Rainier Beach (Wash.) has another No. 1 prospect on its hands in JJ Crawford

Rainier Beach (Wash.) is a known commodity on the high school basketball front in the Evergreen State, but it leaped into national headlines last season after adding Tyran Stokes to its roster.

>Stokes, a Louisville native, had bounced around prep programs and was in California before transferring one more time ahead of his senior year. He landed with the Vikings and proceeded to guide them to a second-straight state title.

>The No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting cycle — according to the Rivals Industry Ranking — has since signed with Kansas. Rainier Beach will not be without a top-ranked star moving forward, however.

>On Monday, Rivals released its initial rankings for the 2029 recruiting cycle. Atop the list is Rainier Beach five-star shooting guard JJ Crawford. The 6-foot-5, 165-pound playmaker is the son of former longtime NBA guard Jamal Crawford.

>“The decision was to go with Crawford as the initial No. 1 player. A quick snapshot of Crawford’s summer, playing with the NW Rotary Rebels club on Nike’s E16 EYBL Circuit, he averaged 17.2 points on staggering 50/50/100 splits — 55.4 percent from the field, 56.9 percent from three (5.8 attempts), and 100% from the free-throw line,” Rivals’ Jamie Shaw wrote.

>“He has a way of getting to his spots with excellent balance and a consistent shot load and release. Crawford was equally effective shooting off movement as he was off the dribble or with the feet set. And it was his shooting prowess that also helped him make the USA Basketball team for the U17 World Cup.”

JJ Crawford makes his high school debut for Rainier Beach pic.twitter.com/VvkQqUMo5e

— Home Team Hoops (@HomeTeamHoops) December 4, 2025As Rainier Beach captured its second state title in a row back in March, it was Crawford that led the Vikings in scoring, not Stokes. He capped off an eye-popping freshman year with a 20-point performance against Tacoma Lincoln.

>Rainier Beach finished the year as the No. 7 team in the nation, according to the Rivals Composite Rankings. Stokes of course carried the load at times, but Crawford has already proven that he’s very much up for being his team’s top option. He’ll get that chance moving forward.

Crawford’s recruitment has taken offFrom the stats, to the highlights, to the last name and now the ranking, it’s no surprise that Crawford has already captured the attention of numerous high-profile college programs.

>Kentucky, Louisville, Washington, Michigan, USC, Alabama, Miami and North Carolina are among the schools on his offer sheet. His father notably played for Michigan. Crawford recently spoke on his recruitment and discussed those programs with Shaw.

>“I’ll probably start focusing on visits like next summer,” Crawford said. “I’ll start going on some unofficials. I want to go somewhere I know will get me better. Obviously, I want to win; that is a big thing for me, but I also want to be great in the league. So, I want to go to a school where I trust the coach.”

>It remains to be seen if Crawford will speed his process up. On Tuesday, AJ Williams, the No. 1 prospect in the 2028 cycle, reclassified up to 2027. Numerous top-ranked recruits have opted to reclass over the last handful of cycles. For now, he’s gearing up for his sophomore season.

About Rainier BeachRainier Beach High School, located in the heart of Seattle, WA, is a vibrant public high school known for its strong sense of community, cultural diversity, and commitment to academic excellence. RBHS offers rigorous academic programs including International Baccalaureate (IB), along with standout athletics—especially its nationally recognized basketball program. With a focus on equity and student empowerment, Rainier Beach nurtures future leaders in a supportive, inclusive environment.