For the second time in five years, Thad Matta is in position to bring the nation’s top recruiting class to The Ohio State University.
Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook highlighted the Buckeyes’ 2006 haul, which produced immediately by reaching the Final Four in 2007. The aforementioned trio departed Columbus after just one year, but Matta’s 2010 group may have a more long-range impact.
Outside of 6-foot-9, 280-pound post Jared Sullinger, it would be a surprise to see any of the other current Ohio State verbals bolting for the professional ranks after a year in college.
The early signing period for college basketball runs from Nov. 11-18. Of the top 25 players in the country, 15 remain uncommitted, including Florida guard Brandon Knight (No. 1), Iowa wing Harrison Barnes (No. 4) and Washington post Josh Smith (No. 6).
Significant changes are ahead, but without regard to those developments, here is MaxPreps.com’s early look at the nation’s top recruiting classes:
1. Ohio State
Top 100 Verbals: Jared Sullinger (No. 2), DeShaun Thomas (No. 9), Jordan Sibert (No. 50), Aaron Craft (No. 56)
Supporting Cast: Lenzelle Smith, J.D. Weatherspoon
Analysis: Not only is Thad Matta’s latest haul deep, but it is also positionally balanced. Sullinger – along with current and future teammate Weatherspoon – led Northland High School in Columbus to a state title, beating Sibert’s Princeton team in the final. Thomas (6-7, 220) is also a defending state champion in Indiana. Craft (6-0, 175) reneged on a pledge to Bruce Pearl and Tennessee to cast his lot with the Buckeyes.
C.J. Fair, City College (Baltimore, Md.)
Photo by Nicholas Koza
Top 100 Verbals: Fabricio de Melo (No. 8), Dion Waiters (No. 25)
Supporting Cast: C.J. Fair, Baye Moussa Keita
Analysis: Brazilian 7-footer Fabricio de Melo gave the Orange a huge boost with his commitment in July. Waiters (6-3, 215) is a stud guard, while Fair is a Top 100 talent if he can recover fully from an injury that caused him to miss his junior season. Baye Moussa Keita (6-11, 205), an Oak Hill Academy product and Senegal native, is a project.
3. North Carolina
Top 100 Verbals: Reggie Bullock (No. 5), Kendall Marshall (No. 13)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Roy Williams has stocked up on quality bigs in the last two recruiting classes and has addressed the backcourt with a high degree of success with the commitments of Bullock (6-7, 190) and Marshall (6-3, 175).
4. Illinois
Top 100 Verbals: Jereme Richmond (No. 29), Meyers Leonard (No. 60), Crandall Head (No. 91)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Bruce Weber has a lot of help on the way, and it doesn’t end with this Top 100 trio. Tracy Abrams, a Top 100 talent for 2011, has already pledged to Illinois. Chicago is loaded with talent at the high school level right now and the Fighting Illini need to take advantage.
5. Wake Forest
Top 100 Verbals: J.T. Terrell (No. 41), Tony Chennault (No. 76)
Supporting Cast: Travis McKie, Melvin Tabb
Analysis: Terrell (6-3, 180) is a dangerous scorer and other recruiting analysts have McKie (6-6, 185) and Tabb (6-8, 225) pegged as Top 100 talents. Dino Gaudio continues to build a deep and talented roster.
6. Purdue
Top 100 Verbals: Terone Johnson (No. 44), Travis Carroll (No. 82)
Supporting Cast: Anthony Johnson, Donnie Hale
Analysis: Matt Painter is doing a great job in-state with standouts like Johnson (6-3, 190), Carroll (6-9, 230) and Hale (6-7, 195). Big things are ahead for the Boilermakers with this group on top of all the young talent already on the roster.
Tristan Thompson, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
Photo by Louis Lopez
Top 100 Verbals: Tristan Thompson (No. 10), Daniel Bejarano (No. 28)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Rick Barnes might be the hottest coach in America on the recruiting trail. Thompson (6-9, 235) will be an immediate force in the Big XII and the Longhorns already have four commitments for 2011, including Thompson’s AAU running mate Myck Kabongo – one of the nation’s elite juniors. Texas is in the mix for more elite-level 2010 talent.
8. Michigan State
Top 100 Verbals: Keith Appling (No. 23), Alex Gauna (No. 65)
Supporting Cast: Russell Byrd
Analysis: While all three of these players were a little underwhelming when we saw them this summer, Appling (6-3, 175), Gauna (6-8, 210) and Byrd (6-7, 190) have thrived with their high school programs and it goes without saying that Tom Izzo will maximize their talents. Appling turned in one of the signature performances of the 2008-2009 high school season nationally with 49 points in a state championship game victory.
9. Maryland
Top 100 Verbals: Terrence Ross (No. 30), Terrell Stoglin (No. 43)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Positive momentum seems to be building for Gary Williams and Maryland again. Ross (6-5, 185) and Stoglin (6-1, 180) will give the Terps help in the backcourt and it’s a good bet that the program will land at least one more Top 100 player in 2010.
10. Florida State
Top 100 Verbals: Okaro White (No. 36), Ian Miller (No. 47)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Leonard Hamilton is starting to stock the shelves in Tallahassee quite nicely. His bosses at Florida State are taking notice and rewarded him with a contract extension last week that could reach $2 million annually with bonuses, as reported by CBSSports.com.
11. Duke
Top 100 Verbals: Joshua Hairston (No. 40), Tyler Thornton (No. 72)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Star guard Andre Dawkins of Virginia moved his arrival up a year, so the 2010 recruiting effort took a hit rankings-wise but the impact on the program is a positive one. The Blue Devils were in desperate need of guard help this year. Duke is a strong player for Iowa wing Harrison Barnes (6-6, 190, No. 4) and New Jersey guard Kyrie Irving (6-1, 175, No. 19). Locking down that duo would be Coach K’s biggest recruiting coup in years.
12. Memphis
Top 100 Verbals: Will Barton (No. 3)
Supporting Cast: Antonio Barton
Analysis: Losing John Calipari to Kentucky was a heartbreaker for Tiger fans, but new head coach Josh Pastner gave them plenty to look forward to when the Barton brothers committed back in June. Will Barton (6-6, 170) is a big-time scorer and winner, leading Baltimore’s Lake Clifton to a state title last season.
13. Virginia
Top 100 Verbals: Will Regan (No. 81)
Supporting Cast: Joe Harris, K.T. Harrell
Analysis: Long, skilled post men and interchangeable guards that can all direct the offense were hallmarks of Tony Bennett’s teams at Washington State and he is wasting little time bringing the same type of personnel to Charlottesville – only these guys won’t be complete unknowns coming out of high school.
14. Dayton
Top 100 Verbals: Jesse Berry (No. 70)
Supporting Cast: Ralph Hill, Brandon Spearman, Juwan Staten
Analysis: Both Spearman (6-3, 185) and Staten (5-10, 170) received serious Top 100 consideration and could play their way in with big senior seasons. Berry (6-1, 170) posted 27.5 points per game as a junior at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Ind.
15. California
Top 100 Verbals: Allen Crabbe (No. 42)
Supporting Cast: Alex Rossi, Richard Solomon
Analysis: Crabbe, a smooth 6-4 guard, will fill Patrick Christopher’s void in the Golden Bear backcourt immediately. Mike Montgomery plucked Matt Lottich from Illinois’ New Trier High School while at Stanford, and returned to the same school to nab a similar player in Rossi (6-5, 180). Solomon (6-9, 200) is a long, intriguing post prospect.
16. Baylor
Top 100 Verbals: Perry Jones (No. 7)
Supporting Cast: Bakari Turner
Analysis: Jones (6-11, 220) was up-and-down this summer, but some analysts have pegged him as a potential No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. Turner (6-2, 185) is an athletic guard that averaged 13.6 points per game as a junior at Plano West outside of Dallas.
Phil Taylor, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)
Photo by Jim Redman
Top 100 Verbals: Phillip Taylor (No. 48), Dominique Ferguson (No. 61)
Supporting Cast: N/A
Analysis: Isiah Thomas struck a blow against the skeptics already circling in Miami, landing a talented – albeit undersized – scoring point guard in Taylor (5-9, 160) and Ferguson, who is talented and versatile at 6-9.
18. West Virginia
Top 100 Verbals: Noah Cottrill (No. 54)
Supporting Cast: Bryon Allen
Analysis: Cottrill (6-2, 175) is a celebrated local prospect who averaged over 26 points per game as a junior. Allen should enter the program ready-made for Big East play with his size (6-3, 215) and experience at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
19. Stanford
Top 100 Verbals: Aaron Bright (No. 95)
Supporting Cast: John Gage
Analysis: Johnny Dawkins struck twice in the state of Washington with Bright and Gage, who led their respective teams to a combined record of 53-3 as juniors. Bright (5-11, 165), a crafty point guard from Bellevue, was the most valuable player at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic in San Diego last December. Gage (6-9, 210) is a finesse four-man who was an All-State selection after leading Vashon Island High School to a Class 2A state title last season.
20. Virginia Tech
Top 100 Verbals: Tyrone Garland (No. 63)
Supporting Cast: Jarrell Eddie
Analysis: Garland (6-1, 165) was one of the top scorers in the state of Pennsylvania last season, pouring in 28 points per game. Eddie, a 6-7, 210-pound forward, is a candidate to play his way into Top 100 status with a big senior season.
21. St. Joseph’s
Top 100 Verbals: Langston Galloway (No. 80)
Supporting Cast: C.J. Aiken
Analysis: Phil Martelli spread his recruiting wings with Galloway (6-3, 170) of Christian Life in Baton Rouge, La. Aiken, a 6-9, 185-pound post, has shown promise but his best basketball is still ahead of him.
22. Georgetown
Top 100 Verbals: Nate Lubick (No. 97)
Supporting Cast: Markel Starks
Analysis: Despite a roster that includes a star in Greg Monroe and a promising backcourt with Chris Wright and Austin Freeman, the Hoyas are surprisingly thin. A big recruiting effort in 2010 is badly needed and Lubick (6-8, 225) and Starks (6-2, 170) give John Thompson III a solid start.
23. Villanova
Top 100 Verbals: N/A
Supporting Cast: James Bell, Markus Kennedy
Analysis: Kennedy could be a jewel with an opportunity to develop under Jay Wright. The 6-9, 250-pound post has bounced around to four schools in four years, including a season at national power St. Patrick in Elizabeth, N.J.
24. Oklahoma State
Top 100 Verbals: N/A
Supporting Cast: Markel Brown, Brian Williams
Analysis: Cowboy head coach Travis Ford hit Louisiana hard to gain commitments from a pair of rangy, All-State guards in Brown (6-5, 185, Alexandria Peabody) and Williams (Baton Rouge Glen Oaks).
25. South Carolina
Top 100 Verbals: N/A
Star Power: R.J. Slawson, Eric Smith
Analysis: Darrin Horn stayed in-state for Slawson (6-8, 190) and Smith (6-0, 185) and is considered a strong player for Top 100 prospect Stacey Poole Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla.
Others considered: LSU, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh
