Top 25 college basketball recruiting classes

Is Kentucky in the midst of the greatest recruiting run in modern college basketball history?

The Wildcats celebrated the opening of the spring signing period Wednesday by welcoming Class of 2012 No. 1 prospect Nerlens Noel to the Big Blue Nation. Securing a pledge from the 6-foot-10 center will likely bring the nation's top recruiting class to Lexington for the fourth year in a row.

Kentucky has four of the top 34 prospects in MaxPreps.com's Class of 2012 Top 100 en route to campus next fall. A year ago, Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist headlined a group that featured four of top 12 players in America. Five-star talents Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight highlighted a 2010 contingent that was also regarded as the nation's best.

Since Calipari arrived at Kentucky in 2009, a dozen MaxPreps five-star prospects have elected to become Wildcats.



Programs still looking for talent are running out of options as just six Top 100 senior remain undecided. The spring signing period ends May 16.

TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL RECRUITING CLASSES

1. Kentucky
Signees/Commitments: No. 1 Nerlens Noel (6-10, 215, C), No. 7 Archie Goodwin (6-5, 185, SG), No. 12 Alex Poythress (6-7, 220, SF/PF), No. 34 Willie Cauley (6-11, 225, C)
Impact: Incredibly, the Wildcats could still add to this haul in the form of five-star forward Anthony Bennett. North Carolina State transfer Ryan Harrow – a Top 25 player in the 2010 class – also becomes eligible next season.

2. Arizona
Signees/Commitments: No. 10 Kaleb Tarczewski (7-0, 235, C), No. 14 Grant Jerrett (6-10, 220, PF), No. 17 Brandon Ashley (6-8, 220, PF), No. 27 Gabe York (6-2, 180, PG/SG), JC Matt Korcheck (6-9, 235, PF)
Impact: Merging four talented big men with returning forwards Angelo Chol and Solomon Hill is going to be an interesting process to observe. The Wildcats also landed key transfer T.J. McConnell from Duquesne.

3. UCLA
Signees/Commitments: No. 2 Shabazz Muhammad (6-6, 215, SG), No. 3 Kyle Anderson (6-7, 215, PG/SF), No. 57 Jordan Adams (6-5, 230, SG/SF)
Impact: Pac-12 rival Arizona gets the nod over UCLA based on numbers and the fact that Muhammad and Anderson aren't likely to stick around long. As the doors open to a new Pauley Pavilion, 2012-13 is going to be a pressure-filled year for Ben Howland and the Bruins.

4. North Carolina
Signees/Commitments: No. 32 Marcus Paige (6-1, 165, PG), No. 35 Brice Johnson (6-8, 190, PF), No. 53 Joel James (6-10, 280, C), No. 58 Jean-Pierre Tokoto (6-6, 190, SF)
Impact: Roy Williams landed a solid group of complimentary players that should have some staying power in Chapel Hill.



5. Kansas
Signees/Commitments: No. 36 Perry Ellis (6-8, 225, PF), No. 47 Andrew White (6-6, 210, SG/SF), No. 85 Landen Lucas (6-10, 245, C), No. 93 Zach Peters (6-9, 235, PF/C), No. 96 Rio Adams (6-3, 185, SG)
Impact: Adams could wind up being the steal of the year. His stock slipped last summer after an exhausting transfer saga but re-emerged as an elite guard during an outstanding senior campaign that ended with a state title at Rainier Beach (Seattle).

{PAGEBREAK}6. Baylor
Signees/Commitments: No. 5 Isaiah Austin (7-0, 210, C/PF), No. 42 Ricardo Gathers (6-7, 240, PF), No. 70 L.J. Rose (6-3, 180, PG), Chad Rykhoek (6-10, 215, C)
Impact: Scott Drew continues to follow a blueprint that includes extraordinary length and athleticism. The Bears have their replacements for Perry Jones III (Austin) and Quincy Acy (Gathers) in place.

7. Indiana
Signees/Commitments: No. 33 Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell (5-11, 165, PG), No. 48 Jeremy Hollowell (6-7, 195, SF), No. 52 Hanner Perea (6-8, 220, PF), Peter Jurkin (7-0, 215, C), Ron Patterson (6-3, 190, SG)
Impact: Once seen as a class that would restore Indiana basketball to elite status, it's likely that only Ferrell will get major minutes in 2012-13 as the Hoosiers are being touted as an early national title favorite.

8. Michigan State
Signees/Commitments: No. 13 Gary Harris (6-5, 195, SG), No. 60 Matt Costello (6-9, 225, PF), No. 79 Denzel Valentine (6-5, 205, SG), No. 82 Kenny Kaminski (6-7, 230, PF/SF)
Impact: Harris, Costello and Valentine will all be included in MaxPreps.com's 2011-12 All-American Team set to be released Friday. Valentine nearly averaged a triple-double while leading Sexton High School of Lansing to a 27-1 record and a Top 25 national ranking.

9. Texas
Signees/Commitments: No. 9 Cameron Ridley (6-10, 250, C), No. 84 Prince Ibeh (6-11, 230, C), No. 88 Javan Felix (5-11, 190, PG), DeMarcus Holland (6-4, 185, SG), Connor Lammert (6-9, 210, PF/C), Ioannis Papapetrou (6-7, 190, SF)
Impact: This class doesn't have the sizzle that some in the past have under Rick Barnes, but gives the Longhorns nuts and bolts-type players they need to go along with talented returnees like Sheldon McClellan, Myck Kabongo and Julien Lewis.

10. North Carolina State
Signees/Commitments: No. 23 Rodney Purvis (6-3, 185, PG), No. 29 T.J. Warren (6-8, 215, PF/SF), No. 67 Tyler Lewis (5-11, 165, PG)
Impact: The response to Mark Gottfried's hiring at North Carolina State wasn't overwhelming but early returns are strong with NCAA Tournament run and statement recruiting class.



{PAGEBREAK}11. Michigan
Signees/Commitments: No. 15 Mitch McGary (6-10, 250, C), No. 39 Glenn Robinson III (6-6, 190, SG/SF), No. 99 Nik Stauskas (6-6, 200, SG/SF), Spike Albrecht (6-1, 180, PG)
Impact: Robinson's stock has soared over the past 16 months. Big Dog's son should be a beautiful fit in the Michigan backcourt next to Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.

12. Providence
Signees/Commitments: No. 18 Ricardo Ledo (6-6, 190, SG/SF), No. 28 Kris Dunn (6-2, 175, PG), Ian Baker (6-1, 185, PG/SG), Joshua Fortune (6-5, 180, SF)
Impact: Ledo could be an immediate star in the Big East if he is dialed in and committed to the Friars. Dunn is one of the most highly-decorated players to ever come out of Connecticut.

13. Pittsburgh
Signees/Commitments: No. 4 Steven Adams (6-11, 240, C), No. 56 James Robinson (6-2, 200, PG), Chris Jones (6-4, 190, SG/SF)
Impact: Adams, a native of New Zealand, is a bit of a wild card in terms of what he will bring to the table next season for the Panthers. Robinson, on the other hand, is about as steady as they come at the point guard spot.

14. Syracuse
Signees/Commitments: No. 8 DaJuan Coleman (6-9, 285, C), No. 38 Jerami Grant (6-8, 210, PF/SF)
Impact: Duo will add more big bodies to Jim Boeheim's zone, but the Orange might be a little light in the backcourt.

15. Colorado
Signees/Commitments: No. 41 Josh Scott (6-10, 220, PF/C), No. 43 Xavier Johnson (6-7, 210, SF), Wesley Gordon (6-7, 200, PF), Chris Jenkins (6-7, 190, PF), Eli Stalzer (6-3, 200, PG), Xavier Talton (6-0, 170, PG)
Impact: The Pac-12 badly needed a talent infusion and Arizona and UCLA aren't the only schools getting that done. Huge class for Tad Boyle.

{PAGEBREAK}16. Wake Forest
Signees/Commitments: No. 65 Arnaud Adala Moto (6-6, 210, SF), No. 100 Codi Miller-McIntyre (6-2, 170, PG), Tyler Cavanaugh (6-8, 225, PF), Madison Jones (6-1, 160, PG), Aaron Rountree (6-8, 190, SF/PF), Devin Thomas (6-8, 225, PF), Andre Washington (7-0, 215, C)
Impact: Miller-McIntyre and Washington helped Hargrave Military Academy go 38-1 in and reach the prep school national championship game. Five players in the class have been tabbed as Top 100 players at some point in their high school careers, so more than just numbers here.



17. Maryland
Signees/Commitments: No. 22 Shaquille Cleare (6-9, 280, C), No. 61 Jake Layman (6-8, 190, SF/PF), Seth Allen (6-2, 195, SG), Damonte Dodd (6-9, 245, C), Charles Mitchell (6-6, 250, PF),
Impact: Bit of an odd balance with this class but Layman and Mitchell are both versatile forwards that can help alleviate the crunch for minutes in the post.

18. Oklahoma State
Signees/Commitments: No. 6 Marcus Smart (6-3, 205, PG/SG), No. 94 Phil Forte (5-11, 180, PG/SG), Kamari Murphy (6-8, 200, PF/SF)
Impact: Smart has the potential to be the piece that ties together a promising and athletic but inconsistent Cowboy roster.

19. Texas A&M
Signees/Commitments: No. 51 J-Mychal Reese (6-1, 170, PG), No. 69 Alex Caruso (6-4, 180, SG), JC Fabyon Harris (5-10, 165, PG), Shawn Smith (6-3, 185, SG)
Impact: Two late additions should pay big dividends for the Aggies. Harris was one of the nation's top junior college point guards at Southern Idaho while Smith was pulled away from Missouri in late March.

20. Memphis
Signees/Commitments: No. 24 Shaq Goodwin (6-8, 240, PF), JC Geron Johnson (6-3, 190, PG/SG), Damien Wilson (6-6, 190, SF)
Program impact: Top 25 standing for the Tigers is totally dependent on junior college transfer Johnson, who has star potential but has consistently found himself in trouble dating back to his junior year of high school.

{PAGEBREAK}21. Georgia Tech
Signees/Commitments: No. 25 Robert Carter (6-8, 245, PF), No. 80 Marcus Hunt (6-6, 215, SF), Chris Bolden (6-2, 185, SG), Corey Heyward (6-0, 200, PG)
Impact: Tech head coach Brian Gregory beat out some heavyweights for Carter. Hunt has been one of Georgia's most productive players over the past two seasons.

22. Virginia
Signees/Commitments: No. 46 Justin Anderson (6-6, 225, SF), No. 55 Evan Nolte (6-7, 200, SF), Mike Tobey (6-10, 210, C), Teven Jones (6-1, 180, PG)
Impact: Another solid, building block-type class for Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers. Jones is a rare college basketball early enrollee, starting at UVA in January and practicing with the team.



23. Iowa
Signees/Commitments: No. 50 Adam Woodbury (7-0, 240, C), No. 97 Mike Gesell (6-1, 175, PG), Anthony Clemmons (6-1, 180, PG/SG), Patrick Ingram (6-3, 175, SG), Kyle Meyer (6-10, 210, C)
Impact: Woodbury and Gesell have played extensively together on the summer circuit. Clemmons was a high school teammate of Michigan State signee Valentine.

24. Houston
Signees/Commitments: No. 37 Danuel House (6-6, 190, SF), No. 62 Danrad Knowles (6-10, 190, PF/SF), Valentine Izundu (6-10, 195, C)
Impact: All three incoming Cougars hail from the Greater Houston area.

25. Xavier
Signees/Commitments: No. 59 Semaj Christon (6-2, 185, PG), Myles Davis (6-1, 195, SG), James Farr (6-8, 200, PF), Jalen Reynolds (6-9, 215, PF)
Impact: Christon and Reynolds were key members of Brewster Academy squad that went 32-1 and won the national prep championship.

Just missed: Florida, Florida State, Nevada-Las Vegas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Purdue, San Diego State, Stanford, Texas Tech, Wisconsin