Now that Andrew Wiggins has ended the drama and made his choice to attend Kansas we can finalize our 2013 NCAAB team rankings. The talk of this class has been dominated by Kentucky but with the Wiggins signing Kansas comes in at a close 2nd. While there is little doubt the Kentucky class has the most pure talent the Kansas class seems to “fit” better with players with different specialties and the wonder kid Wiggins.
1) Kentucky – There was no doubt that the Kentucky class would top everyone’s list this year as there are not 3, not 4, not 5, but SIX 5-star players coming to play for the Wildcats in 2013-2014. Julius Randle is the jewel of the class but Kentucky’s success next year will depend onthe 6’5” Harrison twins. This group of eight talented players has size, skill and depth. It will be very interesting to see how they all play together.
Class – Julius Randle, Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, Dakari Johnson, James Young, Marcus Lee, Derek Willis, Dominique Hawkins
2) Kansas – The Jayhawks lost all 5 of their starters from last year. No worries. This recruiting class was incredible before Andrew Wiggins hopped on board. Wiggins’ insane talent combined with the incredible skill of forward Wayne Selden and defensive skills of big center Joel Embiid will have fans forgetting about former groups and looking deep into the tournament. Conner Frankamp is the best shooter in the class and Brannen Greene can light the nets as well.
Class – Andrew Wiggins, Wayne Selden, Joel Embiid, Brannen Greene, Conner Frankamp, Frank Mason
3) Memphis – This extremely balanced and talented group is led by Austin Nichols, who has impressed us through the years is finally getting the credit he deserves. Kuran Iverson has the ability to dominate several positions. The guards can hold their own. Great haul for the Tigers.
Class – Austin Nichols, Kuran Iverson, Nick King, Markel Crawford, Rashawn Powell
4) Arizona – A ton of talent on both ends of the floor is the best way to describe the small, but explosive group of players coming to the Wildcats. Star forward Aaron Gordon is an athletic freak who will cause heartaches for defenses every game, and small forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be an insane matchup for both offenses and defenses. Look out for this group next season.
Class – Aaron Gordon, Rondae Jefferson, Elliott Pitts
5) Duke – Another small class with 3 dynamic players. Parker is an incredible talent who will be the key into whether Duke can compete for a national title this year. Semi Ojeleye hase been lighting up Kansas for years. Matt Jones is a great scorer and leader.
Class – Jabari Parker, Semi Ojeleye, Matt Jones
6) Indiana – The Hoosiers lost 4 of their 5 starters after last year and have replaced that group with a lot of talent around the paint. The focus will mainly be on All-American power forward Noah Vonleh, who is a scoring threat both around the hoop and through his jumper. Troy Williams is super athletic but he needs to develop his all around game at the next level. Luke Fischer is a project that could be good by the time he leaves Bloomington.
Class – Noah Vonleh, Troy Williams, Stanford Robinson, Luke Fischer, Devin Davis, Collin Hartman
7) Louisville – Guards, guards and more guards. Most of the team that won the national championship this past year is returning and it appears as though the main focus was on attempting to replace star guard Peyton Siva. Chris Jones was the best JUCO PG and as long as he can replace Siva we could see a repeat champion next year.
Class – Anton Gill, Terry Rozier, Chris Jones, Akoy Agau
8 ) LSU – I know, crazy right? This is a football school. Well, not anymore. In case there were any doubts about size for the Tigers this coming season, there are certainly none after checking out this group. The class includes six players over 6’5”, and is led by 6’7” PF Jarrell Martin who is as fast as he is big and will be a huge threat for the LSU squad. Jordan Mickey should slide in next to Martin at the forward spot. Odoh and Malone are two big centers that are projects.
Class – Jarell Martin, Jordan Mickey, Tim Quarterman, John Odoh, Brian Bridgewater, Darcy Malone
9) Marquette – With the surprising departure of Vander Blue there are tons of holes to fill. With a solid freshman class including 5 talented scorers, the Golden Eagles could be back in the swing of things in the upcoming year. Look out for JaJuan Johnson – the tall guard with an excellent set of skills off the wing to make the fans forget about Blue. Duane Wilson will need to replace Junior Cadougan for the Golden Eagles to compete in the new Big East this year.
Class – JaJuan Johnson, Duane Wilson, Deonte Burton, Jameel McKay, John Dawson
10) Florida – This class only has two players but they are Top 10 players. Kasey Hill is a great point guard that is a winner and has high basketball IQ. Chris Walker is an athletic freak that will be a terror in the SEC.
Class – Kasey Hill, Chris Walker
Don’t agree with the rankings? Think your school should be ranked? Let us know about them in the comments section below!
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