Six key topics halfway through the summer evaluation period

Six key topics halfway through the summer evaluation period

By Rob Harrington for USA TODAY
July's live recruiting period is divided into two segments: One runs from July 6-15 and the other extends from July 22-31. During this timeframe college coaches are allowed to attend camps and tournaments featuring the nation's best players and travel teams, and accordingly the grassroots landscape shifts dramatically in a matter of just a few weeks.

Now that the first period is finished and the second has begun, it's time to examine some of the central themes that have defined this year's travel circuit thus far:

1. Michael Gilchrist — Though he missed the first wave of shoe camps due to his responsibilities with USA Basketball's triumphant 17-under team, the 6-7 wing forward from New Jersey remains the top prospect in the rising senior class. At last week's Peach Jam in South Carolina, Gilchrist showcased improved athleticism to accompany his elite skills and intangibles.

An early commitment to Kentucky, Gilchrist has been overlooked somewhat due to a simple case of scouts' fatigue. Because he has been a national name for so long, it's easier to take his abilities for granted. That said, others such as fast-rising Chicago big man Anthony Davis may be able to make a legitimate claim for the top spot by the end of summer.

2. No news is news?—Class of 2011 prospects have been relatively slow in making their college decisions. There may be a couple explanations for this year's paucity of high-major pledges, but perhaps the primary issue is that the NCAA's increasing restrictions on when college coaches can watch players has slowed the pace of scholarship offers and the subsequent commitments.

Secondarily, some of the top players clearly have been inspired by the aggrandized announcements of other recent elites such as Harrison Barnes — who announced for North Carolina last fall on national television utilizing Skype— and Terrence Jones (Kentucky). In order to build the desired amount of drama, players are opting to lengthen the process and choose a TV-happy timeslot to declare a winner.

3. Fast forward— While the rising senior class obviously is the focus of everyone's attention this summer, there are murmurs from college coaches that the crop of big men in the Class of 2012 could be the best in years. Already, elite frontcourt prospects Andre Drummond (Oakdale, Conn.), DaJuan Coleman (DeWitt, N.Y.), Isaiah Austin (Arlington, Texas) and Khem Birch (Fitchburg, Mass.) have emerged as national elites.

4. Most fearsome— Because of his stacked first two recruiting classes at Kentucky, there can't be a more commanding recruiting presence at the moment than John Calipari. Of course, the Wildcats will need to convert their elite talent into Final Four appearances and more, but Calipari has cultivated a genuine brand that embraces the one-and-done concept and parlayed that brand into a highly compelling sales pitch.

Along the same lines, we know that elite players frequently make their college choice based on getting to the NBA as quickly as possible. Even when they say otherwise — mentioning geography, academics or playing time — the allure of getting to the NBA quickly is a formidable trump card.

5. Middling mid-majors— Everyone wondered heading into the spring whether Butler's advance to the national championship game would change the recruiting paradigm. If players begin to believe that they can earn more immediate playing time yet still compete for college basketball's grand prize, will more blue-chip prospects choose schools in mid-major conferences?

The answer to that question thus far — and again, a lot of decisions remain outstanding — is no, and the likely explanation resides above. Because the major conferences have closer ties to national television, and television exposure is linked to NBA exposure, high-majors still hold a clear advantage. As we saw during the conference expansion hullabaloo earlier this summer, television dictates terms at an institutional level, much less recruiting.

6. Sinful close— The primary action during the second leg of the evaluation period takes place in Las Vegas, where several national tournaments welcome elite teams and battle for attention from coaches and scouts. Several previously unknown high-major prospects surface at these events each year, and we expect the next week of games to follow that rule.

The other major venue in late July is Disney World in the Orlando area, where AAU championships take place for the 17-under division.

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Rob Harrington also writes for Prepstars.com.