The last time New Trier’s Christopher Kirkpatrick was seen by high school basketball fans he was leading the Trevians to a State Finals appearance in Champaign.
He drilled a dramatic three-pointer at the buzzer in a sectional championship game win over Glenbrook North, a shot that ultimately catapulted New Trier to a third-place finish in Class 4A. The sophomore guard led the Trevians in scoring with 15 points a game while connecting on a whopping 90 three-pointers on the year.
But an April injury to his elbow halted his rise this past spring, missing out on college coaches seeing him in the May “live” period and sitting out the high-profile Riverside-Brookfield Shootout in June. Kirkpatrick returned in late June and enjoyed quite a four-week run that put his name on the map among college coaches.
“I stayed locked in the whole time and once I got up to speed I felt great out there,” Kirkpatrick said of his return. “Being out for close to two months was horrible. It sucked not being on the court. Makes you realize how much I play basketball and how much I love the game. I kept my habits and routines and used the time to work on different parts of my game.”
Even with the short window of opportunity to be seen in the offseason due to the injury, Kirkpatrick made the most of it. He shined in July while playing with Fundamental U on the Under Armour Rise circuit, picking up offers from Loyola, Wisconsin-Green Bay, New Orleans, UIC, Toledo and Brown.
Kirkpatrick, who is among the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s top 10 prospects in the junior class, has also been hearing from Northwestern, Wisconsin, Harvard, Princeton and Arizona State.
Kirkpatrick is a 6-2 point guard with a high level of skill, savvy sense with the ball and, as shown by his three-point numbers, a weapon from beyond the arc.
In addition to Kirkpatrick, here are a few of the other unsung stars of the summer who will build off their impactful offseasons, both on the floor this winter and in recruiting.
Aidan Bardic, Stevenson
The heady, decision-making point guard put together a rock solid junior season with 14 points and four assists a game. The rising senior clearly understands the game and the position he plays. But few envisioned a summer where he would garner Division I interest and offers.
The 6-2 Bardic was an orchestrator for both Stevenson and his Breakaway travel team. He was selected to participate in the Under Armour’s Rise Circuit Underrated Showcase in North Carolina and picked up offers from Denver and The Citadel, along with Division II offers from Rollins and Michigan Tech.
Bryce Wegrzyn, Libertyville
The 6-8 Wegrzyn continued to show improvement and steady strides throughout his sophomore season, averaging an impressive 17 points and eight rebounds a game. Late in the season he scored a career-high 33 points in a 65-64 win over Waukegan. That continued throughout the summer with the Wildcats and his Fundamental U team as the versatile big man made an even bigger impression.
Wegrzyn has a frame and can move at a legit 6-8 while showcasing a variety of ways to score the basketball, including the ability to space the floor with his three-point shot. He made 25 threes as a sophomore and has become an even more comfortable shooter.
Kassidy Nelson, Simeon
There are some bigger names in the Simeon program, but there isn’t a more under-the-radar one than Nelson. Whether it was with the Wolverines or with Meanstreets 16U team in July, Nelson consistently was making an impact as a big, physical perimeter player with improving skill.
Nelson, who is blessed with a bundle of talent and upside, played a key role for coach Tim Flowers this past season, regularly scoring in double figures. But the presence the 6-5 Nelson will have on this year’s Simeon team will be more pronounced and consistent.
Derek Bishop, Mundelein
A player who made an impact early in his career as a freshman and has been an overlooked but productive player ever since. This past season he pumped in over 20 a game for Mundelein without much fanfare.
With an unsung summer, it was more of the same for the 6-2 guard. Time and time again he made a key play or drained a big shot for his travel team, Young & Reckless. As a big-bodied guard who can score in multiple ways, Bishop showed he was a consistent bucket all summer. He’s a small school recruiting target set for a big senior year for the Mustangs.
Docker Tedeschi, Benton
Following the spring, the downstate kid drew considerable interest from a successful program and coach in the Mountain West Conference and committed to Colorado State and Niko Medved in June.
Tedeschi is a skilled 6-8 developmental big man. He averaged 15.5 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as a junior with 71 three-pointers in leading the Rangers to 32 wins and a state runner-up finish in Class 2A. Quietly, Tedeschi put together a solid July with the Southwest Illinois Jets.
Samaj Stampley, Alton
Another southern Illinois talent who is a rising prospect in the junior class after a stellar sophomore season. Stampley, who put up 17.5 points a game and knocked down 90 three-pointers this past season, turned in an impressive summer, both with his Alton team that made the trip to the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout and while playing with the Southwest Illinois Jets.
