Who’s Got Next? is a weekly column by Sean Moran, 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 recruitment of the top uncommitted players in the country. We also encourage you to check out his contributions at The Intentional Foul dedicated to recruiting coverage and analysis. You can also follow Sean at his Twitter account @Seanmohoops for up-to-date 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.
Note: Scout.com used for all player rankings.
Kansas Lands Its First 2015 Recruit
Kelly Oubre committed to Kansas shortly after taking his official visit during the school’s 2013 Late Night in the Phog event, but after hosting a number of five-star players during this year’s version, no immediate commitments were forthcoming. That wait ended a couple of weekends ago when five-star forward Carlton Bragg selected the Jayhawks. Bill Self has logged top five recruiting classes in each of the past two years with Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid featured in the 2013 class and Cliff Alexander and Oubre last year’s class. It was only a matter of time until Self got started building his star-studded 2015 class.
Bragg is a 6’9” power forward who plays for Villa Angela – St. Joseph (OH) High School (one of the top programs in the Buckeye State), and is currently ranked as the No. 12 player in the country and the No. 3 player at his position. The athletic forward started to climb up the rankings during the summer before his junior season and continued to improve from there, resulting in strong interest from the likes of Self, John Calipari and John Groce. Bragg’s versatility should blend in nicely with Kansas’ high-low offense given his ability to convert short hook shots, but he is also very comfortable stepping outside and knocking in jumpers from 15 to 18 feet. While he does have nice form and touch on his jumper, Bragg also has the tendency to fall in love with it, something Self will work with him on correcting. On the defensive end, Bragg moves his feet well and can defend the pick-and-roll while also protecting the rim with his quick leaping ability.
Despite his skill set and ranking, it will be interesting to see how much playing time Bragg receives during his freshman season. Kansas will most likely return power forward Perry Ellis in addition to Jamari Traylor and Landen Lucas. Freshman Cliff Alexander was expected to be one-and-done, and although he is currently projected as a first rounder, per DraftExpress, he is only averaging 18 minutes per game. A potential frontcourt logjam didn’t deter Bragg from the commitment, however, and now his focus turns to getting some of his other friends to join him in Lawrence. Kansas currently has offers out to five-star big men Ivan Rabb (No. 5) and Stephen Zimmerman (No. 7), in addition to various perimeter threats such as Jaylen Brown (No. 1), Brandon Ingram (No. 26), and Malik Newman (No. 11). It took some time for Kansas to notch its first commitment, but it won’t be a surprise to anyone when Self ends up with his third straight top-five recruiting class.
Harvard Nabs Four-Star Power Forward
Chris Lewis, a 6’9” power forward from Georgia, committed to Harvard last weekend. Lewis is considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and comes in at No. 44 in ESPN’s Top 60 players in the class of 2016. The son of former Pro Bowler Mo Lewis plays for Alpharetta (GA) Milton High School and had strong interest from numerous high-majors including Notre Dame, Memphis and New Mexico. Harvard has been the class of the Ivy League for the last four years, and with head coach Tommy Amaker’s continued recruiting success, it looks like that trend is set to continue.