The biggest news this week in Pac-12 recruiting was that Darin Johnson, a 6’4″ three-star shooting guard out of Sacramento, chose Washington over Oregon. That was a big get for Lorenzo Romar and really sets up his class nicely with Johnson and Nigel Williams-Goss, setting up a potentially lethal backcourt for the Huskies in the future.
Last week, we previewed half of the Pac-12’s recruiting hauls for the upcoming season and now here’s the other half…
Oregon Ducks
Commitments so far:
Tyree Robinson- 3 stars, ranked 12oth nationally by Rivals. 6’3″ 190 lbs. Robinson is an explosive combo guard who can take players off the dribble and pull up in the lane with a floater. He can also score from beyond the arc. His mid-range game needs work, but he doesn’t have to use it often because of his ability to get to the basket. At times, his speed gets the best of him, but overall he is an elite guard in the 2013 class.
Tyrell Robinson– 3 stars by Rivals and 2 stars by ESPN. 6’3 190 lbs. Robinson is a better mid-range scorer than his brother Tyree, and is more of a passer as well. He can get into the lane with the same ease, but doesn’t have a great three-point shot. His defense is very sound as he can move well laterally and get right in the opponents’ body without fouling. Overall, he’s a lesser prospect than his brother, but brings better defense and passing.
Both recruits are planning on playing football for the Ducks but want to play basketball as well. It should be interesting to see how Dana Altman handles it. Although it’s clear Oregon is a football school, both of these kids have potential to be great future additions in the backcourt for the Ducks.
Recruits they want: Here’s where it gets interesting for the Ducks. They lost out big time on Darin Johnson and Jabari Bird committed to Cal too early in the process for them to try to change his mind. There’s a lot of ways this recruiting class could shape up for them. They’re still in the hunt for Aaron Gordon, but as mentioned, there’s no certainty with him. They’re also high on Torren Jones, but another good pickup for them would be Jordan Bell.
Jordan Bell- 4 stars by Rivals, 3 stars by ESPN. Ranked 67th nationally by Rivals. 6’7″ 205 lbs. Bell is an unreal shot-blocker and his leaping ability is unmatched. He is still a work in progress because his frame isn’t entirely filled out, but his rebounding and energy around the rim stand out. He’s a willing and good passer as well and can run the floor. He has no outside shot yet and looks uncomfortable when given the ball in the post because he doesn’t have a true post move. Ultimately, Bell is turning into a can’t-miss prospect, though, because of his defensive prowess and explosiveness around the basket.
Stanford
Commitments so far:
Marcus Allen- 3 stars, ranked 133rd nationally by Rivals. 6’2″ 175 lbs. Allen is a very athletic player who wants the ball in his hands when his team needs to score. He’s not a complete player yet and doesn’t have one set skill that is better than any others. He could use work on his on his shot and handle, but he’s still a good overall player.
Malcolm Allen- 3 stars by Rivals, 2 stars by ESPN. 6’1″ 165 lbs. Malcolm Allen is not as good as his brother, Marcus, but he has good handles and can run an offense very well as a point guard. His shot is limited and although he’ll hit the occasional three, it still needs a lot of work. Both he and his brother are very smart individuals and should learn and improve with more time. Ultimately, Malcolm is a work in progress and will need to improve a good deal to have success at the college level.
Jabari Parker has narrowed it down to five teams and Stanford is lucky enough to be one of them. If they land, Parker, the Cardinal could be unstoppable.
Recruits they want:
Jabari Parker- 5 stars, ranked 1st nationally by ESPN, ranked 2nd nationally by Rivals. 6’8″ 220 lbs. Recently, Jabari Parker listed Stanford in his top five schools and Johnny Dawkins needs to do everything in his power to get this guy. There’s not a player better than Jabari Parker in the 2013 class and he’s often been compared to LeBron James. He’s an unreal talent that can literally do anything and everything. I wouldn’t count on Stanford getting him because Dawkins is not in the same league as Tom Izzo, Coach K or Billy Donovan at recruiting, however, Parker does not have the average mindset for a top overall recruit. Stanford has a chance after being mentioned in his top five and if they were able to get him, this team could immediately become a national championship contender.
Oregon State
Commitments so far:
L.J. Westbrook- 3 stars by Rivals, 2 stars by ESPN. 6’3″ 175 lbs. Westbrook is a good in-state get for Craig Robinson. He has good vision and hands and can get to the rim when necessary. He has work cut out for him at point guard as he still isn’t sound at the pick-and-roll and needs to develop his shot. Westbrook still has major room for growth and should improve if he can add weight to his frame.
Cheikh Ndyiaye- 2 stars. 6’11” 210 lbs. The first thing that stands out with Ndyiaye is his size. He doesn’t have the biggest frame, but he is a very tall man. He looks taller than 6’11” and some have him listed at 7’0″ and 7’1″, but whatever he is, he’s giant. Ndyiaye still needs to refine his offensive game a great deal. He has the occasional jump hook in his arsenal, but it’s not a true hook since he squares up to the basket to shoot it; it just doesn’t get blocked because he’s so tall. However, on the defensive end, his presence is felt on every play. His shot-blocking ability is tremendous and he can also rebound well. Overall, Ndyiaye has a long way to go, but if he can put on muscle and find some sort of post-up game, he could be scary in the Pac-12.
Hallice Cook- 3 stars by Rivals, 2 stars by ESPN. 6’3″ 185 lbs. Cook is a decent overall player, but doesn’t stand out in any particular facet of the game. He can shoot it well and makes good decisions in transition, but he lacks consistent handles and explosiveness. Like most of Craig Robinson’s recruits, Cook is a work in progress, but he comes from the coaching of legendary Bob Hurley at St. Anthony’s (NJ) and should make an impact at the next level.
Recruits they want:
A.J. Lapray- 3 stars. 6’4″ 180 lbs. Lapray could really round out Robinson’s recruiting class if he commits. He can shoot the lights out. Uncontested, contested, mid-range, off balance, Lapray can hit from anywhere. He can take it to the rim at times, although he’s not always successful. His passing and handle are improving, and he needs to become stronger to get his shot at the next level. Ultimately, Lapray can shoot it from anywhere on the court and hit consistently, a hard skill to find.
Utah
Commitments so far:
Brandon Miller- 3 stars. 6’2″ 185 lbs. Miller is a good combo guard who can hurt you with his scoring in a variety of ways. He’s an elite shooter, but it remains to be seen if he can defend more athletic guards and become quicker. Miller will make for a nice fit at Utah with his shooting ability.
Parker Van Dyke- 3 stars. 6’3″ 175 lbs. Van Dyke is another good shooter in this Utah recruiting class. He is similar to Miller in the sense that he needs to improve his size and speed to become a good player in college. Overall, Van Dyke needs a lot of work, but his shooting is the one asset that makes him valuable.
Delon Wright- 2 stars. 6’5″ 185 lbs. The best get by Larry Krystkowiak so far in this class is Delon Wright. He’s an underrated player due to his junior college status, but he can flat out play. He can finish very well in the open floor and distribute effectively also. His shot needs some work, but he has the ability to hit from deep. He needs to add size to his large frame, but he has a lot of potential and could become an elite player at the college level.
Recruits they want:
As of right now, Utah doesn’t have too many recruits that want to come to Salt Lake City. Recently, Julian Jacobs, who had originally committed to Utah, de-committed because he was getting more attention from better schools. Noah Allen is still a possibility after de-committing from Harvard, however, it’s too early to evaluate as he just reopened his recruiting process. Marcellus Pippens committed to Utah as well, but he’s a football player first before basketball, so it’s no sure thing for him to carry over to the hardwood. Overall, Utah has a good class with two good shooters in Van Dyke and Miller and got a steal picking up Delon Wright.
USC
Commitments so far:
Kahlil Dukes- 2 stars by ESPN, 3 stars by Rivals. 5’11” 180. Dukes is a questionable player because he needs the ball to be as effective as possible. He can shoot the ball very well, has great handles, and can finish in transition and in the lane. Although he is a more of a shooting guard than a point, he will have to improve in one area or another to be effective at USC. He will either need to learn how to play well off the ball or take on the point guard role because of his size. Ultimately, Dukes is a great talent, but it’s going to depend on coaching and whether or not he will change up his style to become more successful.
Kendal Harris- 4 stars. Ranked 75th nationally ESPN, 106th nationally by Rivals. 6’4″ 195 lbs. Harris is a combo guard who can score and pass very well. He has great size for his position and uses it well to exploit defenders. Harris is a good playmaker and can dribble through traffic. He gets to the rim with ease and is a tremendous defender. Harris was one of the crucial signings in this 2013 class for USC and will help them soon return to relevance.
Roschon Prince- 3 stars by ESPN, 4 stars by Rivals, ranked 86th nationally by Rivals. 6’5″ 200 lbs. Prince is arguably the best player in USC’s recruiting class along with Harris. Prince has good size for a small forward and can really get to the rim. His jump shot continues to improve but his defense stands out the most. He could very well become one of the best defenders in the Pac-12 while at USC.
Nikola Jovanovic- 3 stars. 6’10” 215 lbs. Jovanovic is another foreign-born player who is a work in progress. He can shoot inside and out, but is not big whatsoever for 6’10”. He will need to bulk up to improve his defensive and rebounding abilities, but a good outside shot at that size will be very hard to defend if he can improve in other facets of the game.
Recruits they want:
Schuyler Rimmer- 3 stars. 6’9″ 233 lbs. Rimmer visited USC on September 22, and has reported high interest in the school. Rimmer is a good post player and has a lot of toughness, but must add some moves to his post game. He also is not the quickest defender and, although tough, is not the strongest player either. Overall, Rimmer needs work, but he’s got a chance to become a decent post player over time.
UCLA
Commitments so far:
Zach LaVine- 4 stars. Ranked 49th nationally by ESPN, ranked 41st nationally by Rivals. 6’4″ 170 lbs. LaVine is a very good combo guard who has great handles and a decent jump shot. He can get to the hoop in a multitude of ways, but needs to get better in assessing the defense and not just taking his man off the dribble too early in the shot clock.
Allerik Freeman- 4 stars. Ranked 52nd nationally by ESPN and Rivals. 6’3″ 205 lbs. Freeman is a well-rounded player who can play both at the two and three positions. He can shoot it well, but doesn’t seem to have much consistency on his mid-range shot. He has the ability to create his own shot and can finish in the open court. Overall, Freeman is a very good young player and should be able to make an impact as a strong wing player at UCLA.
Recruits they want:
Devin Williams- 4 stars. Ranked 83rd nationally by ESPN, ranked 88th nationally by Rivals. 6’8″ 230 lbs. Williams recently visited the Bruins on October 6 as UCLA has been recruiting him hard since the summer. Williams is a big force down low and can rebound the ball very well. He’s an effective scorer but needs to develop various moves in the post since he is so strong down there. His defense could use improvement as well, but he could turn into an elite player at the college level if he improves his post game and defense.