Flagrant Fouls

Recruiting Classes: Who’s #1?

Posted on 08. Dec, 2009 by Nolan Shulman in High School

Although a few big names remain on the board, most of the players in the class of 2010 are signed, sealed, and delivered. With that in mind, it’s time to unveil who struck it rich. The following 10 programs have all added players who should help these programs achieve success for years to come.

1. Ohio State: Jared Sullinger (#1), DeShaun Thomas (#11), Aaron Craft (#80), Jordan Sibert (#82), Lenzelle Smith Jr. (#91) , J.D. Weatherspoon

Sullinger, Craft, Sibert, and Weatherspoon were all part of All-Ohio Red’s near perfect summer. They won Peach Jam, the Orlando Super Showcase, AAU Nationals, etc… Sullinger is the #1 player in the country and for good reason. He’s a load on the block, has polished post moves, and always wins. Deshaun Thomas is also a great addition for the Buckeyes. He’s got a terrific face-up game and a killer left hook. Lenzelle Smith Jr. is a 6-3, 215 pound combo guard who will punish opposing guards with his size and strength. Coach Matta once again did an excellent job in his own backyard and has the Buckeyes in terrific shape for years to come.

2. Memphis: Will Barton (#7), Joe Jackson (#12), Jelan Kendrick (#28), Tarik Black (#74), Antonio Barton, Chris Crawford, Hippolyte Tsafack

Josh Pastner has put the country on notice with this class. Memphis is here to stay! Brewster Academy’s Will Barton is a 6-7, long, lean, killing machine who will be a matchup problem for every guard he goes up against. Mr.Clutch a.k.a. “Joe Cool” should flurish running the point under Pastner. He likes to take big shots and can score the ball in bunches. Kendrick is a bit of a project, but has all the required ingredients to become a star. Tarik Black is a monster in the paint and should give the Tigers something similar to what they got from Joey Dorsey. Antonio Barton gets lost in the shuffle with this great class, but Will’s brother is an exciting guard who should provide coach Pastner with excellent depth.

*Apologies to Memphis fans for originally leaving out Crawford and Tsafack. It wasn’t a research issue, rather a choice to just include the 5 prospects I felt would make the biggest impact. Seen quite a bit of Tsafack while watching Tobias Harris (Albany City Rocks) and saw Crawford while watching Joe Jackson and the Memphis Magic. Crawford was excellent at the Reebok Summer Championship. Tiger fans are passionate and I respect that, now please stop flooding my email and calling me names.

3. North Carolina: Harrison Barnes (#4), Reggie Bullock (#20), Kendall Marshall (#35)

Harrison Barnes better get ready to go into a very hostile environment when he plays in front of the Cameron Crazies. His decision to join the Heels broke the hearts of Duke fans all over the world. He’ll allow the Tar Heels to flourish in both half court sets and in the open court. Harrison is versatile, plays hard, and should be a phenomenal leader and spokesman for coach Williams. Reggie Bullock is an outstanding two guard who shined on the AAU circuit with the CP3 all-stars. He can shoot the eyes out of it and should stretch the floor much like Wayne Ellington did. Kendall Marshall should benefit from these other two great pickups. He’s an outstanding passer who will find a way to get these guys the ball in situations where they can impact the game. They may have only three players in their class, but what an outstanding three they are.

4. Duke: Kyrie Irving (#2), Josh Hairston (#43), Tyler Thorton (#51)

Irving immediately gives Duke something they haven’t had since Jason Williams. A point guard who’s dynamic with the basketball and makes a living in the paint. He’ll change their offense from the first day he steps on campus. Hairston is a prototypical Duke forward. He’s versatile and very smart. He should fill the void left by Singler. Thorton is Hairston’s teammate on DC Assault. He’s a great combo guard who should flourish next to Kyrie. He’s got a flare for the dramatic too. I’ve seen him make two buzzer beaters in the last 5 times I’ve seen him play. One was a jumper which knocked Grassroots Canada out of the Pitt Jam Fest two years ago.

5. Syracuse: Fab Melo (#6), Dion Waiters (#18), CJ Fair (#83), Baye Moussa Keita

The Fabulous one has everyone buzzing in Central New York. The Brazilian big man possesses a combination of skills and size that only comes around every few years. He’s still a tad raw, but his ceiling is higher than any other player in this class. He’s also a perfect fit to anchor the middle of the 2-3 zone. Waiters is a combo guard with unbelievable athleticism. He can jump out of the gym and also knock it down from deep. Fair is guy who fits the mold of a Syracuse forward. He’s long, wiry, and can close out and cause trouble for shooters. Keita is a project out of Oak Hill Academy. While his offensive skill set is still very raw, Keita can block shots and protect the rim.

6. Wake Forest: Travis McKie (#25), JT Terrell (#31), Carson Desrosiers (#67), Melvin Tabb (#69), Tony Chennault
(#71)

Wake doesn’t have any top 10 players, but they picked up 5 guys who will have a major impact on their program. McKie is a Boo Williams standout who can really get it done on the wing. He’s got range, a great body, and he’s a team guy. JT Terrell is an explosive player with outstanding athleticism. He can score in bunches and is a streaky outside shooter. Tabb is another CP3 guy and is a face-up power forward with an excellent skill set. Derosiers might be the most underrated big man in the country. Once he ads strength to his frame he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.

7. Illinois: Jereme Richmond (#17), Crandall Head (#39), Meyers Leonard (#57)

What a great class Bruce Webber has put together. Richmond, Head, and Leonard are teammates on the Mac Irvin Fire and are all superb players. While Richmond and Head are ready to be impact players right away, it’s going to take Leonard some time to learn the game. He’s extremely talented, just hasn’t put it all together yet.

8. UCLA: Josh Smith (#15), Tyler Lamb (#34)

It’s been a tough year for UCLA thus far but help is on the way. Smith is a dominant post who should continue the tradition of excellent big men. He’s got a very explosive offensive repertoire and should have his way with opposing bigs in the Pac-10. Lamb is a California kid who plays for powerhouse Mater Dei. He can really guard the ball and should be a perfect fit for Ben Howland. It’s only a two man class, but UCLA is getting two guys ready to carry the load immediately.

9. Michigan State: Adriene Payne (#29), Keith Appling (#59), Russell Byrd, Alex Gauna

Payne is an absolute stud, capable of protecting the rim and providing great energy for the Spartans. Appling is a big game player and a winner who Tom Izzo will fall in love with next year. He isn’t the fastest guy, isn’t the best shooter, but he gets it done. Gauna is a local boy who has excellent size and should provide quality depth in the middle. Byrd is a sniper from the wing who’s got unlimited range. He’s a zone buster and should see minutes as a freshman.

10. North Carolina State: Luke Cothron (#62), Lorenzo Brown (#64), Ryan Harrow (#72)

Brown is a great offensive guard. He can create his own shot and score in a variety of ways. He’s supremely talented and will likely make people wonder why he was ranked so low when he gets to the next level. Harrow is also excellent with the ball in his hands. He’s got great handles, can create offense with ease, and should be the point guard of the future at State. Cothron is a smooth Power Forward with wing skills. He’s versatile enough to play multiple positions on the floor and is excellent in transition.

Related posts

• Top 100 HS Players (Class of 2010) (3)
• Nike Global Challenge All-Tournament Teams (1)
• HS Season Preview: Top 10 Backcourts (3)
• AAU Rankings: Which Programs Stood Out This Summer (1)
• Top 25 HS Shooting Guards (Class of 2010) (2)

Tags: Fab Melo, Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Jereme Richmond, Joe Jackson, Josh Smith, JT Terrell, Kyrie Irving, Lorenzo Brown, Will Barton