While roles change for many actors throughout high school, success and production don’t always happen the same way. However, in the summer we are always given a nice sample size and see how that can translate.

Here are some of the top teams expected next season and the players who are rising based on their summer performance and are ready to succeed in bigger roles:

More: Daniel Pauliukonis

Benet has a lot of talent, but Pauliukonis’ rise as a player with both potential and productivity is undeniable.

Watch the highly skilled 6-9 forward, who can effortlessly shoot threes and knock the ball down the floor, significantly exceed his 8.3 points per game as a junior. He has the late-blowing look of a player poised to emerge as a true offensive leader, and that’s even more impressive for a player his size.

More importantly, he will be a player who must take responsibility for opposing teams in every match, allowing those around him to shine.

Bolingbrook: Trey Brost

Super sophomore Davion Thompson is still dazzling, and 6-7 senior JT Pettigrew is a consistent presence inside with double-double ability. But Brost, a young guard with starting experience as a sophomore, is ready to take on a much bigger role and make it happen.

Brost is tough, he’s a dazzling player, he can shoot, and he’s had a truly remarkable but under-the-radar late-season performance.

DePaul Prep: Rykan Woo

The transfer from Young stepped into a similar situation at DePaul as he did at his old school — playing in a heavyweight basketball program surrounded by a talented group of guards. But a year older and wiser, the 6-0 junior is primed to be an impact piece after an impressive June with the defending state champions.

Woo is a pesky and destructive defender who has the skill and shooting ability to pose a threat on offense.

Marist: Marquis Vance

Stephen Brown, one of the top prospects in the Class of 2026 last season, has grown as a player and senior Darshan Thomas has emerged as the East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year. Meanwhile, Vance has played his role brilliantly off the bench.

Vance was a powerful force on the glass and did some dirty work while showing what kind of impact he can make in last season’s regional championship win. He scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a win over Joliet Central.

Arguably one of the best defensive linemen in the Chicago area, the athletic 6-foot-6 Vance brought that same intensity to the field as a starter for the RedHawks last June.

Niles North: Hunter Gawron

It’s not like Gawron didn’t make an impact as a third-year player last season. Ask any opposing coach about the trouble he caused with his athleticism, running the floor, blocking shots, finishing with dunks and rebounding. But when talking about Vikings basketball, the focus often shifts to the high-scoring backcourt of Yaris Irby and Reid Olson.

No one should underestimate the impact of the 6-6 Gawron and what he can accomplish this season. Averaging 17 points and seven rebounds per game a year ago, he was one of the most underrated players in the state. But his game is more polished than a year ago and he is poised to have a big senior year on one of the best teams in the state.

Warren: Braylon Walker

The 6-foot-11 junior continues to expand his offensive game, forming a solid trio with superstar sophomore Jaxson Davis and oft-overlooked fourth-year senior Javerion Banks.

Walker was a key player again for Warren basketball last season. While he fit in well as a sophomore doing all the little things, Walker showed what he was capable of this offseason with an offensive arsenal that included scoring at all three levels.

Waubonsie Valley: Moses Wilson

The Warriors’ record-breaking start last year –– they started the season 23-0 –– was an eye-opener. The breakout season featured the rise of star Tyreek Coleman and the arrival of a complete unknown, 6-5 Moses Wilson.

But after the summer he put together, the bouncy, active Wilson will come from the edge of the unknown to a critical, third-year stint. Wilson flies around the court, sprints to the basket and is devastating defensively with his length, which leads to deflections and steals.

The numbers (9.0 points/game, 3.4 rebounds/game, 2.2 assists/game, 2.1 steals/game) were solid but modest a year ago. But they’ll only get better and show that he impacts the game in more ways than we can count.

Young: Patrick Irvin, Jr.

Young has star power in senior Antonio Munoz, junior Marquis Clark and sophomore Howard Williams, who are among the top prospects in the state in their respective classes. But Irvin, a versatile hybrid forward, showed signs of the potential he could bring this season as a sophomore for the Dolphins this June.

Standing close to 6-5, Irvin offers impressive physicality while showing an improved overall game. He moves well in the paint while also showing the ability to pull away from the basket and threaten from the three-point line.