Favors: Stood tall to weather contenders

NEW 2009 TOP 100 RANKINGS

After a summer full of non-stop hoops, we have compiled our new top 100 rankings for the senior Class of 2009. What makes the post-summer rankings more significant, of course, is that this reflects the final summer-circuit appearance for this class. While there will be changes made as a result of fall workouts and the high school season -- as well as limited input taken from postseason all-star games -- the bulk of the work for this class is finished.

Not surprisingly, GA C/BF Derrick Favors retains a hold of the top spot. He was challenged by several other big-timers throughout July, but his steady play and history of rising to the occasion in big games ultimately resulted in his continued claim of the top spot. See the full top 100...

"I see myself making a decision before next summer."

-- Will Spradling
Read story. ...

MAJOR PLEDGES CONTINUE

A handful of commitments have come through in recent days, as the official visit period draws near. Not surprisingly, some players simply opted not to deal with the time demands and stress of visit season, while some underclassmen decided to end their recruitments very early.

Here's a look at the latest: more...

Rankings & School Lists Select Item - Class Of - 2009 2010 2011 2008 2008JC 2007 2007JC 2006 2006JC 2005 2005JC 2004 2003 2003JC 2002 2002JC 2001 2001JC      Derrick Favors has taken command in 2009. Check out our top-10 player rankings from the past. You'll recognize a lot of these names. Program Profiles Select Item Alabama Arizona Arkansas Auburn California Charlotte Cincinnati Clemson UConn DePaul Duke Florida FSU G'town Georgia Ga. Tech Illinois Indiana Iowa Iowa State Kansas Kentucky Louisville Marquette Maryland UMass Memphis Miami Michigan Michigan St. Missouri UNC NCSU Notre Dame Ohio State Oklahoma Okla. State Pittsburgh Providence Purdue Rutgers St. John's Seton Hall S. Carolina So. Cal Stanford Syracuse Tenn. Texas UCLA Villanova Virginia Wake Forest Washington W. Va.      TimeTravel: 1980 Top Recruiting Classes Parade of Programs: Conference breakdown from the Recruiter's Handbook Event Coverage Select Item NCAA Calendar      Event Calendar: PrepStars.com features a comprehensive event calendar, courtesy of the NCAA

BARNES MULLS MAJOR OPTIONS
August 22, 2008

The way he figured it, Harrison Barnes knew he'd have more than his fair share of schools to choose from after the summer was over. However, the 6-6 WF from Ames (IA) High never imagined that things would go as well as they did during a summer that saw him emerge as one of the top 10 prospects in the Class of 2010.

"I didn't imagine that my summer would turn out as well as it did," Barnes told PrepStars.com. "I had some goals and things that I wanted to do heading in, but it went way better than I could have hoped for." more...

LAWRENCE CHOOSES ST. JOHN'S
August 20, 2008

St. John's won out for one of the best senior prospects hailing New York, getting the decision from NY/CT WG Omari Lawrence, who chose the Johnnies over interest from Miami, Marquette, Pittsburgh and others. Lawrence is a native of the Bronx who is prepping this year at the South Kent (CT) School.

Lawrence is a tough, skilled wing who brings a lot of toughness and power to the court; in other words, he's very typical for a New York guard. He'll need to polish his ball skills and work harder on defense, but those areas are common fixes for young players to address. more...

PLEDGES CONTINUE TO TRICKLE
August 19, 2008

While the pace of commitments has been slower so far this week, there have been a couple of additional moves that warrant mention. Likely the most significant move occurred at Iowa, where underrated in-state junior IA WF Chanse Creekmur pledged to the Hawkeyes early.

Creekmur impressed us in the spring, showcasing good athleticism and scoring ability off the dribble. He's the kind of versatile, intelligent kid Iowa has won with in the past, and the Hawkeyes certainly are happy to have him locked up early. more...

MARSHALL, SPURLOCK, OTHERS DECIDE
August 15, 2008

Though we haven't yet reached the time for official college visits, many prospects are choosing to make their school choices prior to the beginning of their senior seasons. Given that many of these guys have been pursued avidly for several years, in some cases there simply isn't a need to lengthen the process any further.

Starting in the West, UNLV was able to keep Las Vegas product Anthony Marshall at home. more...

PLEDGES CONTINUE TO ROLL
August 14, 2008

As prospects around the country begin to schedule their official visits and prepare for the start of school, the commitments have started to roll in.

Included in the group are some relatively under the radar high major guys, a mid major steal and a youngster deciding very early on in the process that he'd like to go ahead and stay at home. more...

REDBIRDS GET EKEY
August 12, 2008

When he started to play on the club basketball circuit, Jon Ekey thought that there was a chance that he would end up playing division one basketball. Now, the 6-7 BF/WF from Independence (MO) William Chrisman realized his dream, committing to a Missouri Valley program after a weekend visit.

"I called Illinois State and talked to Coach Jankovich and that's where I've decided to go," Ekey told PrepStars.com. "I talked to a lot of schools, but Illinois State seemed to be the best fit for me." more...

AAU 14-UNDER REPORT
August 11, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The 14-under AAU Nationals took place last week and over the weekend in balmy Florida, hosted at Disney's Wide World of Sports. A unique characteristic of this event is that nearly every major AAU team competes, something that doesn't occur in the older AAU National age divisions.

The 14-unders primarily consist of rising high school freshmen (Class of 2012), although some younger 2011 prospects also suit up, and a smattering of middle-schoolers take the court as well. more...

COLEBY HAS SEEN IT ALL
August 8, 2008

At 18-years-old, Kadeem Coleby can be considered a world traveler. The 6-8, 230-pound BF is originally from the Bahamas. He lives with relatives in Toronto during the summer, and he plays his high school ball at Christian Life Academy in Humble, Texas.

Add to that his travels with Grassroots Canada on the travel circuit, and you have a kid with more frequent flyer miles than some sales reps. more...

CALLISTE INCREASING HIS OPTIONS
August 7, 2008

One player who really made his mark in Las Vegas was Jason Calliste. The 6-2 combo guard excelled for Grassroots Canada as they marched thru the field to claim the title of the Adidas Super 64 event. Last year he played at Durham (NC) Mt. Zion, and this season he is moving to Quality Education School in Winston-Salem.

"He has a real chance to be a top-100 player in the country," said Grassroots Canada's Ro Russell. "He's a low-key kid from a good family background. I really believe that he'll improve dramatically in college. Once he gets to that level he will really stand out." more...

CHENNAULT, PENN, MORE DECIDE
August 5, 2008

The early part of this week has been a busy one for commitments, as several more high-major programs have won out for key targets. The mix has been distributed among frontcourt and backcourt players, as well as among seniors versus underclassmen.

Some of the players involved in the news are Ray Penn, Tony Chennault and Joe Burton. Clearly, then, some pretty heavy -- in some cases, literally -- hitters have removed themselves from the recruiting race. more...

POWELL, MORRIS, OTHERS PLEDGE
August 4, 2008

More commitments have come down the pike in recent days, in the relative lull at the conclusion of the summer evaluation period. At least one prospect from the Class of 2009 top 100 made his decision, and arguably another -- though he may be to 150 -- pledged as well.

Players included in the news are VA BF Marshawn Powell, CA PG Darius Morris, FL Jr. WF James Bell and others. more...

YOUNG READY TO TAKE NEXT STEP
August 1, 2008

Despite criticisms, sometimes the system actually works. In the past, someone such as Patric Young may not have gotten the chance to go to the Reebok All-American Camp this past July.

Most likely, he would have had to wait for another year and hope for an invite. But after dominating a Reebok Headliner Camp designed to find hidden gems, the 2010 6-8 BF from Jacksonville (FL) Paxson got to Philly and made the most of it. more...

DIXON CHOOSES TIGERS
July 31, 2008

For the past couple of summers, Missouri head coach Mike Anderson has been very determined in his pursuit of a point guard from the Class of 2009. Late Wednesday night, Anderson and his staff's hard work paid off when their primary target decided to end things and commit to Mizzou.

Shortly after wrapping up his summer basketball career, Lee's Summit (MO) West PG Mike Dixon went ahead and solidified his future with a phone call to Anderson. more...

COMMITMENT ROUNDUP
July 30, 2008

Although official-visit season won't take place for several more weeks, the nearly-post summer pledges roll in at the end of July. Along with the new pledges, of course, are a handful of guys who chose to back off their early commitments and re-explore their options.

Some of the recent players to remove themselves from the market were CA BF Greg Smith, CA WG Solomon Hill and IL BF Meyers Leonard (2010). more...

AAU 17-UNDER NATIONALS: TAKE ONE
July 29, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Directly on the heels of the AAU Super Showcase events at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando is the final big event of the summer, the 17-U National Championship.

Many of the teams that participated in the Showcase stayed for the Nationals, and they were joined by teams that played in events in Las Vegas or elsewhere. One player who jumped out to an impressive early start in Disney territory was VA BF Deshawn Painter. more...

SUPER SHOWCASE: TAKE TWO
July 29, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In our second look at the AAU Super Showcase, we've brought forth some of the established talents from the event but also found some hidden gyms.

One key component from the event was that top-10 AL C DeMarcus Cousins -- who had reverted to his younger, less consistent form earlier -- finished on a very high note. more...

AAU SUPER SHOWCASE: TAKE ONE
July 28, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The final "live" viewing period in July brings plenty of players and coaches to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. This year, The Jostens' Center has opened, adding another six courts to the campus and bringing the number to twelve overall. Being only twenty five yards from the original Milk House, it makes it very easy to get from one venue to the other. With the additional courts, the AAU has expanded its list of events. The 15U Super Showcase was added this year to the 16U and 17U Showcases, and the 16U Nationals and 17U Nationals are being played here now as well.

Throw in the 14U Nationals the first week of August, and that is nearly three weeks of non-stop hoops which make this the "happiest place on earth" for hoops junkies. more...

LAS VEGAS: FINAL REPORT
July 26, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas tour is now finished, and the weekend served up some of the best and most dramatic moments of the week. On these days we spent the bulk of our time at the Main Event, while also hitting a few gyms from Reebok's and Adidas' respective events.

Some of the day's best players were Michael Snaer, Duce Bello and Meyers Leonard. more...

LAS VEGAS: DAY THREE REPORT
July 24, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- Pool play ended throughout the city's events on Thursday, and the early rounds of playoffs began. Prior to the first eliminations, we made a point to cruise around to each event in order to check out guys from teams we thought had a chance to get bumped out of contention.

In addition to that, we parked ourselves at the Super 64 and were able to get a close look at some of the best teams in attendance from that event. Among those was the Atlanta Celtics, which benefited from outstanding play by senior wing Noel Johnson. more...

LAS VEGAS: DAY TWO REPORT
July 23, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- After spending all of Tuesday at the Reebok Summer Championships, we canvassed the entire city on Wednesday. Thanks to a late night stop for a 16 and under game at the Adidas Super 64, we managed to take in games at all three major events with time also spent at Reebok and the Main Event.

Much like Tuesday, many of the big name guys were putting together big outings and justifying their lofty status on Wednesday. However, the continued ascent of white-hot big man Thomas Robinson may have been the story of the day in Sin City. more...

LAS VEGAS: DAY ONE REPORT
July 22, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- The second leg of the summer evaluation period opened on Tuesday, and as usual, most of the nation's heavy-hitter college programs were represented in the Fabulous Las Vegas.

The week will be highlighted by three events: Reebok's Summer Championships, Adidas' Super 64 and Vision Sports' Main Event. We'll attend parts of all three events over the next several days, and on the first day we focused much of our coverage on Reebok's stellar tournament. more...

VEGAS SET TO TIP OFF
July 21, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- The conclusion of the summer evaluation period draws near, but there's still lots of hoops to play before we're ready to call it a summer. While the first segment of July is reserved largely for the major shoe camps designed to bring together talented individuals, the second half of the month plays entirely to team events.

At the heart of the team action is Las Vegas, where three major events take place concurrently. We'll be out in full force at all three, including the Reebok Summer Championships, Adidas Super 64 and the Main Event. One of the top talents scheduled to be on hand is TX BF John Henson. more...

"He's drawing serious interest from some high-major schools."

-- Robert Icart, on Bak Bak
Read full story...

BREAKDOWN FESTIVAL REPORT
July 17, 2008

MIAMI -- After a one-year hiatus in 2007, the Breakdown Hoops Festival returned to Miami with an excellent field. The Atlanta Celtics, Worldwide Renegades and D.C. Assault, along with the host team and some of the better travel teams in Florida, came together for a three day event that brought out the crowds on the first day.

While it was disappointing that Derrick Favors of the Celtics struggled with an ailling back, there was still plenty of talent to make the event a very good one. more...

PEACH JAM: FINAL REPORT
July 16, 2008

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- The Peach Jam wrapped up on Tuesday night, and not surprisingly, the powerful Boo Williams All-Stars defeated Boston-based BABC by a score of 62-55. What was more of a surprise was that Florida-bound BF Deshawn Painter led the victors in scoring in the title tilt, going for 14 points as part of a well-rounded attack.

BABC was led by UConn pledge Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who led all players with 18 points. Present and future (in Storrs) teammate Alex Oriakhi added 12. more...

BEST OF THE SOUTH REPORT
July 15, 2008

Taking over from the T-Mac tournament of last season, The Best of the South took place at the end of the first segment of this month's live period.

With four divisions (17U, 16U, 15U, and middle school) each having a venue of its own in the Tampa Bay area, college coaches were able to come to one place and check out the players on their recruiting lists. more...

PEACH JAM: MONDAY REPORT
July 14, 2008

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- Nike's annual Peach Jam is taking place over the next few days at its customary place in North Augusta, and as always the quaint venue and traditional Southern community make for a refreshing change from the more clinical environment of the LeBron James Skills Academy.

With its walkaround area up top and the long rows of chairs inhabited by college coaches at courtside, the setup and vibe of the event are very distinct. In terms of the basketball itself, and despite the fact that we watched most of these guys last week, there have been numerous surprises so far. more...

KENTUCKY HOOPFEST REPORT
July 11, 2008

LOUISVILLE -- Next stop after the LeBron Skills Academy was Eddie Ford's Kentucky Hoopfest.

While not quite as well known as some other prime July events, the Hoopfest offered a large field and a chance to watch several prospects under the radar as well as a few of the more well known prospects. Thick with college coaches searching for talent, here's who stood out during our day at the Hoopfest. more...

REEBOK CAMP: FINAL REPORT
July 10, 2008

PHILADELPHIA -- Another year, another week concluded at the Reebok All-American Camp. The final day of action took place on Thursday, and keeping with the theme of guard play and youth, more plotlines emerged on the final day of shoe week.

All in all, it was another good, and somewhat chaotic, week on the travel circuit. Reebok was the larger of the individual camps and had the greatest focus on youth, Nike's LeBron Camp featured the most elite talent in the senior class, and the It Takes 5ive team tournament in Cincinnati sponsored by Adidas was the competitive event of the three. At Reebok, top-10 senior Renardo Sidney tantalized on the final day, using his power and skill to dominate. more...

REEBOK CAMP: GUARDS TAKE COMMAND
July 9, 2008

PHILADELPHIA -- The Reebok All-American Camp underwent a name change for 2008, as last year it was called Rbk U, but this year's more written-out version still sports a great deal of high-major talent. Like last year, the first time that the camp -- formerly known as ABCD -- moved to Philadelphia University, there are approximately 150 campers in attendance.

While that number is a little high for our tastes, there's no question that most of these guys are easy calls for Division I basketball. Among the very best guards at the camp, and there are several blue-chippers, unsigned senior Avery Bradley may be the best prospect. more...

TUESDAY AT LEBRON
July 8, 2008

AKRON, Ohio -- The final day of action at the LeBron James Skills Academy featured some rugged moments with fewer college coaches in attendance. There was, however, plenty of Rodney Williams flying through the air for jams. An added bonus was Alex Oriakhi going toe-to-toe with DeMarcus Cousins. One last day of coverage gave us an opportunity to mention some guys that we hadn't yet covered during the event.

LEBRON CAMP: DAY TWO REPORT
July 7, 2008

AKRON, Ohio -- Moving into day two at the LeBron James Skills Academy, there were more highlights from the nation's best players on the Nike circuit. The games were more fiercely contested overall on Monday, something that was a nice change from a couple of the all-star exhibition-type contests on Sunday night.

Some of the camp's most impressive players have been Harrison Barnes, John Wall and Phil Pressey, although there certainly were more standouts than those three. more...

LEBRON CAMP: DAY ONE REPORT
July 6, 2008

AKRON, Ohio -- In its second incarnation as the LeBron James Skills Academy, the event formerly known as the Nike All-America Camp tipped off on the opening day of the July evaluation period. Held at the University of Akron, the event was moved here from Indianapolis as a nod to James, who himself hails from Akron.

As always, the emphasis at Nike's flagship individual camp features quality over quantity, and that's certainly the case again this year. Typically, a lot of what we see is what we've seen before, because many of these guys have been big names on the national circuit for a long time. more...

IT TAKES FIVE: DAY ONE REPORT
July 6, 2008

CINCINNATI -- The July evaluation period got off to a sizzling start in Cincinnati on Sunday at the Adidas It Takes 5ive. With the majority of Adidas' top programs on hand, college coaches were running amok in search of talent.

While a few big timers put on impressive displays, young guys ruled the day's action. There were great games, new names and a host of guys who showed more court nastiness than they had in the past. more...

DENNIS, OTHERS DECIDE
July 4, 2008

On the eve of the summer evaluation period, there are a handful of commitments to report. Memphis scored a commitment from talented TX WG Nolan Dennis, a talented shot-creator off the dribble who has been compared by some to Chris Douglas-Roberts.

While that comparison is patently unfair, Dennis definitely does have solid ability to score off the bounce, either finishing at the rim or getting to the foul line. more...

"I think the thing about me is that I play hard and I'm a team player."
July 3, 2008

Read story. ...

NOTHING MEEK ABOUT LAMB
July 3, 2008

Heading into the spring, there were some scouts and fans who were familiar with the game of Doron Lamb. But by the end of June, the 6-4 WG from Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin -- who may transfer to Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill for his junior season -- had become a household name on the recruiting trail.

Even though he's hailed by most as one of the top players in the country, Lamb says he's doing his best not to let rankings go to his head. more...

ARMWOOD, MOSER COMMIT
July 2, 2008

Isaiah Armwood wanted to get everything taken care of prior to the July evaluation period. The slender 6-8 combo forward at Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian ended his recruitment, selecting Villanova over Syracuse, Texas and many others.

Armwood is one of the most versatile players in the Class of 2009, as he can score inside thanks to his height, long arms and good quickness, or step out to the perimeter and can medium-range jump shots. Armwood also can put the ball on the floor and beat most opposing forwards off the dribble. more...

FINAL 2008 TEAM RANKINGS
July 1, 2008

In truth, the Class of 2008 won't truly be settled until school begins in the fall, but at this point in the process, almost all the relevant action for the nation's incoming freshman classes is decided. While many focus most on team recruiting rankings in the fall -- because so many of the nation's top prospects sign in November -- there were quite a few changes this year during the winter and spring, and even early summer, that affected the final results.

One easy piece of evidence is UCLA, which added top-50 TX C J'Mison Morgan in the spring, after he parted ways with LSU. more...

HARRIS, OTHERS DECIDE
July 1, 2008

Wake Forest didn't have to look far for its latest commitment, keeping it local in getting Winston-Salem WG/WF C.J. Harris, who chose the Demon Deacons over finalists Clemson and Virginia Tech, as well as other high- and mid-major programs.

Harris is a good all-around scorer who is comfortable shooting from the perimeter or attacking off the dribble. In fact, he's actually best as a slasher, and his leaping ability appears to have become more explosive over the past year. His performances against national competition by and large haven't been dominant, but he has proved he can play against blue-chippers and hold his own. more...

Recruiting News | Exclusive Features | Rankings & Lists | Program Profiles | Event Coverage | Archives | Home

© 2008 Sports Letter, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Read Terms Of Use under which this service is provided to you.
Contact us.