Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
New York, NY (Future150) -- With the early signing period closed for a little over a week we have had plenty of time to digest these classes and take the time to rank them. While the #1 team, Kentucky, might not be a surprise, there was plenty of deliberation on the other nine teams. Here's how it all breaks down...
1. Kentucky: SG Aaron Harrison (#4 overall), PG Andrew Harrison (#6 overall), SG James Young (#9 overall), PF Marcus Lee (#14 overall), and PF Derek Willis (#104 overall)
Simply put, this class is loaded. The perimeter trio of the Harrisons and Young will be explosive. Marcus Lee will be a rim protector and Willis will be a long-term stretch 4. Look out, if Kentucky can land any one of Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, or Dakari Johnson, this UK class may go down as the best of all-time.
2. Memphis: PF Austin Nichols (#18 overall), SF Nick King (#28 overall), SF Kuran Iverson (#31 overall), SG Markel Crawford (#86 overall), and PG RaShawn Powell (#91 overall)
Josh Pastner has assembled a monster class in Memphis this year. Austin Nichols will give them their best interior player since Joey Dorsey. Nick King and Kuran Iverson are both versitile wings who can score the ball and create. Markel Crawford brings a solid skill set and should be a great defender. Powell will be the one charged with making this group go.
3. Kansas: SG Wayne Selden (#29 overall), SG Brannen Greene (#32 overall), PG Conner Frankamp (#41 overall) C Joel Embiid (#51 overall), and PG Frank Mason (#141 overall)
The Jayhawks have assembled a great class this year as well, bringing plenty of perimeter talent in. Wayne Selden can play all three perimeter spots and is an explosive athlete. Brannen Greene can get his shot whenever he wants due to his size. Frankamp will lead the way as a heady point guard who can find teammates and score it. Mason should provide speed and defense and will be a change of pace from Frankamp. Perhaps the most interesting player in the class is Joel Embiid. He's only played the game for 18 months now and is rapidly improving.
4. Indiana: SF Noah Vonleh (#11 overall), SF Troy Williams (#26 overall), SG Stanford Robinson (#56 overall), SF Collin Hartmann (#135 overall), PF Luke Fischer (N/R #43 PF), SG Devin Davis (N/R)
Indiana got out to an early start with Hartmann, Fischer and Davis all committed since last season. The real star power in this class comes in the form of three out-of-state players. Noah Vonleh is a combo forward with elite athleticism that should help to fill the void should Cody Zeller jump to the NBA after this season. Troy Williams is another elite athlete who could be a lockdown defender from day one. Stanford Robinson will spread defenses out with his shooting ability and should cause problems by putting the ball on the floor and getting into the lane.
5. Florida: PF Chris Walker (#7 overall), PG Kasey Hill (#10 overall)
Any time you can pull in two top ten recruits it's hard not to have a top class in the country. Billy Donovan recruited his backyard and came out with Florida Rams teammates Chris Walker and Kasey Hill. Hill is a lighting quick point guard who added a dangerous 3- point stroke this summer. Walker is a freak athlete that plays with a high motor and is just scratching the surface of his potential. In addition the Gators are still involved with some monster recruits such as Julius Randle, Dakari Johnson, and Jabari Parker.
6. UNC: PF Isaiah Hicks (#12 overall), PG Nate Britt (#36 overall), C Kennedy Meeks (#40 overall)
UNC has reloaded their frontcourt yet again with this years class. Hicks is a prototypical Tar Heel power forward in the sense that he is long, athletic and skinny. Nate Britt is a pass first lead guard who is more than capable of running the team in his first year and should give Marcus Paige some time off the ball. Kennedy Meeks is arguably the best outlet passing big man since Kevin Love. He uses his size well in the paint and catches everything. This group should mesh well with the existing talent in Chapel Hill.
7. Marquette: SG JaJuan Johnson (#42 overall), SF Deonte Burton (#50 overall), PG John Dawson (#89 overall), PG Duane Wilson (#111 overall), PF Jameel McKay (JuCo)
Buzz Williams has brought in possibly his best class since taking over as the head man at Marquette. There is plenty of scoring punch in this group with JaJuan Johnson and Deonte Burton leading the way. Wilson is also capable of filling it up in a hurry. Dawson brings a certain toughness to this team and McKay is a do it all forward who picked Marquette over Indiana. Going forward this group should make some serious noise in the Big East.
8. Syracuse: PG Tyler Ennis (#43 overall), PF Tyler Roberson (#55 overall), SG Ron Patterson (#136 overall), C Chinonso Obokoh (#46 Center), SF B.J. Johnson (N/R)
The Orange have assembled a strong group heading into their first season of ACC play. They have their backcourt of the future in Ennis and Patterson. Ennis is a pass first point guard who can also hurt teams with his scoring ability. Patterson is a lockdown defender who will be a nightmare at the top of the Syracuse zone. Roberson is the type of long and athletic combo forward that Syracuse loves. Chinonso Obokoh will provide value at the back of the zone as a defensive stalwart. B.J. Johnson has yet to reach his potential and could be a monster sleeper in the class of 2013.
9. North Carolina State: PG Anthony Barber (#15 overall), C BeeJay Anya (#45 overall), PF Kyle Washington (N/R)
The Wolfpack sneak into our initial rankings thanks in large part to two top 50 recruits. Anthony Barber is a blur with the ball and should push Tyler Lewis for playing time as soon as he steps foot on campus. Anya is a space eater in the middle and will give N.C. State a player capable of scoring on the block. Kyle Washington is finally reaching his considerable potential and should break into our top 150 during our next update
10. Louisville: SG Anthon Gill (#44 overall), C Akoy Agau (#64 overall), PG Terry Rozier (#88 overall), PG Chris Jones (JuCo)
Rick Pitino brings in yet another powerful class this season, loading up on perimeter talent. Gill is a smooth scoring shooting guard and Rozier is proving he should be bumped up in our next rankings thanks to a great start at Hargrave Military Academy this year. Agau will continue the line of athletic big men that anchor the Louisville defense. Chris Jones is widely regarded as the best JuCo prospect in the nation. This group will be fun to watch.
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