Top incoming recruits for each NCAA Sweet 16 team

Video: March Madness - High School Basketball Footage
Watch this year's March Madness standouts when they roamed the prep hardwood.

The NCAA men’s basketball field of 68 has been pared to the “Sweet 16.”
 
Here are those 16 squads and 16 current high school players — committed or signed 2017 recruits — who give them plenty to look forward to in 2017-18.

 
Arizona – DeAndre Ayton, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix)
The Wildcats and Sean Miller signed the 7-foot, 250-pound power forward on Nov. 10 and with him secured the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, according to 247Sports. Born in the Bahamas, Ayton attended high school in San Diego before transferring to Hillcrest prior to his junior year. He averaged 22.1 points, 16 rebounds and 3.4 blocks as a sophomore. He’s already projected as the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft by nbadraft.net.

Baylor – Tristan Clark, Wagner (San Antonio)
The 4-star prospect, and 23rd-ranked power forward by 247Sports, committed to Baylor in 2015 before signing last November. At 6-9, 230 pounds, Clark’s body type and athleticism are suited to the rigors of the Big 12. After playing at Findlay Prep his junior year, Clark returned to Texas for his senior season at San Antonio’s Wagner, where he averaged 17.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game for the Thunderbirds.

Butler – Kyle Young, Jackson (Massillon, Ohio)
Young, an Ohio Mr. Basketball candidate and 247Sports' No. 17 small forward, had narrowed his choices to five schools before a visit to Butler and Hinkle Fieldhouse sealed the deal. The 6-6, 205-pound Young leads the Polar Bears into the Ohio Division I semifinals on Friday, the same night the South No. 4 Bulldogs take on No. 1 seed North Carolina. Young averaged 19.3 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior. In a game this January, he dropped 30 in front of his future head coach, Chris Holtmann.



Florida – DeAundrae Ballard, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Ballard, a 6-6, 170-pound 4-star small forward ranked No. 18 by 247Sports, is part of a strong Gator recruiting class. From the same high school that produced Dwight Howard, Ballard was part of the Georgia Stars team that won the Nike Peach Jam U-16 AAU title last summer. In his senior season, Ballard averaged 27.2 points per game and had 11 30-point nights, including 43 and 42 against Atlanta International.

Gonzaga – Corey Kispert, King's (Seattle)
For Kispert, the 19th-rated small forward by 247Sports, the decision to stay in the Pacific Northwest was pretty simple. The 6-6, 190-pound swingman chose the West No. 1 Zags for the possibility to come in right away and play significant minutes for the gold standard of mid-majors. Kispert averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a junior for the Knights, who fell short in the quest to capture a third-straight Class 1A state title this season.

Kansas – Billy Preston, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Allen Fieldhouse will have another electric freshman next season in Preston, the No. 6 power forward according to 247Sports. The 6-10, 240-pound Preston, who transferred to Oak Hill for his senior year, averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds during his junior season at Advanced Prep International in Dallas. A McDonald’s All-American, the future Jayhawk dropped 16 and snagged 21 boards in Oak Hill’s 96-91 win over Chino Hills earlier this season, a victory that snapped the Huskies’ 60-game win streak.

Kentucky – P.J. Washington, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
The Wildcats simply reload each season and Washington is a prime example of the talent that lands in Lexington. Ranked the No. 5 power forward and 13th overall prospect by 247Sports, Washington’s 6-9, 230-pound frame has drawn comparisons to other Wildcats who’ve come before and landed in the NBA. A McDonald’s All-American, Washington averaged 19.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists as a junior for Findlay Prep, which puts its No. 5 rank on the line at this year’s Dick’s High School Nationals.

Michigan – Jordan Poole, La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.)
Poole, the 21st-ranked small guard by 247Sports, will have to watch out for coach John Beilein’s Super Soaker in Ann Arbor next season. The Midwest No. 7 Wolverines, the darlings of this year’s tournament, certainly have fun and adding the 6-4, 180-pound Poole to next year’s team should give Beilein reason to keep smiling. Poole, who transferred to La Lumiere for his senior season, averaged 18.2 points as a junior at Milwaukee's King. He also led King to back-to-back Milwaukee City Basketball Championships.

North Carolina – Jalek Felton, Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.)
Felton, the No. 1-rated combo guard by 247Sports, is a Tar Heels legacy. The 5-star and No. 24 overall prospect comes by his Carolina roots naturally as his uncle, Los Angeles Clipper Raymond Felton, played his college ball at Chapel Hill. The 6-2, 175 Jalek Felton averaged 26.3 points per game for Gray, while adding 5.4 assists and 4.8 boards per night.



Oregon – Troy Brown, Centennial (Las Vegas)
Brown’s versatility is what makes him 247Sports’ No. 3 small forward and 12th overall prospect. Headed to Oregon next season, Brown already is projected as the No. 16 pick in the 2018 draft by nbadraft.net. The McDonald’s All-American, who can play anywhere from point to small forward, averaged 19 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game as a junior at Centennial and was on Team USA’s gold medal-winning team at the U-17 FIBA World Championships in Spain.

Purdue – Nojel Eastern, Evanston (Ill.)
The 4-star recruit and No. 15-rated small forward by 247Sports is staying close to home by joining the Midwest No. 4 Boilermakers. The 6-6, 200-pound Eastern, whose 6-8 wing span is impressive, isn’t flashy, but a smart decision-maker who fills up the stat sheet. As a junior, Eastern averaged 14.9 points and 6.5 rebounds to go with 4 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals.

South Carolina – Dave Beatty, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia)
The No. 7-ranked combo guard by 247Sports, Beatty is a 6-3, 170-pound playmaker looking to cap off his senior season with a PIAA AAAA state title on Saturday before heading to Columbia. Beatty said he liked the often-fiery Frank Martin, whose East No. 7 Gamecocks tackle No. 3 Baylor on Friday after bouncing Duke in the round of 32. Beatty’s “scorer first” mentality led him to a 21 point average during his junior year.

UCLA – Kris Wilkes, North Central (Indianapolis)
Wilkes is 247Sports’ No. 5 small forward and No. 17 overall prospect. The 6-8, 195-pounder also leads a top-notch recruiting class headed to Westwood next season. The McDonald’s All-American will join Li'Angelo Ball, Jaylen Hands, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley at Pauley Pavilion next season. As a junior at North Central, Wilkes averaged 22.6 points and 5.6 rebounds.

West Virginia – Derek Culver, Harding (Warren, Ohio)
Culver, the No. 15 power forward by 247Sports, signed with West Virginia and will play in Bob Huggins’ smothering defensive scheme. At 6-8, 206, Culver played only half his senior season for Harding, but averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds as a junior. He helped lead that Raiders to a 23-4 mark, a Division I district championship and a trip to the regional semifinals his junior season.

Wisconsin – Nathan Reuvers, Lakeville North (Minn.)
Badgers coach Greg Gard gets a 4-star power forward in Reuvers. The 6-9, 210 standout is the No. 14 power forward according to 247Sports, and leads Lakeville North into the Class AAAA playoffs this weekend after averaging 26 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game for the Panthers. Last season, Reuvers led Lakeville North to a runner-up finish in the state tournament, averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 boards.



Xavier – Paul Scruggs, Prolific Prep Academy (Napa, Calif.)
The No. 7 point guard by 247Sports and No. 28 overall prospect, Scruggs spent his first three years of high school at Indianapolis’ Southport before transferring to California’s Prolific Prep for his senior season. An All-State player last season, Scruggs averaged 19.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists to help Southport to a regional title for the first time since 1990.