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.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
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
| Name | Stars | College |
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| 1 | Julius Randle, PFPrestonwood Christian (Plano, TX)6-8/235 |
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| 2 | Chris Walker, PFHolmes County (Bonifay, FL)6-9/205 |
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| 3 | Isaiah Hicks, PFWebb (Oxford, NC)6-8/200 |
| North Carolina |
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| 4 | Marcus Lee, PFDeer Valley (Antioch, CA)6-9/200 |
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| 5 | Christian Wood, PFFindlay Prep (Henderson, NV)6-10/200 |
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| 6 | Karviar Shepherd, PFGrace Prep (Arlington, TX)6-9/220 |
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| 7 | Bobby Portis, PFHall (Little Rock, AR)6-9/215 |
| Arkansas |
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| 8 | Zena Edosomwan, PFHarvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, CA)6-8/235 |
| Harvard |
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| 9 | Devin Williams, PFWithrow (Cincinnati, OH)6-8/235 |
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| 10 | Austin Nichols, PFBriarcrest Christian (Eads, TN)6-8/200 |
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| 11 | Kuran Iverson, PF/SFNorthwest Catholic (West Hartford, CT)6-8/200 |
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| 12 | Johnathan Williams III, PFSouthwind (Memphis, TN)6-9/205 |
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| 13 | Michael Young, PFHudson Catholic (Jersey City, NJ)6-8/225 |
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| 14 | Kyle Washington, PFHotchkiss (Lakeville, CT)6-8/210 |
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| 15 | Austin Colbert, PF/SFHotchkiss (Lakeville, CT)6-8/200 |
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| 16 | Shannon Hale, PFChrist School (Arden, NC)6-8/210 |
| Alabama |
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| 17 | Derrick Griffin, PF/SFTerry (Rosenberg, TX)6-7/225 |
| Texas A&M |
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| 18 | Damian Jones, PF/CScotlandville (Baton Rouge, LA)6-9/210 |
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| 19 | Akoy Agau, PF/COmaha Central (Omaha, NE)6-8/235 |
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| 20 | Mark Donnal, PFAnthony Wayne (Whitehouse, OH)6-8/215 |
| Michigan |
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| 21 | Torren Jones, PFBasha (Chandler, AZ)6-8/210 |
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| 22 | Derek Willis, PF/SFBullitt East (Mt. Washington, KY)6-9/210 |
| Kentucky |
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| 23 | Jordan Washington, PF/CPathways College Prep (Queens, NY)6-7/245 |
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| 24 | Nigel Hayes, PFWhitmer (Toledo, OH)6-7/210 |
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| 25 | Jordan Bell, PF/SFLong Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA)6-7/200 |
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