Imhotep’s Justin Edwards is the new No. 1 in ESPN’s basketball recruiting rankings
Edwards is headed to Kentucky, and in the rankings he overtook the top spot previously held by Camden guard and future Kentucky teammate DJ Wagner.
Imhotep Charter senior Justin Edwards, the 6-foot-8, high-flying forward who signed with Kentucky in November, has usurped future Kentucky teammate DJ Wagner as ESPN’s new No. 1 high school senior.
ESPN released its updated Top 100 basketball recruiting rankings Friday.
On Monday, Edwards led the Panthers (15-2, 7-0 Public League) to a 62-59 victory against the No. 2 junior in the nation, Ian Jackson, and Cardinal Hayes of the Bronx at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
Edwards led the Panthers with 25 points, 12 rebounds, six steals, four assists, and one block. He was later named to the All-Showcase first team. Jackson, a 6-foot-5 forward, finished with 11 points. Jackson also committed to North Carolina on Monday and is now currently ranked No. 3 in ESPN’s junior class rankings.
Wagner, now the No. 2-ranked senior, and Camden High (12-2, 5-0 Olympic) fell, 66-62, against Centennial High (Calif.) at the Hoophall Classic on Saturday.
Edwards and Wagner will meet Jan. 28 at St. Joseph’s Hagan Arena when Camden and Imhotep clash.
“We’re definitely competitors; we’re going to compete regardless,” Wagner said this past weekend. “Once you step between those lines, there is no such thing as friends or nothing like that.”
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Next season, Kentucky, which has the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class, will have three local products in Edwards (No. 1), Wagner (No. 2), and Camden’s Aaron Bradshaw (No. 4) suiting up in front of Big Blue Nation. The trio is excited to bring a Philly flavor to Lexington next season.
“It feels great,” Wagner said at the Hoophall of heading to college with two of his longtime friends. “Obviously, with all of us being from around the same area, it’s a great feeling, and we take a lot of pride in that. We’re definitely excited.”
Gustav Elvin contributed reporting to this story