Since it seems like we're done with 2017, who are we really targeting for 2018?
AJ Reeves seems like the best place to start. Naz Reid just said we are one of many schools recruiting him hard. Borges said Cam Reddish was a big target. Anyone else?
Chances are we will have three or four scholarships available. I think that'll mean 1 wing, 1 big, and 1 "best talent available."
Top Target
AJ Reeves: 6-foot-6, 4-star SG from Boston who appears to love us with all his heart. Generally regarded as a top 60 talent and he's come into his own as a shooter. Unlikely to be a game-breaker as a freshman but is a future NBA player if he fulfills his potential. Louisville, Providence & Maryland are trying hard.
Inside Track
Sidney Wilson: 6-foot-6, 4-star SF from the Bronx who is flying under the radar a little bit. Generally regarded as a top 100 talent, he's attracting interest from big schools (Texas, Indiana, Louisville) but not soooo big that we can't beat them. Dude is wildly athletic -- reminds me of Rudy Johnson.
Eric Ayala: 6-foot-4, 4-star CG from Delaware who plays at PSA. He's not a super athlete or shooter, but he's uncanny with his change-of-pace and body control, so he draws a ton of fouls. Can reclass to 2017. We'd take him if he reclasses, but if he does he's more likely to go to Syracuse (even though he seems to prefer us as his destination).
Emmanuel Dowuona: 6-foot-10, 4-star center from Miami. He's long & unpolished but has a higher IQ than most realize and still brings all the defensive stuff you'd expect from someone with his physical profile. Gorgui Dieng is probably the right comp, and that makes sense since it seems like it's already down to us vs. Louisville (tho obviously it's far from done). I
think (but am not certain) Nantambu has AAU connections.
Jalen Carey: 6-foot-3, 4-star CG from North Jersey who's supposed to be more of a scorer than a floor general. Generally considered a top 100 player, and generally considered to get his points by being a heady, high-IQ player rather than a knockdown shooter or elite finisher at the rim. Haven't seen him play, but generally sounds like a bigger, rich man's Vital to me. Virginia & Notre Dame have offered, but no one huge.
Jahvon Quinerly: 6-foot-0, 4-star PG from Jersey City who's a borderline 5-star, so basically a top 30 player in the class. Pure floor general who's not going to blow by anybody or pull of some of Jalen's acrobatics, but he makes zero mistakes. Villanova and Virginia are recruiting him hard. I frankly find it difficult to imagine a PG committing to us for 2018 given that we'll have 2 freshman PGs in 2017 (Alterique & MAL), and we seem to have backed off of him a little bit since Alterique took a redshirt.
Shoot for the Moon Big Men
Naz Reid: 6-foot-10, 5-star PF from Newark who is basically a left-handed Chris Webber. 7-foot-3 wingspan, top 10 player in the class. Incredible rebounder, passer and finisher around the hoop, he protects the paint and has the vision of a guard. Doesn't play particularly hard and is coming off an ACL tear, but god I love watching him play. UK have made him a priority so don't hold your breath.
Simi Shittu: 6-foot-9, 5-star PF from Canada who is a point forward in the Draymond Green or Nigel Hayes mold. Generally considered a top 10 prospect. Not as long as either of those guys, but built like a brick ****house and he can get off the floor
quick. Rebounds, passes, defends, runs the break, finishes on the break, and I'm going to assume he can help the #icebus. Lack of length means he's not an ideal NBA candidate so UK probably won't recruit him, but everyone else will (UCLA & Louisville & Washington have already offered). Plays hard.
Moses Brown: 7-foot-0, 5-star C from from Queens. Kind of unpolished but a super athlete with great length and a quick second jump. Rebounds, protects the paint, etc etc etc. Everybody under the sun -- including Duke & UK -- has offered and made him a priority. Want to go head-to-head with the big boys again? Here's your guy.
Shoot for the Moon Wings
Cam Reddish: 6-foot-7, 5-star SF from Pennsylvania who's a top 5 player in the class. Imagine Daniel Hamilton with more athleticism and explosiveness -- that's Reddish. He's excellent. Nobody would think he'd be interested in us, except he's spoken absolutely glowingly of Ollie in just about every interview. Duke, UK, Arizona, etc etc have all offered.
Khavon Moore: 6-foot-8, 5-star SF from Atlanta who's a top 10 player in the class. Very Rudy Gay-esque in terms of his ability on the break and power finishing at the rim. Super athlete. 100% pick for UK on the crystal ball so let's not get our hopes up too much, ok?
Shoot for the Moon Guards
Immanuel Quickley: 6-foot-3, 5-star PG from Maryland who's generally regarded as a top 15 player in the class. Super long, super-high IQ, very smart player. Doesn't shoot it all that well, isn't great at finishing at the rim, but makes everybody better. Offers from everybody including UK, Duke, UNC, Arizona, UCLA, etc. I think we have no shot.
Brandon Willimas: 6-foot-1, 5-star PG from LA who's generally considered a top 20 player in the class. Super fast, especially on the break, and while his jumper is sketchy at the moment his form is good. He'll be a shooter. Maybe a little more of a combo guard at this point, I think he'll become a real PG. Very right-handed, so he's really a lot like Jalen in almost every aspect.
Others
Cole Swider: 6-foot-8 SF from Rhode Island who may be the best shooter in the class. Top 150 (and rising) recruit, who's drawing interest from Duke, UNC, Villanova, etc. We haven't offered but I really *****ng want us to.
EDIT: I'll add more to this later. Put a gun to my head, and I'll tell you that Reeves, Swider & Reid is the perfect class.
