Class of 2013 Top 25 Power Forwards

By Jason Hickman Jul 5, 2012, 12:05pm

Julius Randle is the man at the four spot, but the development of players like Marcus Lee, Christian Wood and Karviar Shepherd has given the position added depth and potential in 2013.

Julius Randle has had a big summer with the Texas Titans and USA Basketball's under-18 team.
Julius Randle has had a big summer with the Texas Titans and USA Basketball's under-18 team.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Julius Randle certainly isn't resting on his laurels this summer.

The top-ranked power forward in the Class of 2013 led club team Texas Titans to a 15-5 record in EYBL regular season play, averaging 17.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and over two assists per game in the highly-competitive, Nike-sponsored league.

Randle, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound rising senior at Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), then joined USA Basketball's under-18 team for the FIBA Americas Championship in June. The roster featured nine college-bound freshmen and Tennessee sophomore Jarnell Stokes, but it was Randle leading the squad in scoring and rebounding at 14.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Chris Walker and North Carolina Tar Heel commitment Isaiah Hicks have long been considered the other elite power forwards in the 2013 class, but a number of breakout stars have added new depth to the position.

Long, lean and attracting new suitors everywhere they go, Marcus Lee, Christian Wood and Damian Jones – Randle's club teammate – have made people take notice this spring and summer. All three are 6-9-plus with tantalizing potential.



Karviar Shepherd is another talent in the 6-9 range that has seen his stock soar after a transfer squabble forced him to miss his junior season at Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas).

MaxPreps will release updated class rankings for 2013 and 2014 in August, along with a watch list for 2015 prospects.

CLASS OF 2013 TOP 25 POWER FORWARDS


NameStarsCollege
1Julius Randle, PFPrestonwood Christian (Plano, TX)6-8/235 

2Chris Walker, PFHolmes County (Bonifay, FL)6-9/205 

3Isaiah Hicks, PFWebb (Oxford, NC)6-8/200 
North Carolina
4Marcus Lee, PFDeer Valley (Antioch, CA)6-9/200 

5Christian Wood, PFFindlay Prep (Henderson, NV)6-10/200 

6Karviar Shepherd, PFGrace Prep (Arlington, TX)6-9/220 

7Bobby Portis, PFHall (Little Rock, AR)6-9/215 
Arkansas
8Zena Edosomwan, PFHarvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, CA)6-8/235 
Harvard
9Devin Williams, PFWithrow (Cincinnati, OH)6-8/235 

10Austin Nichols, PFBriarcrest Christian (Eads, TN)6-8/200 

11Kuran Iverson, PF/SFNorthwest Catholic (West Hartford, CT)6-8/200 

12Johnathan Williams III, PFSouthwind (Memphis, TN)6-9/205 

13Michael Young, PFHudson Catholic (Jersey City, NJ)6-8/225 

14Kyle Washington, PFHotchkiss (Lakeville, CT)6-8/210 

15Austin Colbert, PF/SFHotchkiss (Lakeville, CT)6-8/200 

16Shannon Hale, PFChrist School (Arden, NC)6-8/210 
Alabama
17Derrick Griffin, PF/SFTerry (Rosenberg, TX)6-7/225 
Texas A&M
18Damian Jones, PF/CScotlandville (Baton Rouge, LA)6-9/210 

19Akoy Agau, PF/COmaha Central (Omaha, NE)6-8/235 

20Mark Donnal, PFAnthony Wayne (Whitehouse, OH)6-8/215 
Michigan
21Torren Jones, PFBasha (Chandler, AZ)6-8/210 

22Derek Willis, PF/SFBullitt East (Mt. Washington, KY)6-9/210 
Kentucky
23Jordan Washington, PF/CPathways College Prep (Queens, NY)6-7/245 

24Nigel Hayes, PFWhitmer (Toledo, OH)6-7/210 

25Jordan Bell, PF/SFLong Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA)6-7/200