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Star
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,149
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My Ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes of 2004 (part 1)
My system is somewhat based on the RSCI’s, but there are several crucial differences. I give points for each individual service’s (rivals, insiders, prepstars, hoopscoop) ranking, and also add bonuses for being ranked at a certain level. This way, I can give out points for players that aren’t in the top 100 on all the lists. I also (more subjectively) include JC recruits and transfers.
There is also the issue of the way that Hoopscoop ranks prep players separately, but I have found a way to approximate that ranking. Unfortunately, this means I have to rank these players separately. If you see a prep player, keep in mind that their ranking is an “equivalent” type.
This system is far from perfect. Where many people complain about Hoopscoop for ranking quantity over quality, my system may rate quality too highly.
Here’s an approximate look at what certain types of recruits receive:
Top 10 – 500 points
Top 25 – 400 Points
Top 50 – 300 Points
Top 75 – 200 Points
Top 100 – 125 Points
Top 200 – 75 Points
Unranked – 40 Points
Here are classes 1-10. I will post 11-20 tomarrow. If you have any questions about an individual class or would like to see the rankings in their entirety, respond here or PM me.
1 – Texas – 1864 Points
#12 Mike Williams, BF
#14 LaMarcus Aldridge, BF/C
#15 Daniel Gibson, PG
#44 Dion Dowell, WF
Top 200 Connor Atchley, C
Transfter Kenny Taylor, SG
This is easily the top class of 2004. Gibson is TJ Ford’s heir apparent, while Mike Williams (interior toughness) and LaMarcus Aldridge (athletic perimeter play) offer different frontcourt styles. All three are McDonald’s All-Americans. Whether Texas can hold on to the top spot depends entirely on the future plans of Aldridge. Even if Aldridge goes pro, this is a top-5 classes.
2 – Indiana – 1791 Points
#4 Josh Smith, WF/BF
#11 DJ White, PF
#37 Robert Vaden, WF
#62 AJ Ratliff, WG
#66 James Hardy, WF
Lots of big names for Mike Davis, but the 2004 Hoosier class isn’t as diverse as Texas’. There are four wings and an undersized PF here, which is going to lead to some serious playing time struggles. The other issue is attempting to keep future NBA star Josh Smith out of the league for a couple of years. It’s almost a foregone conclusion that he’ll bolt – so much so, that Davis is still earnestly recruiting 7-foot center Robert Rothbart.
3 – North Carolina – 1494 points
#5 Marvin Williams, WF/BF
#11* JR Smith, WG
#45 JamesOn Curry, WG
#64 Quentin Thomas, PG
Roy Williams did add one big man, but the UNC frontcourt still looks a bit thin. However, that’s about the only complaint one could make here. Williams and Smith may be the top players at their respective positions. Thomas is insurance in the even that Ray Felton bolts to the league. The Tar Heels are still looking for a big man, but are out of scholarships.
4 – Memphis – 1312 points
#16 Shawne Williams, WF
#19 Darius Washington, WG
#78 Robert Dozier, WF/BF
#88* Richard Dorsey, BF
UR Kareem Cooper, C
Transfer Simplice Njoya, BF/C
John Calipari has loaded up on big men here. Whether there is enough playing time to go around for this group is still to be decided. WG Washington will follow in the footsteps of Memphis’ previous undersized 2-guard DaJuan Wagner. Athletic WF Williams has shot up the rankings of late. Dorsey and Dozier will both be solid 4-year contributors, while Calipari decided to take a flier on the massive Kareem Cooper. Duquesne transfer Simplice Njoya only clutters things up even more. Chemistry and conference membership aside, this class assures that Memphis will be stocked with top-tier talent for years to come.
5 – UCLA – 1163 points
#23 Jordan Farmar, PG
#27 Aaron Afflalo, WG
#56 Josh Shipp, WF
#85 Lorenzo Mata, BF
Ben Howland shocked the world by landing two of the west’s top players within weeks of taking over at UCLA. Farmar was one of the summer’s top floor leaders, and Afflalo will be the perfect wing compliment. Also added were summer risers Shipp and Mata. The Bruins could use another big man, but this class is only the beginning of UCLA’s return to prominence.
6 – Arkansas – 1100 points
#3 Al Jefferson, BF
#46 Steven Hill, C
#71* Darian Townes, BF
Top 200 Marcus Monk, WF
Like Howland at UCLA, it hasn’t taken Stan Heath long to make his presence known on the deep south recruiting scene. Man-monster Al Jefferson is a landmark recruit, provided Heath can steer him away from the NBA for a season or two. Also on board are two scary shot blockers in Hill and Townes. Hill is somewhat of a project, but the upside is strong. Townes was a one-time Georgetown commit, before heading to prep school this fall. Monk would be ranked higher if he wasn’t on football scholarship. The Razorbacks are in need of a PG and are very much in the mix for top 40 floor general Kyle Lowry.
7 – Kansas – 966 points
#21 Alexander Kaun, C
#36 Russell Robinson, PG/WG
#68 Darnell Jackson, BF
The fourth new coach on this list, Bill Self has already shown that the talent level coming into the Jayhawk program isn’t going to drop off any time soon. Self snatched up Jackson after he impressed early in the summer circuit. The Jayhawks nabbed Kaun, a rare true 7-footer, after a vicious recruiting battle with Duke. Robinson was the team leader of the summers most successful AAU team, the New York Gauchos. The only thing keeping this class out of the top 5 is that Self only had three rides to give.
8 – Missouri – 963 points
#42 Jason Horton, PG
#47 Kalen Grimes, PF
#49 Marshall Brown, WF
Top 200 Glen Dandridge, WF
Despite the haze hanging over his Missouri program, Quinn Snyder continues to get it done on the recruiting path. There isn’t a Linas Kleiza here, but four very solid, four-year players. Horton’s older brother Daniel stars at Michigan, and he shares many of the same traits. Grimes was once ranked much higher, but injuries and inconsistency have slowed down the hype machine a bit. Brown has risen fast in the rankings.
9 – Alabama – 886 points
#43 Ron Steele, PG
#65 Glenn Miles, WG
#73 Albert Weber, WG
JC Transfer Noel Felix, WF
Mark Gottfried seems to be going a different direction, after being burned by NBA early entrants like Gerald Wallace, Rod Grizzard, and Mo Williams over the past several seasons. Where last year he brought in three borderline top 100 big men, this year is all about the guards. Steele, Miles, and Weber are all high-quality, local talents that aren’t going to skip to the league just when things are turning around. Felix is one of the top two or three JC wings in his class.
10 – Florida – 864 points
#22 Corey Brewer, WF
#40* Joakim Noah, PF
#88 Taurean Green, PG
Billy Donovan continues to excel on the recruiting path. Brewer, a lockdown defender, exploded soon after he committed. Green is another ballhandler type that will thrive in the uptempo system. Noah could be the prize of the class. The son of former tennis great Yannick Noah, he came out of nowhere to move into national top 50 lists this summer.
11 – Mississippi State – 813 points
#39* Jackie Butler, C
#48 Charlie Rhodes, PF
Top 200 Charlie White, PG
Top 200 Jerrell Houston, WF
Rick Stansbury seems to be thinking a lot like Gottfried, after losing numerous recruits to the NBA over the past several seasons. While this high ranking is dependant on ever-looking-to-the-NBA Jackie Butler actually showing up at MSU, Rhodes, White, and Houston will all contribute during a longer stay.
* = prep school player, equivalent ranking
Last edited by blabla97 : 10-14-2003 at 07:28 AM.
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My Ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes of 2004 (part 1)
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