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Jonathan Watters · 10-09-2003, 11:50 AM

With Brian Johnson's commitment to Louisville, who has the top class for 2004?

Texas

Top 20 PF Mike Williams
Top 20 PF/C LaMarcus Aldridge
Top 25 PG Daniel Gibson
Top 50 WF Dion Dowell
C Connor Atchley

Indiana

Top 5 WF/PF Josh Smith
Top 20 PF DJ White
Top 50 WG Robert Vaden
Top 75 WF James Hardy
Top 75 WG AJ Ratliff

North Carolina

Top 5 PF Marvin Williams
Top 20 WG JR Smith
Top 75 PG/WG JamesOn Curry
Top 75 PG Quentin Thomas

Louisville

Top 25 PF Brian Johnson
Top 75 WG Lorenzo Wade
#1 JUCO SF Donta Smith
C Terrance Farley
Louisville likely will get Top 10 PG Sebastian Telfair eventually.

With Telfair, I think the Cardinals might have it!

And MY, there are some monster classes out there this year!

**HKF** · 10-09-2003, 02:11 PM

The funny thing about all of those classes is that each school is liable to lose someone to the pro ranks.

Texas is gonna lose Aldridge, that kid has one eye on the league and will jump.

Indiana is gonna lose Josh Smith, he is porjected as a top 12 pick.

UNC might lose Marvin Williams. I won't rule it out if he dominates the fall season like he did during the summer. He might play his way up above Josh.

Louisville, I only put them up here because Telfair might be stupid enough to try and go pro right out of HS. I sure hope he doesn't.

Jonathan Watters · 10-09-2003, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by newmessiah10!
The funny thing about all of those classes is that each school is liable to lose someone to the pro ranks.

Texas is gonna lose Aldridge, that kid has one eye on the league and will jump.

Indiana is gonna lose Josh Smith, he is porjected as a top 12 pick.

UNC might lose Marvin Williams. I won't rule it out if he dominates the fall season like he did during the summer. He might play his way up above Josh.

Louisville, I only put them up here because Telfair might be stupid enough to try and go pro right out of HS. I sure hope he doesn't.

You are correct, for the most part.

Aldridge is a definite possibility, though his lackluster play this summer might make him think twice. If he goes to Texas, watch out.
Chance to go pro: 60%

Not only is Josh Smith a lock to go pro, the reality is that Indiana has already recruited over him, and are looking to add recruit #6 to their class right now.
Chance to go pro: 80%

I think UNC will get Marvin Williams for at least a year. He's guaranteed playing time in their thin frontcourt, and UNC's track record for producing NBA players is going to help as well. From the interviews that I've read, he doesn't seem like the kind of kid is looking to jump.
Chance to go pro: 20%

Sebastian Telfair clearly wants to go to the league, but common sense might just reign in this situation. He's got family that will obviously have a good grasp on the situation (Stephon left afer a year in college made himself a lotto pick - Zach ignored good advice and hasn't been heard from since). I think Telfair ends up at Louisville for a year.
Chance to go pro: 30%

The other class that could potentially be mentioned in the same breath as the four above is Stan Heath's at Arkansas.

Top 5 PF Al Jefferson
Top 40 C Steven Hill
Top 75 PF Darian Townes
WF Marcus Monk (easy top 100, but on football scholly)
Top 30 PG Kyle Lowry a definite possibility

Arkansas faces the same question every other school on this list does, but Jefferson is like Telfair in that he needs to attend college for a couple of years.

Lowry is rumored to be on the verge of a commitment to Villanova, but I have to wonder about that. Villanova will have Derrick Snowden for a year and Michael Nardi for 3 years, competing for time at the PG spot. Arkansas, on the other hand, has a gaping hole at PG. He would come right in and start from day one, for a program that is clearly going to be among the nation's best within a couple of seasons.

Unless Lowry really wants to stay close to home, Arkansas seems like the logical destination.

**HKF** · 10-09-2003, 02:47 PM

That's right because Snowden is out for the season.

But if Lowry does go to Arkansas he isn't going to be starting as a freshman. Not with Kendrick Davis and Eric Ferguson there. They will be juniors when he arrives. So he will still have to wait for playing time for at least 2 years.

But Arkansas is in the same position too and since when is Darrian Townes going to Arkansas and not Georgetown. Man Craig Esherick is gonna get canned.

Jonathan Watters · 10-09-2003, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by newmessiah10!

But if Lowry does go to Arkansas he isn't going to be starting as a freshman. Not with Kendrick Davis and Eric Ferguson there. They will be juniors when he arrives. So he will still have to wait for playing time for at least 2 years.

Davis and Ferguson? Eesh...

Really ugly numbers last year. Neither shot even close to 40% from the floor, and both averaged more turnovers than assists.

I realize that they were freshmen, but these are signs of being overmatched. Davis is more of a 2-guard anyways.

With the kind of talent Heath is bringing in, PG is clearly the hole for Razorback program right now. If Ferguson doesn't show improvement, he'll get shown the door or the pine, especially if a guy like Kyle Lowry is on his way.

**HKF** · 10-09-2003, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blabla97!

Davis and Ferguson? Eesh...

Really ugly numbers last year. Neither shot even close to 40% from the floor, and both averaged more turnovers than assists.

I realize that they were freshmen, but these are signs of being overmatched. Davis is more of a 2-guard anyways.

With the kind of talent Heath is bringing in, PG is clearly the hole for Razorback program right now. If Ferguson doesn't show improvement, he'll get shown the door or the pine, especially if a guy like Kyle Lowry is on his way.

Rumors out of Fayetteville is that Ferguson has become much improved and I doubt that Lowry is good enough to take PT away from a Junior who has had whole 2 seasons of starting major SEC basketball in Ferguson. With Olu, Brewer, Modica, Davis, Hunter, Jones and Pharis, Eric will have a lot of help. He should perform a lot better this year especially because Charles Tatum is back from injury. He won't have to play 36 minutes a night anymore.

But adding Lowry would be good for the Razorbacks future, however he would not start as a frosh.

**kansasalumn** · 10-09-2003, 04:53 PM

Add Missouri and Kansas
(rankings from insiders)
Missouri-

PG, Jason Horton, #10 ranking
SG, Glen Dandridge, #24 ranking
SF. Marshall Brown, #14 ranking
C, Kalen Grimes, #11 ranking

Eagle and pharcyde can tell you more about them. That is a very impressive class. Grimes will take over Johnson's slot, Brown would most likely take Pauldings spot. They get a much needed Point guard in Horton. That is a very nice class, most likly a Top 5 class in the nation

Kansas-

C, Alexander Kaun, #4 ranking
PG, Russell Robinson, #6 ranking
PF, Darnell Jackson, #21 ranking

This is not a too shabby of a class for Bill Self's first class at Kansas. This has a chance to be a top 5 class too. With Graves graduating and possible for SImien to leave early (totally doubtful with injuries), this is a nice replacement class, and Robinson who would be groom to possibley become a starter after Miles leave. The following class, I see Kansas go after a PG, SF, and PF.

Not including these classes as the top 2004 classes is a shame. Very good classes here

**HKF** · 10-09-2003, 07:11 PM

kansasalum,

are those rankings that you have next to the players names, their positional rankings, I am a little unsure.

Jonathan Watters · 10-09-2003, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kansasalumn!
Add Missouri and Kansas
(rankings from insiders)
Missouri-

PG, Jason Horton, #10 ranking
SG, Glen Dandridge, #24 ranking
SF. Marshall Brown, #14 ranking
C, Kalen Grimes, #11 ranking

Eagle and pharcyde can tell you more about them. That is a very impressive class. Grimes will take over Johnson's slot, Brown would most likely take Pauldings spot. They get a much needed Point guard in Horton. That is a very nice class, most likly a Top 5 class in the nation

Kansas-

C, Alexander Kaun, #4 ranking
PG, Russell Robinson, #6 ranking
PF, Darnell Jackson, #21 ranking

This is not a too shabby of a class for Bill Self's first class at Kansas. This has a chance to be a top 5 class too. With Graves graduating and possible for SImien to leave early (totally doubtful with injuries), this is a nice replacement class, and Robinson who would be groom to possibley become a starter after Miles leave. The following class, I see Kansas go after a PG, SF, and PF.

Not including these classes as the top 2004 classes is a shame. Very good classes here

Missouri and Kansas are in that next group, along with Florida State, Duke, Memphis, UCLA, and a few others that I probably forgotten. Both have nice classes, but neither is on a level with Indiana, Texas, or UNC.

And those look like position rankings to me. What I listed above are national rankings, followed by the position. Here's what Missouri and Kansas' classes look like - compare them to the ones listed above.

Kansas

Top 30 C Alexander Kaun
Top 40 SG Russell Robinson
Top 75 PF Darnell Jackson

Missouri

Top 40 PG Daniel Horton
Top 50 SF Marshall Brown
Top 50 PF Kalen Grimes
SF Glen Dandridge (not ranked)

Neither class features a mega-prospect like the ones above, but both represent groups of players that are going to continue the winning traditions of their prospective schools. I am still amazed that Quinn Snyder can recruit so well when his program is under such scrutiny.

**kansasalumn** · 10-09-2003, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by newmessiah10!
kansasalum,

are those rankings that you have next to the players names, their positional rankings, I am a little unsure.

I just check, position rankings

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