Here’s an early look at the high school Player of the Year race

A year ago, Curie’s DaJuan Gordon emerged and Bogan’s Rashaun Agee came out of nowhere during the season to become legitimate Player of the Year candidates.

Maybe a player or two will follow that path this upcoming season. But there’s no question the field of Player of the Year candidates is headed by two front-runners.

With high school basketball practice beginning next week, here’s a snapshot of the Player of the Year race for the 2019-20 season:

The favorites: DJ Steward (Young) and Adam Miller (Morgan Park)

The POY race starts right here. These two were the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s top two prospects in the Class of 2020 when they entered high school and have certainly lived up to the billing.

The Duke-bound Steward and Miller, the best unsigned senior in Illinois, are special guards who check off all the boxes. They play for highly ranked programs, put up eye-popping numbers and have the opportunity to play in big games on a big stage.

The top challenger: Max Christie (Rolling Meadows)

Although just a junior, Christie is the most talked-about prospect in the state — and the highest-ranked one. So the reputation is there, the numbers will back it up and he’s still getting better.

The versatile 6-6 guard is poised to add to his impressive totals of a year ago, when he put up 26 points and 10 rebounds a game. He had a triple-double and scored 51 points in a game. Those are headline-grabbing POY moments right there.

Rolling Meadows has a chance to be solid, a conference contender in the Mid-Suburban League East this year. But how will monster numbers and solid team success match up against the other top POY contenders who will be playing for state-ranked teams?

Rolling Meadows could be very, very good — but probably not until a year from now.

The dark horse: Bryce Hopkins (Fenwick)

Did you see the numbers the 6-6 do-it-all put up a year ago? As a sophomore? Hopkins averaged 23 points and had six games of 30-plus points.

He has grown physically and as a player and should be even more efficient. He is one of the rare players in the state capable of putting a team on his back and carrying it.

While Fenwick has some younger talent in place, how quickly will that translate into high win totals? By the end of the season, could Fenwick and Hopkins go on an extended March run in Class 3A and enhance his chances?

The long shots: Ahron Ulis (Marian Catholic) and Jeremiah Williams (Simeon)

Their cause will be helped by the fact that they play for top-10 teams and can fill a stat sheet.

Ulis led Marian Catholic to an East Suburban Catholic Conference title and 27 wins a year ago while averaging 18.3 points, 4.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds.

Williams, a transfer from St. Laurence, is a versatile 6-4 guard who put up 18.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists as a junior.