MD WF/BF Roscoe Smith is a top-30 talent in 2010

CLASS OF 2010: UPDATED RANKINGS!

Though to this point there has been little to discuss when deciding on a No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2010, IA WF Harrison Barnes demands mention despite that fact. The ultra-polished guard has been consistently excellent all spring and early summer. Now, he'll have to showcase his wares in front of college coaches during the July evaluation period.

Meanwhile, FL PG/WG Brandon Knight, NV BF Tristan Thompson, OH C Jared Sullinger and MD WG Will Barton round out the list of top players.

"My list is Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Baylor and Virginia."

-- Mardracus Wade
Read the full story. ...

FEATURE: FINAL 2009 CLASS RANKINGS

Now that prodigal Brooklyn guard Lance Stephenson has opted for Cincinnati, the Class of 2009 recruiting business largely is finished.

That said, then, let’s take a look at the top 50 classes from Class of 2009 recruiting. The Kentucky Wildcats needed very little time under coach John Calipari to storm back to the top of the national charts, and the late decision of NC PG John Wall pushed them over the top.

Rankings & School Lists Select Item - Class Of - 2010 2011 2012 2009 2009JC 2008 2008JC 2007 2007JC 2006 2006JC 2005 2005JC 2004 2003 2003JC 2002 2002JC 2001 2001JC      Harrison Barnes is off to a big lead for the 2010 class. Check out our top-10 player rankings from the past. You'll recognize 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

ROUNDUP: MORE PROSPECTS DECLARE
June 29, 2009

Summer commitments continue to roll in as seven players have made their decisions since our last roundup posting. Beginning with Purdue, the Boilermakers gained a commitment from New Albany (IN) High native Donnie Hale. The 6-8 BF gives Purdue an upgrade in the frontcourt with his ability to block shots and rebound. Hale uses his mobility and speed to finish around the basket and handles the ball better than most big men he plays against. However, Hale will need to improve his explosiveness if he is going to finish over the bigger bodies in the Big Ten.

SCORECARD ON THE NBA DRAFT
June 25, 2009

Thursday's NBA draft may not have been the most talent-filled in recent memory, but it did provide some very interesting outcomes. Several clubs greatly improved their rosters (Orlando, San Antonio) while others may have made questionable decisions (Minnesota drafting three point guards). But our focus here is to look at the top 14 lottery picks in the draft and see what the PrepStars staff had to say about them when while they were making their names. You will notice times where our ranking of a player was right on the money, or occasionally a little off, but the in-depth evaluations from Brick Oettinger, Rob Harrington and staff prove beyond a doubt that PrepStars is, and has been the number one basketball recruiting source on the planet.

ROUNDUP: PACE OF COMMITMENTS INCREASES
June 24, 2009

It’s been a busy couple of days on the recruiting trail as six schools landed commitments since the beginning of the week. Earlier this week, California got a verbal commitment from 6-5 WG Alex Rossi, a sharpshooter from Winnetka (IL) New Trier. Rossi made his commitment just one day after the NBA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va.

At the camp he showed scouts his ability to knock down jumpers from all over the court, whether it be from outside or from 12-15 feet. Rossi doesn’t have a blazing first step but he is quick enough to finish around the basket and adequately defend opposing 2-guards. Rossi joins 6-6 WG Allen Crabbe as Cal’s early commits for the class of 2010.

Elsewhere, Texas improved its 2011 class by landing a commitment from 6-3 WG Julien Lewis.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AT THE NBAPA CAMP
June 21, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Team championship games at premier invitation-only camps for high schoolers can tell us a lot about the players, who must blend together for team rather than individual goals. At the 2009 NBAPA Top 100 Camp, there was a great deal of parity among the better players, so intangibles such as unselfishness on offense and hustle on defense are what usually wound up separating the winners and losers. At this camp, the participants were divided into 10 relatively even teams of 10 players each.

BRICK'S PICKS: DAY TWO AT THE NBAPA CAMP
June 19, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Day Two featured a previously unannounced slam dunk contest and an all-star game whose participants were chosen by votes of their peers.

On the positive side, among those rising seniors whose play in their two camp games was especially noteworthy were 6-5 combo forward Jayvaughn Pinkston (currently ranked No. 28 in the Class of 2010), who will transfer this fall to famed Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy from Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin; 6-11 Duncanville (TX) High BF/C Perry Jones (No. 23 and verbally committed to Baylor); 6-5 Jackson (TN) North Side swingman Casey Prather (No. 48); 6-7 Beckley (WV) Mountain State Academy WF/WG Shaquille Thomas (No. 73); 6-5 Oak Hill Academy (and native New Yorker) WG Doron Lamb (No. 26); 6-3 Chicago (IL) Crane WG Crandall Head (No. 38 and committed to Illinois); and 6-3 Mountain State Academy PG Noah Cottrill (No. 72 and committed to West Virginia).

NBA CAMP: DAY TWO REPORT
June 19, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The second day of action at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp brought another ferocious day of action from many of the nation’s best players, and it was unconventional in the sense that there was an all-star game introduced to the mix as well.

There’s definitely been a separation of the men from the boys here, and the rankings will reflect that in our upcoming editions in the next couple weeks. The biggest matchup of the travel season far took place on Friday: No. 1 senior Harrison Barnes vs. No. 1 junior Michael Gilchrist.

Brick's Picks: NBAPA Top 100 Camp, Day One
June 18, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In a talent-laden camp marked by a great deal of parity among the better players, among those particularly impressing us in their two games thus far were the following:

6-3 Fort Lauderdale (FL) Pine Crest rising senior PG/WG Brandon Knight (whom we currently rank No. 3 nationally in the Class of 2010), 7-0 Weston (FL) Sagemont rising senior C Fab Melo (No. 65 is too low), 6-9 Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep rising senior BF/C Tristan Thompson (No. 4), 6-6 Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton-Eastern rising senior WG/WF Will Barton (No. 14), 6-5 Chesapeake (VA) Atlantic Shores Christian rising senior WG/WF Andre Dawkins (No. 13) and 6-4 Arlington (VA) Bishop O'Connell rising senior PG Kendall Marshall (No. 20).

NBA CAMP: DAY ONE, PART II
June 18, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The evening session of the NBAPA Top 100 Camp reflected what obviously was a long day for the campers, yet many of the players still put forth a great deal of effort and enhanced their reputations.

Here’s a look at some prospects who clearly recognized the value of this most significant day one.

NBA CAMP: BONUS PHOTO GALLERY
June 18, 2009

Check out this story to see bonus action photos from day one of the NBAPA Top 100 Camp!

NBA CAMP: DAY ONE, PART I
June 18, 2009

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In the first of several reports from the NBA Top 100 Camp, we’ve taken a look at some the fast starters from day one. During the day’s morning sessions, there were a handful of elites who dominated, yet there also were a couple of fast-risers working to move up toward that status themselves.

The key thing to remember here is there aren’t likely to be any guys who emerge from the undar the radar. If you enjoy reading about players who are largely unsung or are high-major sleepers, this isn’t the camp for you.

VIDEO: BARTON, CRAFT TAKE OFF
June 17, 2009

Two of the most significant commitments made this month were issued by elite MD WG Will Barton and rising OH PG Aaron Craft. Barton is headed to Memphis while Craft chose Ohio State, and both players – despite dissimilar styles – should evolve into fine contributors at their chosen school.

UPCOMING: NBAPA TOP 100 CAMP
June 17, 2009

The dominant event of this week and weekend is the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp, a three-day extravaganza featuring many of the nation’s top 100 prospects from the Class of 2010.

What makes the event, held on the campus of Virginia at John Paul Jones Arena, particularly unique is that it features many players who, due to shoe company loyalties, otherwise would not compete against each other during the summer.

COLEMAN CHOOSES FRIARS
June 15, 2009

Providence made a bold move and received a top-100 commitment for its work, getting a pledge from NH WG Gerard Coleman. Coleman, a 6-3 wing who has been a mainstay for BABC the past couple seasons, chose the Friars over serious interest from Boston College, Clemson, Marquette, Louisville and others.

Coleman is a quick driver who at times has been inconsistent, but he has shown the ability throughout the past two years that he can score off the dribble and that he's especially dangerous in transition.

JONES, WILLIAMS GAIN RELEASES
June 12, 2009

Southern Cal obviously has faced a great deal of turmoil in the past few days given the sudden resignation of coach Tim Floyd, and now there has been the expected fallout. Just days after Floyd's departure, both VA PG Lamont Jones and CA WF/BF Derrick Williams have obtained releases from their letters of intent from the Trojans.

LATHAM, OTHERS MAKE THEIR PICKS
June 11, 2009

After a brief lull in commitments, this week has seen a pickup of the pace. The latest majors included a pair of frontcourt prospects who rank among the national top 100. Starting at Xavier, 6-8 BF Jordan Latham re-committed to Xavier.

Latham had backed off the Musketeers in the wake of Sean Miller's departure for Arizona, but new XU boss was able to maintain the continuity and lure Latham back into the fold.

"I'm hearing from Alabama often and Nebraska a lot, Minnesota just offered, I've talked to Oklahoma, Kansas and Coach Anderson at Mizzou ..."
June 10, 2009

-- Trevor Releford
Read full story. ...

HOWARD LINING UP FOR BIG SUMMER
June 9, 2009

There are guys who amount to made men on the summer recruiting trail, and there are guys who have to scrap for the attention and offers that come their way. Pe'Shon Howard is one of the latter, and the 6-2 WG/PG at Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy feels pretty good about where he stands heading toward July.

ROUNDUP: BARTON, CRAFT, ET AL
June 8, 2009

There have been a handful of major commitments, and starting at the top, it was the decision by MD WG Will Barton that caused the most attention.

An elite, top-10 wing, Barton chose Memphis over a host of major programs to give new Tigers boss Josh Pastner an enormous recruiting victory as the summer season begins to heat up.

PANGOS VIDEO: TERRELL VS. JACKSON
June 5, 2009

In our continuing series of video presentations, today we're taking a look at last weekend's Pangos All-American Camp in Los Angeles.

While there obviously were lots of California prospects in attendance, the best battle of the event may have been on the final day, when NC WG J.T. Terrell squared off against top-25 TN PG/WG Joe Jackson.

DANIELS HAS MAJOR INTEREST
June 5, 2009

DeAndre Daniels helped himself more than just about anyone at the Pangos All-American Camp. Daniels, a 6-7 junior WF/BF at Woodland Hills (CA) Taft, was outstanding at the event, showcasing outstanding length and athleticism.

Daniels got better as the event wore along, and now he projects as one of the better forward prospects in the Class of 2011. Thought more of a big forward offensively, he has the quick feet to potentially play the wing in college.

"He's already got offers from Tulsa, Marshall Virginia Tech and Nebraska ..."
June 3, 2009

-- Kenny Gillion, on Jelani Hewitt
Read full story. ...

REEBOK HEADLINER CAMP: JACKSONVILLE
June 2, 2009

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Continuing the legacy established by former boss Sonny Vaccaro, Reebok was always ahead of the curve in putting on events during the spring and summer.

With Chris Rivers now running the show, one of the unique ideas has been to hold regional events around the country to find players that deserve a shot to be seen by big time college coaches but aren't part of elite teams.

VIDEO: HOT PROSPECTS AT THE TOC

Bob Gibbons' Tournament of Champions showcased a treasure trove of elite talent. While viewing the video clip, sit alongside PrepStars analysts Rob Harrington and Brick Oettinger and revisit a little trailtalk on:

Kyrie Irving, Reggie Bullock, Roscoe Smith, Jayvaughn Pinkston, Keith Appling, Casey Prather, Michael Gilchrist

PANGOS CAMP: TOP 25 CREAM OF THE CROP
June 1, 2009

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Brick's Picks as the most intriguing players in the Pangos Top 25 game are 6-3 Burlington (NC) Cummings rising senior WG J.T. Terrell, 6-7 Ames (IA) High rising senior WF Harrison Barnes, 6-5 Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton-Eastern rising senior WG/WF Will Barton, 5-11 Memphis (TN) White Station rising senior PG Joe Jackson, 6-4 Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy rising senior WG Doron Lamb, 6-6 Greensboro (NC) Dudley rising junior WF/WG P.J. Hairston and 5-11 Roeland Park (KS) Bishop Miege rising senior PG Trevor Releford.

PANGOS CAMP: DAY TWO REPORT
May 30, 2009

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Day two at the Pangos All-American Camp brought a full slate of games that featured many top players doing their thing, and a couple surprises emerged from the woodwork as well. more. ...

PANGOS CAMP: DAY ONE REPORT
May 29, 2009

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Pangos All-American Camp tipped off Friday night in Southern California, and this year's field is especially notable for its outstanding depth.

The group of players includes many high-majors and other players on the mid/high fence who will competing for scholarship offers throughout the summer. One of the best players at the event was IA WF Harrison Barnes. more. ...

MICHAEL GILCHRIST: VIDEO FEATURE

Swish!!! Make that two-for-two on potential No. 1s. Last week, we offered up a video assessment of arguably the top prospect in the Class of 2010, Harrison Barnes. Today, we take a look at the guy who's likely No. 1 in the Class of 2011: Michael Gilchrist. more...

More Featured Video:
Top 10 Harrison Barnes ('10); Brandon Peters ('10); Top 75 John Jenkins ('09).

ON TAP: PANGOS ALL-AMERICAN CAMP
May 29, 2009

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Pangos All-American Camp tips off once again in Southern California, and it is by far the weekend's most significant grassroots hoops happening. In addition to a strong crop of Californians, a slew of out-of-towners will be in as well.

The camp, which is sponsored this year by Pit Bull Energy Drink, will feature America's No. 1 senior, IA WF Harrison Barnes. Other big-timers expected to attend are TN PG Joe Jackson, TN BF Tarik Black, AZ WG Royce Woolridge, KS PG Trevor Releford, CA PG Gary Franklin, VA WG Andre Dawkins, MD WG Will Barton, VA WF Mychal Parker, VA WF Travis McKie, NC BF Luke Cothron and many others! more. ...

"I've got Florida State, South Carolina, Clemson, Florida, Marquette, Indiana, Virginia and Miami."
May 29, 2009

-- Stacey Poole
Read full story. ...

TOC: A FINAL LOOK
May 26, 2009

The Tournament of Champions concluded over the weekend, and here we have taken one final look at some players we didn't get to during our event coverage.

Some big names turned it on during the playoff rounds, and some new guys surfaced as well. more. ...

BRICK'S PICKS: TOC FINALE
May 24, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The nine individuals singled out for Brick's Picks, based on the final day of action, all come from the 17-Under division.

They are NJ rising junior WF Mike Gilchrist (ranked No.1 nationally in his class) of Team Final, NJ rising senior WG Dion Waiters (No. 62) also of Team Final, NC rising senior BF Melvin Tabb (No. 76) of the CP3 All-Stars, NC rising junior WG/WF Dezmine Wells (top 100 at worst) also from CP3 All-Stars, and others. more. ...

TOC: DAY TWO REPORT
May 23, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Saturday at the Tournament of Champions brought a great deal of diversity to the proceedings, as we were able to catch quite a few teams we hadn't yet seen on the travel circuit.

The upshot of that is that we'll be able to further fine-tune our rankings in the classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012, and there even were a couple of 2013 prospects who commanded notice on day two. more...

BRICK'S PICKS: TOC DAY TWO
May 23, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Today we were especially captivated by the performances, all in the 17-under division, of the Team Detroit duo of 6-1 Beverly Hills (MI) Detroit Country Day rising senior PG Ray McCallum (No. 15 nationally) and 6-5 Mt. Pleasant (MI) High rising senior WG Trey Zeigler (No. 46), 5-11 Memphis (TN) White Station rising senior PG Joe Jackson (No. 22) of the Memphis Magic Elite, 6-0 Marietta (GA) Walton rising senior PG Ryan Harrow (No. 47 and verbally committed to North Carolina State) of the Atlanta Celtics/J-Smoov, 6-7 Kinston (NC) High rising senior WF/WG Reggie Bullock (No. 11 and committed to North Carolina) of the CP3 All-Stars, 6-9 Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep rising senior BF Tristan Thompson (No. 4 and committed to Texas) of Grassroots Canada, and 6-8 Spotsylvania (VA) Courtland rising senior BF/WF Josh Hairston (No. 17 and committed to Duke) of DC Assault. Narrowly missing today’s list were... more

BRICK'S PICKS: TOC DAY ONE
May 22, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Each day at Bob Gibbons’ Tournament of Champions and at subsequent grassroots hoops events, we’ll provide details on the performances of our version of the Magnificent Seven prospects that particularly stood out when we viewed them in action. At TOC Day One, we watched parts of nine different 17-under games at UNC’s Dean E. Smith Center, and the most impressive players deserve special mention. more...

TOC: FRIDAY REPORT
May 22, 2009

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The 16th annual Tournament of Champions tipped off on Friday night in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park, taking place at the campuses of UNC, Duke, N.C. State and elsewhere.

Day one featured only three rounds of games, but there was plenty to discuss both where we were and elsewhere in the area. Let's take a look at some guys who stole headlines, starting with top-20 rising senior Roscoe Smith. more...

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND PREVIEW
May 22, 2009

This weekend always is a big one for grassroots hoops, and the marquee of the weekend is the Tournament of Champions in North Carolina. Headquartered at UNC but branching to Duke, N.C. State and other are schools, the TOC has been a fixture in the Triangle for 15-plus years.

The TOC field scored some major wins, getting not only many of the elite non-Nike backed teams but also getting some of those very Nike teams. more...

MELO'S RECRUITMENT ANYTHING BUT
May 22, 2009

Do you remember the scene in the movie "Blue Chips" where the college coaches have made their way down to the bayou to see a high school phenom (played by Shaq) in a gym that was essentially a metal barn without air conditioning?

Well, 7-0 C Fabricio de Melo from Weston (FL) Sagemont doesn't have quite the same story, but it isn't far off. more...

NEW RANKINGS & LISTS: 2011, 2012, JUCO

Prior to the unofficial opening of summer, Memorial Day Weekend, and its big-time grassroots basketball events, we've compiled new pre-summer rankings for the Class of 2011, a watch list for the Class of 2012 -- and both of those classes look strong! -- along with a list junior college prospects who will make their way to college campuses this fall.

Looking more closely at 2011, No. 1 Michael Gilchrist continues to maintain a stranglehold at the top of the list. To see the different rankings, just click here...

LATE SPRING COMMITMENTS
May 21, 2009

It's been a pretty busy week in terms of commitments, and now a slew of 2010 prospects are starting to make their picks rather than play through the summer and risk injury or simply losing out on a scholarship offer that may have gone to a different player. more...

CLASS OF 2010: PRE-SUMMER RANKINGS

Our readers are likely to be highly unsurprised by our choice for a new No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2010. IA WF Harrison Barnes was so good throughout the spring -- and chronicled here in-depth -- that it was a very easy decision to move him to the top spot in the class. That doesn't mean he'll stay there, of course, but for now, Barnes is the man to beat in 2010.

Meanwhile, the top 10 looks largely the same as it has in the past. The real drama in the class is beginning to take shape from spots 15-50, where there is a great deal of parity and a razor-thin difference between the top and bottom players of that group. more...

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