Wednesday's Leftovers: KU's NCAA fallout; Illinois, Jalen Green
A plethora of activity along the recruiting trail over the past seven days has brought a slew of questions to tackle in this week’s Wednesday’s Leftovers, including Kansas’ outlook this fall, how Illinois can add to its backcourt, a Jalen Green and Dawson Garcia prediction, thoughts on Butler’s 2020 class, five-star reclassifications and Louisville’s recruiting misses.
MORE: Twitter Tuesday mailbag
Despite three Level I violations hanging over Kansas’ head, the Jayhawks seem to be in a pretty good spot with a number of high-level prospects. The Jayhawks received a commitment from junior college standout Tyon Grant-Foster who, to some, is perceived as one of the top-five junior college talents in the 2020 class.
Beyond Grant-Foster, KU sits in the final two for Isaiah Todd, who makes his commitment on Friday. Choosing between Kansas and Michigan, the Wolverines have garnered most of the talk, but Kansas does have a chance. The Jayhawks are also not out on Bryce Thompson, though Oklahoma and Oklahoma State may have a better chance now compared to before the NCAA penalties were first released.
KK Robinson and Moses Moody are two others they are involved for but, just as I had stated once the allegations were first released, KU is going to have to change the type of prospects they recruit for the next year or so until they get past the cloud hovering over its head. Instead, junior college talent like Grant-Foster, may become the norm, as they are also involved for Marial Mading. They will also have to take more development pieces that should produce deeper into their college careers in the mold of Gethro Muscadin, who they have a great chance with.
Yes, a very good shot. While I don’t think they are the clear leader for Andre Curbelo or Adam Miller, I also believe that they sit within a top-two or three for each. For Curbelo, most of the talked has centered around Miami, Oregon and the Illini. I will stamp the Hurricanes as the favorite, but Illinois is not far behind. Assistant coach Orlando Antigua has done a great job of recruiting Curbelo and will definitely have them in it until the very end.
On the other hand, Miller has been their top target in the 2020 class for the past year or so. The in-state prospect attended the same high school and played for the same travel program as current sophomore standout Ayo Dosunmu. Arizona State currently boasts my FutureCast selection, but I am not too far off from switching that to Illinois. Assistant coach Chin Coleman has done a great job of developing strong in-roads to Miller and his family.
Landing both would be tremendous for the Illini but I would expect one to say ‘yes’ to Brad Underwood.
I know many believe Jalen Green saying he will go to college is just lip service, but, with where things currently sit, I am fully confident that he will be found on a college campus this time next year. He has already visited Auburn, Memphis, Oregon and USC, and could potentially visit Fresno State and UCLA before making his college decision on Christmas Day.
Oregon gained most of the talk in recent weeks, but I am not buying it. I have stuck with Memphis for over a year now and am not budging. The Tigers have created a great relationship with Green and his family and not much has changed since he took a junior year official visit alongside RJ Hampton last September. Memphis is my pick and barring anything unforeseen, he will give Penny Hardaway his commitment on Dec. 25.
I am going to say Marquette for now, but I am not entirely confident, especially with a visit ahead to Indiana. Memphis and Minnesota have hosted him in recent weeks and while each should have a chance, the feeling is that it will come down to a battle between the Hoosiers and the Golden Eagles. Marquette has been the often-discussed leader for him, yet no one has picked up greater momentum within his recruitment than Archie Miller’s bunch. He will visit Bloomington on Oct. 25 and is slated to sign in November. Could his visit be enough to turn the tides and push Garcia towards the Hoosiers? Expect for a decision to be made within the coming weeks.
I really, really like it. LaVall Jordan and his staff did a great job of pin-pointing a select group of prospects to pursue which all fall boast the talent level and intangibles they are looking for.
Currently sitting with a top-10 class in the 2020 team rankings, the Bulldogs have their future backcourt in store with Myles Tate and Chuck Harris. Each can play on and off of the ball and should only be supported further by Scooby Johnson, a throwback small forward that can be used in a playmaking role.
Jakobe Coles is a big body out of Texas that is great from the high-post on in, while Myles Wilmoth is a budding talent that should develop in due time and contribute with his rim running and rim protecting. Together, the five-man group should keep the Butler Way intact and win its fair share of games during its four-year stay in Indianapolis.
That is a difficult one, but it also could be a predicament that we will have to deal with in the coming months, at least for one of the two. I am now highly pessimistic that Paolo Banchero will reclassify into the 2020 but rather, will stick with his original 2021 class which would see one winning program build its entire roster around him. Let’s say that is not the case, though, and he decides to enroll in college next fall. He would likely have a strong say for top-10 inclusion and be slotted as the top power forward prospect nationally.
Devin Askew, on the other hand, is someone that I see reclassifying, though that decision will likely not be made until later in the year. I am a bit higher on him compared to others, so I might have some pushback for where he would be slotted. He is the best point guard in the 2021 class and I could see him fighting with Daishen Nix, who is sitting at 14th overall, for who the third best point guard recruit is nationally, behind Cade Cunningham and Jalen Suggs.
It might not be the comfort that you’re looking for, but it just happens in recruiting. For as successful as last fall was for Louisville, it has been that dissatisfying this fall. The tides are going to change, but for now, things are not looking great and really, there was not a whole lot Chris Mack and his staff could have done that would have changed their recruiting downfalls.
Don’t forget, it was just last year that we wondered how Kentucky was going to respond after missing on James Wiseman, Vernon Carey and then Isaiah Stewart, and North Carolina with Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Matt Hurt, Tre Mann, and Josh Green each declining the Tar Heels’ offer.
Askew could pick the Cards, but again, that could be a sweepstakes they lose to Kentucky or Memphis. Caleb Love was swayed by replacing Cole Anthony at UNC and having the ball in his hands from the get-go. Things just didn’t work out with Nimari Burnett and the recruitment of Deivon Smith soured in the end.
Things will change at Louisville. In the meantime, Cards fans should take excitement for the year ahead that could see their team playing on the final weekend on the college basketball calendar.