Cats #2 In Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Class

May 6, 2010

Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst

Five schools enter the 2010 national team recruiting rankings, and a couple schools jumped into the top 10 with late additions to their classes.

Kentucky makes the largest splash, jumping into the rankings at No. 2 thanks to the spring signings of Enes Kanter (No. 3), Brandon Knight (No. 6) and Doron Lamb (No. 21). If Kentucky were to land Terrence Jones, who has yet to decide between UK and Washington, the Wildcats would take over the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. The signing period ends May 19.

Texas' two-man class checks in at No. 8. Though the group is small, it is comprised of premier prospects at their respective positions. Cory Joseph (No. is an elite point guard prospect and Tristan Thompson (No. 17) is a five-star post player.

Georgetown takes the No. 17 spot with the additions of Rivals150 prospects Moses Abraham (No. 95) and Aaron Bowen (No. 136).

The movement of Allen Crabbe (No. 69) up the rankings and the addition of Emerson Murray places California at No. 21.

The signing of Josh Selby, the No. 1 ranked prospect in the Rivals150, allowed Kansas to move into the rankings at No. 23.

North Carolina State and Missouri moved into the top 10 with significant spring signees. C.J. Leslie propelled North Carolina State to the No. 5 spot. The top junior college prospect in the country, Ricardo Ratliffe, helped move Missouri to No. 6.

With Kentucky's entry into the rankings, the SEC is now tied with the ACC with five schools in the rankings. The ACC, however, has three of its schools ranked in the top 10; Kentucky and Tennessee are the SEC programs in the top 10.

The Big 12 and Big East have four schools apiece in the rankings. The Big Ten and the Pac-10 have three representatives each. Memphis represents Conference USA with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country.

2010 Team Rankings

1. Memphis

2010 commits (National rank)
SG Will Barton (11)
SF Jelan Kendrick (15)
PG Joe Jackson (18)
C Tarik Black (54)
SG Chris Crawford (72)
PG Antonio Barton
C Hippolyte Tsafack First-year coach Josh Pastner secured a significant commitment when elite shooting guard Will Barton turned down a number of other programs to play for the Tigers. Pastner then defended his home turf and secured a commitment from Memphis native Jackson, giving the Tigers the most dynamic backcourt in the 2010 recruiting class. This five-star backcourt is strengthened even further with the addition of Crawford. Another Memphis native, Crawford is a four-star shooting guard known for his marksmanship from behind the arc. Joining Barton, Jackson and Crawford in Memphis will be Will Barton's brother Antonio, who is a solid three-star point guard prospect. Pastner finished off his class during the early signing period with signatures from Kendrick, a versatile and elite perimeter player, and Black, a high-energy rebounder and shot blocker.

2. Kentucky

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Enes Kanter (3)
PG Brandon Knight (6)
SG Doron Lamb (21)
SF Stacey Poole (33 ) John Calipari and his staff lost plenty when the likes of John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson and Daniel Orton declared for the draft. However, filling those departures with the likes of Kanter, Knight, Lamb and Poole is a great start on rebuilding. A strong five-star prospect, Kanter is a Turkish import who dazzled during the Hoops Summit. Fellow five-star standout Knight should be able to step right in and take over the controls of the dribble-drive offense. Poole gives the Wildcats an athletic slasher on the wing who can get hot from 3-point range. Of course, Kentucky is in the thick of the Terrence Jones sweepstakes. A commitment from the Oregon forward would likely catapult their class to the No. 1 spot.

3. Ohio State

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Jared Sullinger (5)
PF Deshaun Thomas (22)
SG Jordan Sibert (39)
PG Aaron Craft (111)
SG Lenzelle Smith Jr. (132)
PF J.D. Weatherspoon (135) Ohio State is in familiar territory near the top of the recruiting rankings. Thad Matta has plucked some of the top prospects in his region, creating a formidable seven-man class. Sullinger is the premier post player in 2010, while Thomas, a fellow five-star, is one of the top scoring forwards in the country. Sibert and Craft have a strong chemistry as backcourt teammates on the All Ohio Red travel squad. Smith is a unique player with a feel for passing the ball, and Weatherspoon is a tremendous athlete with a lot of potential.

4. North Carolina

2010 commits (National rank)
SF Harrison Barnes (2)
SG Reggie Bullock (10)
PG Kendall Marshall (32) Coach Roy Williams beat out Duke to land Barnes, the No. 2 prospect in the Rivals150, in one of the more intense recruiting sagas in recent years. Barnes joins Bullock, a five-star shooting guard with size and a pure shooting stroke. Marshall is a polished point guard who has a natural feel for the position. He has been performing like a college-ready player for the past couple of years.

5. North Carolina State

2010 commits (National rank)
PF C.J. Leslie (14)
PG Ryan Harrow (24)
PG Lorenzo Brown (36) No matter how hard he tried, Leslie just couldn't quite shake Sidney Lowe and N.C. State. An athletic forward who committed to the Wolfpack early only to back off, the five-star standout found his way back just in time to give the class a huge boost. In the backcourt, five-star point guard Harrow is as explosive as they come and has consistently put up huge numbers. Originally a member of the N.C. State's 2009 class, the four-star Brown is a big guard who is versatile enough to play the one, two or three.

6. Missouri

2010 commits (National rank)
SF Tony Mitchell (15)
PG Phil Pressey (61)
PF Ricardo Ratliffe
SG Ricky Kreklow
PF Kadeem Green
SG Matt Pressey Coach Mike Anderson has been known for overachieving with under-the-radar prospects, but this class has some star power at the top. Mitchell is an elite athlete with promising upside as a big-time wing scorer. Pressey is a dynamic ball-handler who can also score while running the point. During the spring, Anderson dipped into the junior college ranks to snag perhaps the nation's premier JUCO big man in Ratliffe and Pressey's older brother Matt - who earned All-American honors as a guard. Three-star prospects Green and Kreklow round out the class.

7. Syracuse

2010 commits (National rank)
C Fabricio de Melo (16)
SG Dion Waiters (29)
PF C.J. Fair (94)
C Baye Moussa Kieta There is a distinct international flavor to Syracuse's four-man recruiting class. The jewel of the class is de Melo, a highly skilled 7-footer from Brazil. Not far behind him talent-wise is Waiters, a physical combo guard. Fair is a versatile forward, and rounding out the class is Moussa Kieta - who is a shot-blocking specialist from Sudan.

8. Texas

2010 commits (National rank)
PG Cory Joseph (
PF Tristan Thompson (17) Though Rick Barnes' team signed just two players, the newcomers make for a monster class. A point guard with a sublime feel for the game and outside scoring pop, Joseph fills a major need for the Longhorns. Thompson is a strong, skilled presence on the interior. Perhaps even more importantly, Joseph and Thompson will arrive on campus with a great deal of chemistry after playing with each other for years on both the grassroots circuit and at Findlay Prep.

9. Tennessee

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Tobias Harris (7)
SG Jordan McRae (47)
SG Trae Golden (63) The Tennessee class jumped into the top five behind the signing of Tobias Harris, the No. 5 prospect in the Rivals150. Tennessee previously had landed a formidable one-two scoring punch with the backcourt duo of McRae and Golden. McRae is a rangy wing player who can score off the catch and the dribble. Golden is a physical combo guard who thrives off scoring off the dribble.

10. Duke

2010 commits (National rank)
PG Kyrie Irving (4)
PF Joshua Hairston (56)
PG Tyler Thornton (140)
SF Carrick Felix Duke landed an elite guard in Irving, who should be an immediate impact player as both a playmaker and scorer. Hairston, a steady four-star prospect, is an inside/outside threat at the forward position. Thornton is a physical and heady competitor who should be a solid role player for the Blue Devils. Rounding out the class is Felix, a noted high flyer and one of the top junior college prospects in the country.

11. Michigan State

2010 commits (National rank)
C Adreian Payne (20)
PG Keith Appling (38)
SF Russell Byrd (115)
PF Alex Gauna The inside/outside duo of Payne and Appling headline Michigan State's class. Payne is a long athlete with great potential, and Appling is one of the top scoring guards in the country. Whereas Appling loves to attack off the dribble, Byrd is a standout catch-and-shoot wing with size. Rounding out the four-man class is Gauna, a big man with upside.

12. Wake Forest

2010 commits (National rank)
SF Travis McKie (53)
SG J.T. Terrell (57)
PF Melvin Tabb (88)
C Carson Desrosiers (91)
PG Tony Chenault Wake Forest continues to recruit on a national scale. Its five-man class includes a quartet of four-star prospects. McKie and Tabb are versatile combo forwards. Terrell is a smooth shooting wing who is capable of scoring buckets in bunches. Desrosiers is a face-up big man with a soft shooting touch. Chenault is a tough Philly guard who loves to attack the rim.

13. Illinois

2010 commits (National rank)
C Meyers Leonard (31)
SF Jereme Richmond (35)
SG Crandall Head (84) Bruce Weber mined his home state for three highly regarded four-star prospects. Big things are expected from Richmond, who has been committed to the program since his freshman year. At nearly 7-feet tall, Leonard is athletic and progressively improving his skill game. Illinois hopes he develops into a dominant big man before the end of his career. Head, an athletic shooting guard who is the younger brother of former Illini star Luther Head, rounds out the class.

14. Marquette

2010 commits (National rank)
PG Vander Blue (24)
SF Jamail Jones (52)
PG Reggie Smith (112)
SF Jae Crowder
SG D.J. Newbill
PF Davante Gardner Coach Buzz Williams is bringing in the pieces for another high-powered backcourt. Blue, a five-star prospect, is considered one of the best combo guards in the country because of his skilled and physical play. Jones is a big-bodied wing who can do damage inside and outside. Smith is a monster athlete. During the Spring, Williams further bolstered the backcourt with the addition of the high scoring Newbill. A junior college standout, Crowder should be able to play either the wing or in the post. Gardner appears to be a late-blooming high school big with upside.

15. Connecticut

2010 commits (National rank)
SF Roscoe Smith (37)
SG Jeremy Lamb (76)
PG Shabazz Napier (98)
C Michael Bradley
PF Cleveland Melvin The Huskies got some late help from a pair of guys who initially figured to be part of the class of 2011. Napier is a high scoring four-star point guard, while Olander is a developing and skilled face-up four man. Smith is a highly ranked four-star with a versatile and athletic game. Lamb, who is also a four-star prospect, is a late-blooming wing scorer. Bradley is the type of big man that Jim Calhoun has had a lot of success with at UConn. After initially committing to the Huskies, undersized four man Cleveland Melvin reconsidered in the spring and is no longer a member of the class.

16. Stanford

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Dwight Powell (25)
SG Anthony Brown (65)
PG Aaron Bright
PF John Gage
PF Josh Huestis
PF Stefan Nastic Coach Johnny Dawkins is attracting some top talent to Stanford. Powell, a five-star prospect, is an athletic big man with an ever-improving skill game and loads of potential. Brown, a four-star wing with good skills, also has his best basketball ahead of him. Bright is a gritty point guard who shoots it well from behind the arc. Gage is a finesse four-man with deep shooting range, while Huestis is an athletic combo forward. Another power forward, Nastic will be a spring signee.

17. Georgetown

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Nate Lubick (55)
PG Markel Starks (80)
C Moses Abraham (95)
SF Aaron Bowen (136) John Thompson III's Hoyas enter the rankings thanks to a pair of late signees who rank in the Rivals 150. Headlining the four-man group is the hard-playing Lubick, who is also underappreciated as an athlete. Starks is a local four-star floor general who will be no stranger to Hoyas fans. Bolstering the lineup up front is four-star Abraham, who is a raw big with upside. Bowen, a one-time commit to Marquette, gives the Hoyas a long and slender wing athlete who has improved his scoring from deep.

18. UCLA

2010 commits (National rank)
C Josh Smith (23)
SG Tyler Lamb (41)
PG Lazeric Jones
SG Matt Carlino Coach Ben Howland landed the big man he coveted in Smith. A huge presence inside, Smith hopes to be the next great UCLA big man if he can shed some pounds. Joining Smith in the class is four-star guard Lamb, who is a do-everything type player on the perimeter. The Bruins also secured a commitment from Jones, who is a junior college standout. During the spring, combo-guard Carlino dumped his commitment to Indiana and moved up a class from 2011 in order to join the Bruins.

19. Florida

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Patric Young (27)
SF Casey Prather (71)
PF Will Yeguete
PF Cody Larson
PG Scottie Wilbekin It was a busy spring for Billy Donovan and the Gators. After addressing their lack of toughness with the beastly Young and hard-playing Prather in the Fall, the Gators added several pieces during the late signing period. A coaching change at Iowa allowed the underrated and skilled Larson to change his college destination. Slightly undersized, Yeguette earned admirers during the spring for his toughness and rebounding ability. Wilbekin is expected to finish up his high school classes early in order to help out his hometown program's backcourt. Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario isn't part of the 2010 class, but he has already proved to be a scoring guard on the high major level.

20. Virginia

2010 commits (National rank)
SG K.T. Harrell (30)
PF James Johnson (108)
SG Joe Harris (119)
PF Will Regan (148)
PF Akil Mitchell First-year Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett is off to a strong recruiting start. Harrell, his first recruit and most prized recruit, is a complete shooting guard with a competitive streak. Harris is a versatile swing man who can really shoot from outside. A big man who worked his way into a four-star ranking, Johnson should be a rugged athlete for Bennett. Joining Johnson on the front line is Regan, a big man who can grind it out down low and step out and knock down a jumper. Virginia also added a versatile swing man in Mitchell. Finally, the Cavs added a tough combo guard in Baron - who backed out of his commitment to play for his father at Rhode Island.

21. California

2010 commits (National rank)
SG Allen Crabbe (69)
PG Gary Franklin (78)
PF Richard Solomon (109)
SF Alex Rossi SG Emerson Murray Mike Montgomery and his staff are losing quite a bit to graduation, but the class of Crabbe, Franklin, Solomon, Rossi and Murray provides a solid foundation for the future. One of the fastest-rising players in the class of 2010, Crabbe is a super-sized wing. Franklin has long been noted for his toughness and ability to hit big shots. Solomon needs to add bulk, but he adds length and athleticism to the interior. Rossi is one of the top catch-and-shoot guys in his high school class. A product of Canada, the speedy and athletic Murray is the X-factor of the group. Sources familiar with the Canadian prep scene have indicated to Rivals.com that the Bears have unearthed a hidden gem.

22. South Carolina

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Damontre Harris (64)
PG Bruce Ellington (96)
PF R.J. Slawson (117)
SG Brian Richardson
PG Eric Smith Second-year coach Darrin Horn has created some impressive momentum on the recruiting front. His five-man class is led by Harris, a four-star big man with loads of potential. Ellington is a freakishly fast and strong four-star point guard. Slawson is another athletic post man with potential. Richardson, a scoring wing, and Smith - an athletic point guard - round out the class.

23. Kansas

2010 commits (National rank)
PG Josh Selby (1)
SG Royce Woolridge (120) While the Jayhawks have one scholarship remaining, there's little doubt that Bill Self and his staff are thrilled with their two-man class. Obviously, the addition of the dynamic Selby, the top rated recruit in the class of 2010, is huge. Selby is explosive, fast, athletic and appears to be built to play in Self's system - which features lots of ball screening. Meanwhile, Woolridge has been nothing less than a scoring machine on the high school level. He adds more quality depth to what was already looking like a strong group of perimeter players.

24. LSU

2010 commits (National rank)
SF Matt Derenbecker (77)
PG Andre Stringer (107)
SF Ralston Turner (142)
PG K.C. Ross-Miller (147)
PF Jalen Courtney Despite a rough 2009-10 campaign, coach Trent Johnson certainly has the LSU program moving in the right direction on the recruiting front. His 2010 recruiting class is led by Berenbecker, who is a highly skilled wing out of Louisiana. Stringer is a four-star point guard with a great long-range shot. Turner is also a shooter with a dose of athleticism on the wing. Adding help in the backcourt is Ross-Miller, a scoring point guard. Rounding out the class is Courtney, who is a versatile forward.

25. Baylor

2010 commits (National rank)
PF Perry Jones (9)
PG Stargell Love (149)
SG Bakari Turner Baylor is in the 2010 team recruiting rankings behind the enormously talented Jones. An exceptional athlete at 6 feet 10, Jones has the talent to be a program lifter his freshman year. Turner is an athletic wing scorer, and Love is a physical and competitive point guard.

It looks like the SEC is doing well in recruiting. The conference will not be down for long at this rate.