PETERSBURG, VA. — An impressive number of people in Petersburg, Virginia, were front and center for the April 21 announcement of Ty White as the head coach of the Petersburg High School Crimson Waves boys’ basketball team.
Hundreds of jovial, excited fans filed into the school’s auditorium as White stepped to the mic and ignited a frenzy with four simple words: “It’s our turn now!”
The operative question here is, “Why?”
Why did everyone from the mayor to countless city officials to the sheriff to 40-plus-year alums show up to the introductory news conference for a local high school coach three hours after school had been dismissed on a Monday?
The answer is White is one of five major coaching moves this offseason who could shift the power dynamic nationally in boys’ high school hoops as teams jockey for potential berths at Chipotle Nationals next year.
“When I accepted the job, humbly, we were in contention for state championships,” White said. “But even bigger than that we want to compete in Chipotle Nationals. That’s the ultimate goal we’re working toward.”
Here are the top five coaching power moves in boys’ high school basketball thus far.
Ty White, Petersburg High School (Virginia)
White, a six-time Virginia High School League Coach of the Year, won seven state titles at John Marshall High School (Virginia) and 2023 Naismith Coach of the Year honors. But perhaps even more impressive are his ties to Adidas as founder and director of one of its flagship programs in the 3SSB, Team Loaded. White’s squad has been home to countless NBA stars over the years and as a major coach on the circuit, he’ll have unlimited resources and access to some of the country’s top prospects.
Kevin Boyle, SPIRE Academy (Ohio)
Boyle came to SPIRE from Montverde Academy (Florida) where he cemented his legacy as a legend, winning eight of the past 12 Chipotle Nationals titles, coaching multiple NBA All-Stars and No. 1 NBA Draft picks. Boyle always has his pick of the litter nationally, has countless resources at SPIRE and will likely join the Nike EYBL Scholastic. Expect SPIRE to land top-tier prospects and be a mainstay in the upper echelon of the ESPN 25 basketball rankings for the 2025-26 season.
Book Richardson, St. James Academy (Virginia)
Richardson has deep ties nationally in both the Nike EYBL, the adidas 3SSB and beyond. For eight years, he served as an assistant coach for the Arizona Wildcats, where he helped lead them to five Sweet 16 appearances, three Elite Eight appearances, four Pac-12 regular season titles, two Pac-12 tournament titles and six NCAA tournament appearances. Even in a new program, Richardson’s involvement should have St. James in contention nationally from day one.
John Zito, Oak Hill Academy (Virginia)
Zito was handpicked by Oak Hill’s newly appointed co-general managers of basketball operations Carmelo Anthony and Bay Frazier. Anthony’s involvement alone adds an element for the Warriors that no other program can claim and will undoubtedly bring elevated resources to an already loaded and storied program. Zito is an accomplished coach of his own, serving as an assistant at Fairfield University for eight years before coaching at the John Carroll School (Maryland), St. Frances Academy (Maryland) and most recently with Team Melo in the Nike EYBL. That experience with Anthony helping to guide the ship should have the Warriors competing for the Nike EYBL Scholastic title and a berth in Chipotle Nationals.
Steve Turner, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Turner is one of the most accomplished coaches in the country as a six-time WCAC Coach of the Year while leading Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) over the past 21 seasons. There, he compiled a 497-176 record in arguably the second toughest high school basketball league in the country. Still, it’s Turner’s deep connections in the Nike EYBL plus serving as coach at the Nike Hoop Summit and USA Basketball’s Junior National team that will keep the talent level elite in Florida. Montverde’s unlimited resources and Turner’s experience and relationships will have the Eagles contending for both the Nike EYBL Scholastic title and a Chipotle Nationals title.
