Who’s Got Next? Andrew Wiggins Reclassifies to 2013; Indiana Lands Troy Williams…
Posted by CLykins on October 30th, 2012
Who’s Got Next? is a weekly column by Chad Lykins, the RTC recruiting guru. Once a week he will bring you an overview of what’s going on in the complex world of recruiting, from who is signing where among the seniors to discussing the recruitments of the top uncommitted players in the country. We also encourage you to check out his contributions dedicated solely to Duke Basketball at Duke Hoop Blog. You can also follow Chad at his Twitter account @CLykinsBlog for up-to-date breaking news from the high school and college hoops scene. If you have any suggestions as to areas we are missing or different things you would like to see, please let us know at rushthecourt@yahoo.com.
Andrew Wiggins Reclassifies into Class of 2013
It’s official. After many months of rampant speculation regarding the consensus No. 1 prospect in the nation, Andrew Wiggins is reclassifying into the class of 2013. A native of Canada and a student at Huntington Prep High School (West Virginia), he will assume his rightful spot at the top of the national rankings in the 2013 class. Confirmed by Huntington Prep head coach Rob Fulford, Wiggins and his family announced on Thursday after a decision had been reached. “It just happened,” Fulford said. “Andrew didn’t even know for sure until a little earlier today when his parents got him word. He was waiting on his parents. That was the real wait with it. It was just a family decision.”
Consensus No. 1 Prospect Andrew Wiggins Makes Move to 2013 Official
With the decision, which has been a work in progress for months, Wiggins’ move will make the class of 2013 one of the more impressive top-to-bottom classes in recent memory. The 6’7″ small forward is coming off an outstanding summer with his most notable performances coming while playing at the Nike EYBL with CIA Bounce AAU and at the LeBron James Skills Academy. After those two important events, he received high praise as the clear-cut No. 1 high school prospect in the land.
When scouting his overall game, he has the complete package on the basketball court. He is an explosive athlete with tremendous size on the wing. He can hurt you in a variety of ways with his shooting ability, whether it’s from the mid-range or from deep. One of the more impressive traits of Wiggins’ game is how he can effortlessly get to the rim and consistently finish under contact. While using that great size, he is also a ferocious rebounder. His ball-handling is one of his best traits and he excels in an up-tempo environment. Regarding any specific weakness to his game, his shooting touch could be a little more refined. Also, he has a work ethic that has been in question at times, as he sometimes seems “bored” during game. Developing a work ethic to match that of some of the best basketball players at the college and professional levels will separate him from his peers.
Examining his recruitment up to this point in time, there have been only two schools that have stood out as the front runners: Florida State and Kentucky. Staffs from both schools were on hand throughout the summer recruiting period, noticeably up front and center during the events that he participated in.
When speaking about Florida State, the Seminoles possess two great connections that could possibly help them land the talented small forward. The first is that Andrew’s father is a former alumnus of the school. Mitchell Wiggins played two seasons as a Seminole averaging 23 points and nearly nine rebounds per game during his career in Tallahassee. The second connection comes in the form of recent 2013 verbal commitment and teammate Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Rathan-Mayes made his decision in the middle of October by opting to play his college basketball for FSU head coach Leonard Hamilton. With Kentucky, adding a commitment from Wiggins would make their 2013 recruiting class without question the single, greatest class on paper of all-time, as he would join the likes of Aaron and Andrew Harrison, James Young, Marcus Lee and Derek Willis. Since his reclassification, schools such as Ohio State, Kansas and North Carolina have expressed serious interest in Wiggins as well.
As a sophomore at Huntington Prep, Wiggins averaged 24.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game while leading the Express to a 28-2 overall record. He was selected as the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in West Virginia and was a member of the Nike Hoops Summit International team.
Troy Williams is Bloomington Bound
With a top 20 recruiting class already in tow before last weekend, the Indiana Hoosiers approached the early signing period in good shape. On Sunday, that class got a lot better. Troy Williams, the No. 32 ranked player in the ESPN 100, gave the Hoosiers his pledge making him the fifth commitment in Indiana’s 2013 recruiting class. Williams, the nephew of AAU linchpin Boo Williams, visited Indiana for Hoosier Hysteria on the weekend of October 19. Head coach Tom Crean, the atmosphere and fan support from the Hoosier faithful provided Williams with enough assurance that Bloomington is where he needed to be.
Tom Crean Swoops In and Lands Commitment from Athletic SF Troy Williams
“Coach Crean is a great coach, ” Williams said. “He didn’t tell me just what I was good at, but what I had to work on. Plus I really got along well with the other players that were committed while on my visit. I really loved the campus, everything was right there and the fans are crazy. They have great support.” His final decision puts to end a recruitment that could’ve ended back in the spring, when Indiana was not even considered. He was ultimately down to Kentucky and North Carolina in May, but decided to prolong his decision until next spring during his senior season. However, Indiana made the most of their opportunity and made Williams their top priority in the months after. With Kentucky excluded from his final list with their recent slew of commitments, Indiana and North Carolina were his final two schools this time around. With where the Indiana basketball program was years ago, Crean has done a magnificent job restoring the program back to their top tier status.
At 6’7″, Williams is best known for his powerful athleticism. He’s an extremely strong slasher and is a big-time finisher above the rim in transition. With a good frame, he is also one of the more effective rebounders in the 2013 class, especially on the offensive end. He has been relentlessly improving his shooting and ball handling, two of his main weaknesses, to round out his all around game. With the commitment, Williams will join fellow ESPN 100 standout, shooting guard Stanford Robinson, as well as center Luke Fischer and small forwards Devin Davis and Collin Hartman.
A native of Hampton, Virginia, Williams will transfer from Phoebus High School to the illustrious Oak Hill Academy for his final season at the high school level under the guidance of four-time USA Today National Coach of the Year, Steve Smith. As a junior at Phoebus, he averaged 18.1 points per game.
YouTube Video of the Weeks
Andrew Wiggins putting on a basketball clinic during the summer…
