When Baba Oladotun transferred from DeMatha to Blake, his neighborhood high school, he raised the bar for Montgomery County high school basketball players.

A five-star recruit, Oladotun became one of the most sought-after players in the country. He picked Maryland last month over a long list that also included Georgetown, Arkansas and Kentucky.

We know Oladotun is the best boys basketball player at a public or private Montgomery County school right now, perhaps even the best ever. But after him, who is next, helping to raise the level of play in Montgomery County?

Here are five names to watch, based on recommendations from local coaches, national rankings and last season’s results.

Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka, Bullis

Ivanna Wilson Manyacka is already giving Oladotun a run for his money. The junior forward is built like a professional, reaching 6-feet-3-inches at 16 years old and with strength beyond what any other girl in the country can contend with, her coach Justin Leith said.

“It’s like a LeBron James type of situation where you are not just the best player, no one has seen anything like you for 15, 20 years,” Leith said. “She has every component you can think of.”

Beyond her size and strength, Wilson-Manyacka is an elite ball handler and shooter. The latter was her weakness during her first freshman and sophomore seasons, Leith said, but she’s spent the last year honing in on it. The difference is already evident — she’s averaging 21.4 points per game, compared to 18.5 a game last year and 15.6 the year prior.

“Now she’s unbelievable,” Leith said. “She wasn’t as consistent, and now she’s like super-consistent with it. ... She really has a complete game. There’s not really a weakness in it.”

Wilson-Manyacka isn’t just dominating the high school circuit. She’s making herself known on the world stage, winning a gold medal and MVP honors with Team USA at FIBA’s U16 AmeriCup last summer. She was also named the MVP at Steph Curry’s camp and the Slam Summer Classic, two elite high school basketball events.

She’ll have her pick of college programs and already has offers from Duke, Maryland, South Carolina and Notre Dame, just to name a few.

Tavares “Boogie” Vaughn-Cooper, Richard Montgomery

Tavares Vaughn-Cooper, or Boogie as he’s known by his teammates, averaged 23.7 points per game last year, the best in MCPS. A point guard, he also had 120 assists and 67 steals.

Last year, as a junior, he hit the 1,000-point milestone.

“He’s really fast with the ball,” Richard Montgomery coach David Breslaw said. “You have to be careful bringing up the ball against him on his full-court pressure.”

At 5-feet-10-inches, he excels inside the paint but also improved from beyond the arc as well.

Vaugh-Cooper has college offers from the College of Charleston and the University of Eastern Kentucky, but with a big senior season, he could still hear from more schools or go the junior college route.

Taylor Williams, Bullis

Few high school teams can compete with Bullis, and that’s not just because of Wilson-Manyacka. Sophomore Taylor Wiliams is a star in her own right. She had an offer from South Carolina as an eighth grader, and the colleges haven’t stopped calling since. Now a sophomore, North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia, and Florida State are among the programs vying to have Williams join their program in three years.

“She’s a really special kid,” Leith said. “She’s just really good, she’s really exciting.”

So what makes her so special? It’s her speed, her ball-handling skills and her ability to make her presence felt on the court. As a point guard, she’s a stellar passer with a knack for getting her teammates the ball. And while she may not be the highest scorer every night, she is still a solid shooter who can hit the tough shots.

A transfer from Bishop Ireton in Virginia, Williams also plays on the West Virginia Thunder, a top AAU Team.

Damon Nelson, St. Andrews

If there’s one thing that sets Damon Nelson apart, it’s his playmaking ability. He has a high basketball IQ, St. Andrews coach Kevin Jones said, and handles the ball well in traffic.

“He’ll obviously be a big piece and has played well to start the season,” Jones said. “He’s a versatile guard that shoots the ball as well as anybody in the area.”

Nelson earned All-MAC conference honors as a sophomore. He’s started his junior season right where he left off, already earning MVP honors at the Xaverian Classic after he scored 18 points against McDonogh.

Nelson has a college offer from American so far.

Destiny Turner, Clarksburg

As a freshman in 2024, Destiny Turner and her two older sisters led Clarksburg to its first state championship title. Now, two seasons later, Destiny is the last Turner sister left and is establishing herself as one of the best forwards in public school.

“Destiny is on a tear here,” Clarksburg coach Sissy Natoli said. “She wants to be the best of the Turner sisters.”

Turner can do it all. She thrives playing outside, but for now, is being used inside. She’s a stellar rebounder, can transition the length of the court and has good ball-handling skills. Defensively, she comes up with big steals, Natoli said.

She averaged 18 points a game last year as Clarksburg won the county championship. Turner entered her junior season with 800 career points.

“She is at a point where this year any opportunity I can to have her handle the ball, I’m going to do that,” Natoli said. “Destiny is one of those key players that I’m sure is going to get double-teamed or triple-teamed.”

Do you know of a high school basketball player who should have been included on this list? Let me know by sending an email to danielle.allentuck@thebanner.com.