPrepHoops.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->