2006 Hoops Recruiting Board

It's time to start looking at the hoops class of 2006. Check back often, as this board is going to be updated regularly. The log below will show you what changes have been made.

josh
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RECRUITING UPDATES:


07/05/2005... Too many updates to list; mainly updated some of the PG's. More coming.
04/24/2005... Took J.Skeen off board (forgot; to Wake Forest)
04/23/2005... Update Josh Lomars, Edgar Sosa
04/21/2005... Added Josh Lomars visit, updated I.Dahlman, W.Ellington
04/16/2005... Changed Jodie Meeks bio, updated Wayne Ellington
04/16/2005... Add bio for Tom Herzog, added link to "Real Deal on the Hill"
04/11/2005... Updated Javaris Crittenton
04/10/2005... Updated Tywon Lawson
04/09/2005... Updated new Scout.com rankings, added summer tourney schedule
04/09/2005... Updated Tywon Lawson, Added bio's for JeJuan Jones, Xavier Keeling, Solomon Tat
04/06/2005... Updated Wayne Ellington
04/03/2005... Added Scout.com rankings, added some color
04/02/2005... Updated 'ship situation, moved L.Milbourne off the board, added many new bio's

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SUMMER ALL-STAR SCHEDULE:


In case you are curious, here are the main summer high school all-star events:


03/23 - 03/26..... Las Vegas Easter Classic (Las Vegas, NV)
03/30................. McDonalds All-American (South Bend, Ind)
04/09................ Nike Hoops Summit (Memphis, TN)
04/08 - 04/10..... Charm City Challenge (Baltimore, MD) - Lewis Clinch, Alade Aminu
04/08 - 04/10..... Boo Williams (Hampton VA)
04/16................. Jordan Classic (New York City - MSG) - Lewis Clinch
04/16................. Adidas Derby Festival Basketball Clinic (Louisville, KY)
04/15 - 04/17...... Real Deal on the Hill (Fayetteville, AR)
04/15 - 04/17...... Las Vegas Spring Showcase (Las Vegas, NV)
04/15 - 04/17...... Pump and Run Tourney (Las Vegas, NV)
04/22 - 04/24.... DC Hoop Fest (Washington DC)
04/22 - 04/24.... Kingwood Classic (Houston, TX)
04/29 - 05/01..... Spiece Run 'N Slam (Fort Wayne, IN)
05/27 - 05/29..... Tournament of Champions (Chapel Hill, NC)
05/28 - 05/30..... Nike Memorial Day Classic (New Orleans, LA)
05/28 - 05/30..... Adidas Memorial Day (College Park, MD)
06/12 - 06/14..... Rumble in the Bronx (New York)
06/15 - 06/18...... Hoop Jamboree (St.Louis, MO)
07/05 - 07/08...... Adidas Superstar Camp (Suwanee GA)
07/05 - 07/09..... Nike All-American Camp (Indianapolis, IN)
07/06 - 07/09..... Houston National Summer Showcase (Houston, TX)
07/12 - 07/15...... Nike Peach Jam (Augusta, GA)
07/22 - 07/26..... The Main Event (Las Vegas, NV)
07/27 - 07/31...... Las Vegas Summer Classic (Las Vegas, NV)

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SCHOLARSHIP SITUATION:


Let's look at the scholarship situation. Here will be the 'ship players:


FRESHMAN:
Lewis Clinch, Alade Aminu, DeAndre Bell
Austin Jackson (gone to beesball with Yankees)

SOPHOMORES:
Anthony Morrow, Ra'Sean Dickey, Jeremis Smith
Zam Fredrick (no transfer; will stay)

JUNIORS:
Mario West

SENIORS:
Theodis Tarver
Jarrett Jack (gone pro)


That gives us 9 scholarship players. We will have one senior (Tarver). This means we will probably sign anywhere from 4-6 players in the class of 2006. However, word is that the class of 2005 is not actually done. Coach is looking at a foreign player (a wing player), and could add up to 2 more players (although I think it will be one). For 2006, we will likely sign a bigtime PG, a center, and 2 guys between the 2-3-4 spot. However the last two recruiting classes have formed the basis for the future, so now it's time to reel in some big fish. Coach Hewitt can afford to take that risk now.


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CURRENT VERBAL COMMITTMENTS:


NONE

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VISIT SCHEDULE:
Not complete - just from public sources


04/06......Wayne Ellington (in-school visit by Coach Hewitt)
04/08...... Javaris Crittenton (in-school visit by Coach Hewitt)
04/28...... Josh Lomars (official)
06/29...... Javaris Crittenton visits campus, so does 2007 top recruit Gani Lawal w/mom

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ON THE BOARD:


POINT GUARD


PG is priority #1. J.Jack will have used up his eligibility (if he stays), so the need for a bigtime PG is strong. If Jack leaves after his junior season, then Z.Fredrick or Austin Jackson could handle the duties for a season. But in 2005/06 Hewitt wants a bigname kid to come in and lead the point. There are two VERY strong candidates and both have high interest in the Jackets - Tywon Lawson and Javaris Crittenton. These are the names you will hear a lot about over the summer. However, these are not the only top PG prospects interested in the Jackets. There are some other strong guys on the list as you will see.


Javaris Crittenton, PG, 6'4", 180lb, GA, R45/S52, offered
07/01/2005..... Narrows down to GT / Florida. Has not visited FL, but will announce his decision 7/6.
06/29/2006..... Visisted Tech campus to talk recruiting with Coach Hewitt. Soon after he announces that he will make his decision during the Adidas shoe camp.
04/08/2005..... Coach Hewitt met with Javaris on an in-home visit.
A home state kid ranked by Rivals and Scout as the #8 PG in his class. Ranked as the 7th best underclassman at the Addidas camp this summer. A big PG at 6'4", who truly is in the mold of a "Hewitt guard". His high school teammate was none-other than Dwight Howard, the #1 pick in the NBA draft this year. I saw those guys match-up against Ra'Sean Dickey / Casaan Breeden last December. It was a great game - Howard fouled out, but Jaravis kept them in it (18 pts, 5 rbds) the rest of the way and they got the W with the big guy on the bench. He awarded game MVP. With Howard gone, JC averaged 25 pts/game. He will be recruited by many schools, but right now he favors GT, Tenn, WF and Florida. Other schools of interest are UGA, Louisville, UNC, FSU, Ok, Stanford. What is interesting to me is finding out about his abilities to run a team versus his ability to score. Will he be a true PG at his size or will he be a combo guy? Word is Javaris wants to be a true PG and he wants a situation where he can play early (who doesn't). JC has been linked tightly with the Jackets and even felt he needed to send a signal that GT didn't have him locked up. He recently announced his top schools and GT was not there. However, the Jackets are squarely in the picture.


Willie Walker, 5'11", 160lb, IL, R91/S87

6/21/2005....... GTech mention getting back into the mix with his recruiting.
5/25/2005....... Jackets have obviously backed off his recruiting as GT no longer mentioned in his short lists, even though they vary week-to-week.
Rivals lists him as the 20th best PG in his class. Has a top 3 right now of GT, Illinois and Marquette. However, the Jackets seem to be his top favorite for now. We'll see what Illinois's run in the tourney does for him. Already has offers from Baylor, Depaul, Marquette, Mich.ST, Northwestern. Also has interest in high level schools like AZ, Duke, Ill, KU, UK, Louisville, UNC, WF, etc. He is described as an explosive PG who can run the team like a traditional PG, but also put up a lot of points. As a sophomore he averages 22 points. He will likely rise in the rankings.


Sherron Collins, 5'11", 190lb, IL, S40
Scout lists him as the 5th best PG in the nation. From the same high school (Crane Tech) as Will Bynum. In fact, he works out with Bynum when Will visits the school and the two guys are close. They are compared quite often, as both are strong, athletic, similar height, can break down defenders off the dribble, etc. As a sophomore averaged about 22 pts, 7 assists, 4 steals, even with dealing with a few small injuries. He had a good summer. For these reasons, GT should be on his list and we'll see what level of interest the staff has. He is also getting interest from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Miss.St, Wisc. He has a lot of interest in Illinois with their #1 ranking most of the season.


Tory Jackson, 5'10", 160lb, MI, R48/S46
6/2005......... Narrowed list down to Mich, Kansas and FL. Michigan seems to be the only offer for now.
Rivals ranks him as the #10 PG in his class (Scout #5). Very high interest in Michigan, which is to be expected. They have offered, and should end up there. However, he has interest in many other schools, including GT, Ill, Syr, Cal, FL, KU, Miami, Mich.St, Missouri, NCST, to name a few. He likes to compare his game to Dwayne Wade, but then who wouldn't. Sees himself as a combo-guard.


Willie Kemp, 6'2", 170lb, TN, R99/S30
6/29/2005...... Cuts list to Ill, KY, TN, MPHS, FL, AR.
Ranked as the #22 PG in his class by Rivals, but the 4th best by Scout.com. Averaged 20 pts, 7 assists, 4 boards. His game is quick and he defends well and the jumper is getting better. Look for Kemp to end up in the SEC, as most of those schools are scouting him closely.


Lawrence Westbrook, 6'0", 193lb, AZ, R81/S100
Rivals list him as the #16 PG in his class. Scout.com shows him as a SG though. This kid is a bigtime scorer, putting up MANY 40+ pt nights. Guess who his cousin is - Travis Best. That's right, along with NFL's Brian Westbrook. So he's got game in his bloodlines and there is a GT connection. He has a 3.7 GPA, so the academics seem in good order. He has firm offers from many mid-majors, but the bigs are all watching closely, including AZ, Cal, UConn, GT, IA, KU, UK, MD, MP, MI, NCST, OK, SYR, UVA, GZ. Look for the Jackets to land in his shortened final list, as he likes the way we play and has a family connection.


Kalvin Bay, 6'2", 170lb, AZ,
Not ranked by Rivals in the top 150, although he is listed as a 4-star player. Is a physical player and dedicated to improving his game. He averaged 20 pts, 10.6 assists and he shoots around 90% from the FT line. He shoots a high % from the floor, around 50%, including from long-distance. Plays best in an up-tempo style. Bay visited GT during our underclassman day last fall and liked what he saw, so expect the Jackets to make his final list. Right now that includes GT, LV, OSU, OR, GZ, AZ, TX, TT, IA. If you want to know more, he's got his own website. Talk about marketing. Also, he seems to have developed a semi-close relationship with Jarrett Jack.


John Tiller, 6'3", 190lb, GA
Not ranked in the Rivals top 150. He's a strong, physical guard that could rise in the summer circuit bigtime. His high school coach expects him to become a bigtime national recruit like Lewis Clinch did in his final summer. Great defense and great ability to get to the hoop.


Antoine Johnson, 5'11", 180lb, GA
Not ranked by Rivals but Rivals does list him as the #21 player in the stat of GA. Still developing as a PG, knows how to attack the basket and break people down off the dribble. He is an explosive athlete, but his outside shot is a little weak. He actaully attended a camp at GT and likes the Jackets. If Coach Hewitt shows some love, good chance they could land Johnson. Other schools involved include Clemson, Auburn, W.KY, SC and Yale of all places.


Marcus Lawrence, 6'0", 165lb, NV, R64
Rivals has ML as the 14th best PG in his class. He is interested in GT along with AZ.ST, Ark, Cal, OR, OR.ST, SD.ST, UCLA, UNC, UNLV. The list is long and GT is far down the list. He likes to play transition offense. Good scoring ability and can run a team.


Edgar Sosa, 6'1", 180lb, NY, R94/S47
4/23/2005... Recent stories don't mention GT. Wants to play in BE or ACC. Offered by Louisville, UConn, Miami, NCST
Ranked as the 21st best PG in the nation by Rivals and the 7th best by Scout.com. He could actually be considered a combo guard, as he has the ability to score. Excellent long-distance shot, good court-vision and good ball-handling skills. Solid defensively and a confident kid. Of course the best NY City PG's usually are. High interest in UConn, Louisville and NCST, but some interest with GT and others as well.


SHOOTING GUARD


Wayne Ellington, 6'4", 190lb, PA, R23/S6, offered
04/21/2005 - All reports now have him down to UNC and Villinova. Seems to be off the board.
04/15/2005 - It appears the Jackets are fading. He's not mentioning Tech is his recent final lists.
04/06/2005 - Lists his top 5 as UNC, NOVA, WF, NCST, UConn, although Coach Hewitt met with him 4/6. Other reports have his top 5 as Villanova, UNC, UConn, GT and Wake..... Still other reports have UConn out. Whatever his top 5, it appears he's keeping it to that group.
Rivals lists him as the #4 SG in the nation. Scout lists him as the #1 SG in the nation...... Talented guard who scored 18pts, 7 boards, 4 assists as a high school sophomore and 21 pts as a junior. Needs to get stronger and improve his defense, but can score in many ways. Has a good mid-range shot. He's long, athletic and versatile. He actually wants to play both guard spots in college. Had a final 8 list of Vill, UConn, UNC, WF, KU, NCST, AZ and GT. All have offered. Has been on unofficial visits to UNC and Villinova. A good student as well.


Isaiah Dahlman, 6'6", 175lb, MN, R34/S21, offered
4/21/2005... Has eliminated Georgia Tech. Final four of Mich St, Ill, Minn & Iowa.
Rivals lists him as the 6th best SG in the nation. Scout lists him as a SF (5th best). He has offers from all over the country and has named a top 6 of GT, Mich.St, MN, ILL, IA and BC. He averaged 28 pts, 6 boards, 5 assists and is a lefty. He is a smooth shooter who can hit a lot of difficult shots. He has a variety of moves, from step-backs, to runners, spins, etc. He's a great student as well. Could very well ascend into the top 20 in the nation. He led his high school to a perfect record and a state title. His brother, Noah, plays for the same team and is a 6'6" SF in the class of 2007...


Jodie Meeks, 6'4", 197lb, GA, R36
Rivals lists him as the #7 SG in his class. Not ranked by Scout. He has a lot of tools you want in a SG - scoring, defense, a good handle. However, he's more than that. He might be a better PG than a SG, and would like to play both in college. He played and defended the PG spot much of this past season. Good size and athleticism. He has a good basketball mind (he is a coach's son, which might have something to do with it). He has not had a lot of AAU exposure like other GA standouts (his dad wanted him to wait until he was 15 to play AAU). He now plays from the AAU GA Hurricanes (played for GA Stars, but their coach left). He tends to be the guy that wants the ball when the game is on the line. From Norcross GA. Averaged 19 pts and 10 boards as a soph. in high school. Got the best of Javaris Crittenton head-to-head last summer at a high school team camp at Peachtree Ridge. Also interested in UGA, Tenn, FL, AU, UNC, CU, KY. Already has offers from Clemson, Bama, Ark, AU, CU, SC. A heavy SEC flavor right now.


Brandon Powell, 6'4", 190lb, TN, offered
Not currently ranked by Rivals, but trust me - he will be once their next set of rankings is released. He has really created a name for himself lately. One of the reasons for the low-key profile is that his teamate is Thaddeus Young, one of the truly elite players in the class of 2006. Coaches come to see Young and have been more and more impressed with Powell. He has a reputation as a jump shooter, but he's learned how to more effectively take his man off the dribble and then drive or find an open man. Good athlete and a solid defender. Schools of interest include GT, CU, IU, OM, TN, but the list is getting longer and longer and includes other ACC teams as well.


Gerald Henderson, 6'4", 195lb, PA, R12
Rivals ranks him the #3 SG in his class as does Scout.com. The son of 13-year NBA Veteran Gerald Henderson Sr. Teammates with Wayne Ellington (see above). A bigtime scorer and very unselfish. Is interested in GT, Duke, NCST, UNC, WF, Pitt and Vill. So a bigtime ACC interest. Unofficially visited all the Tobacco Road schools in one trip. He has some playing ties with Duke recruits Brian Zoubek and Eric Boateng. UNC has already offered him a free ride. Excellent student as well.


Devan Bawinkel, 6'5", 185lb, IL, R104
Has offers already from N.Ill, Marquette, Wisc, N.Western, IA, DePaul. Also getting interest from GT, Cal, UNC, Duke, ND and more. An interesting guy because he could play anything from the 1-3 spot. He is really suited as a SG but physical enough for the wing position. Averaged 15 pts, 6 boards, 5 assists as a soph. Good all-around game with a good shot that is getting better. He gets compared to Bobby Frasor a bit.


Matt Bouldin, 6'5", 195lb, CO, R53
Ranked as the 13th best Point Guard in his class. He is really a combo guard who can shoot, pass and drive to the hoop. Probably not quick enough on defense to guard quicker point guards, so he is probably more suited to the SG spot. Not an explosive athlete, but a complete skill-set. Kansas is currently his favorite (surprise). Has high interest in Oregon and Stanford, but GT in the mix along with a lot of other schools like Cal, UConn, Col, Col.St, ND, TX, UVA, VT, GZ. Georgia Tech is currently on the outside looking in with him. As a sophomore averaged 9 points and 6 assists. His dad played at Colorado St. and in the NBA.


Andre Gullen, 6'6", 170lb, IL
Starting to gain some national recognition as his play improves on the Chicago scene. He is hearing from GT, Ill, Louisville, Marquette, NB, Ole Miss and some mid-majors as well. Pittino has apparently already offered him a free ride to Louisville, as has Ole Miss. Known as a scorer with a good mid-range game and a deep shot with good touch. Ball-handling is where he needs work along with defensive intensity. Averaged 24 pts, 8 boards, 6 assists, 2 blocks as a junior. He averaged 18 pts and 8 boards as a soph. He is compared to a Scottie Pippen type player - long arms, good perimater shooter, plays well in transition.


Earl Clark, 6'7", 200lb, NJ, R39/S37
Rivals lists him as the #10 SG in the nation (Scout 10th). However, if you can believe it, he wants to play PG in college. Good luck. Truth is he's a great overall athlete and has played all 5 positions for his HS team. Scouts think he reminds them of a young Penny Hardaway. Averaged about 20 pts, 10 boards, 6 assists and 5 blocks as a junior. Interested in GT, UConn, KY, RG, SH, SYR, UNLV and VILL. Has a recent top 4 of Miami, UConn, Syr and KY.


Derrick Roland 6'4", 185lb, R66
Rivals ranks him as the 14th best SG. Averaged 19 pts, 4 boards, 5 assists in combination with Rivals top 150 backcourt mate Donald Sloan. In fact, they have talked about playing together at the collegiate level. Very strong 3-pt shooter and plays well in transition. Still early in his recruiting process, he has interest in FL, UConn, UM, TA&M, UNLV, CU, KU, Baylor, OU, GT. He has a handful of offers at this point.


Stefan Welsh, 6'3", 180lb, R58
Rivals ranks him as the #12 SG in the nation. He also happens to be a talented wide receiver in football and has gotten offers here as well, from bigtime schools like Virginia. He should make a decision about which sport he wants to play in the coming weeks (leaning to hoops). In hoops, he's a good scorer from the wing, has a smooth stroke and has helped his team win their 2nd straight state championship. He will play on the same AAU team (Boo Williams) as Vernon Macklin and other talents. He has offers from all over the ACC (WF, NCST, CU, GT, MD, VT, UVA, UM, FSU). He is actually a native Virginian, so look for UVA or VaTech to have an edge. UConn and GTown are also heavily interested. He also likes Xavier, but since they do not have a football program that might hurt their chances.


Kenny Collins, 6'7", 205lb, CA,
Unranked by Rivals because he will be heading to prep school next year. Has offers from UNLV, CU and Texas A&M..... Could end being one of the top prospects in the nation. Very long and athletic, but can shoot, handle the ball and shoot the mid-range shot. Solid defender and just needs to be more aggressive. Also interest from GTown, AZST, KU


JeJuan Jones, 6'4", 170lb, GA, S79
Unranked by Rivals..... for now. He will be soon. Scout.com lists him as the 12th best PG in the nation, but he can play the 1-2-3 spot and with his size is more likely to end up a SG in college. He has blown up more recently and Rivals does list him as the 2nd best player in the state of GA (behind Javaris Crittenton), although he move to the top spot if he keeps up his play. He's got a good handle, a good shot, a quick first step and sees the court well. He likes to attack the basket. Schools involved with Jones include GT, Cincy, GA, FL, NCST, WF, TN. He's a Dayton Ohio native and MI and OSU could get involved as well. His stock is rising fast and good performances this summer could cement his elite status.


Xavier Keeling, 6'6", 210lb, AL, S59
Rated as the 39th best SG in the nation by Rivals and 12th best by Scout.com. He has a strong body and a decent all-around game. Has a lot of bounce and his quick off the floor. He averaged 17 pts and 13 boards last season. Tech coaches have been out to see him play. Right now he is favoring NCST, TN and AL. There are a lot of other potential schools involved, including Vandy, AU, KU, KY.


Soloman Tat, 6'5", 219lb, GA, R106
Rivals ranks him as the 23rd best SG in the nation, although he transitioned to playing PG for his Stockbridge GA high school team. Rivals recently ranked him as the 6th best player in the state of GA. This is a very physical kid with a strong body. He is a slasher with a decent long-distance shot and is a hard worker. If his game can catch up with his physique, he will be a great college player. Schools of note include Memphis, GT, CU, Purdue, AZ, Missouri, AL, AU, NCST, TN, UConn, TX and UGA. Memphis is his most prominent offer.


Cameron Tatum

Trevon Willis

Chris Wright

Derrick Jasper

Aaron Holmes

Dwight Lewis

Kimmani Barrett

Les Brown


SMALL FORWARD


Kevin Durant, 6'9", 190lb, MD, R16/S3, offered
Ranked by Rivals as the 5th best SF in the nation. Ranked by Scout.com as the 3rd best player in the nation, and the 2nd best PF. At 6'9", he is a guy who can play multiple positions on the floor. A long athletic body with scoring ability from both the inside and outside. Has a nice long-range shot and is a good rebounder. He will probably gain some strength over the next year as he fills out his frame. Likely to play the 3/4 spot in college. Already being highly recruited by the likes of AZ, TX, MD, GT, UNC, Pitt, Syr, UConn, KU, FL, LV, Mich - to name a few. He is leaning towards Texas right now. He actually likes GT a lot and is buddies with Tywon Lawson, a top PG (see above). Both guys play on the same AAU team and play together at Oak Hill Academy. They have talked about going to the same school - but it is only talk for now. These things rarely work out.


Lance Thomas, 6'8", 195lb, NJ, R21/S13, offered
Rivals ranks him as the #7 small forward in his class. Scout lists him as the 7th best PF in the nation. Another guy that can play both the 3/4 spot. A talented wing player compared to a raw Luol Deng. Still developing, but a major prospect. Considering AZ, Duke, Syr, GT, WF, StJoe, TX, KU, UNC, Rutgers. So all the bigs are involved. For now AZ is in his top 3. He can go anywhere he wants.


Thaddeus Young, 6'8", 200lb, TN, R7/S7, offered
Ranked by Rivals as the #2 Small Forward in his class (Scout #1). Averaged 24 pts, 13 boards as a sophomore and will likely play the wing position in college. Can handle the ball well and has good jumping ability. Known for attacking the basket. He is a very smart kid and academics will play an important role in his recruitment. Being recruited by Bama, Cincy, GT, Ill, IN, KY, LSU, Ok, TN, TX. No doubt as a top 10 in his class he will be mentioned as a possible NBA draft pick.


An'Juan Wilderness, 6'6", 210lb, GA, R78/S75
This is the local kid - the one in our backyard. Plays for the same AAU team that Dwight Howard, Randolph Morris and Josh Smith did. A really good rebounder and passer. Was injured in the summer of '04 so didn't get a lot of exposure. Considering Mich, Louisville, UNC, Charlotte, Fl, UGA, KY, TX, Bama, GT, Miss.St. Can do everything well and is working on improving his shot.


Stanley Robinson

William Graves

Rob Thomas, ???, S50

Dale Vanwright

JeJuan Brown

Shane Hanson

Cedric Latimer

Raymar Morgan

Nate Schulte

Ekpe Udoh

Blake Wallace

Joseph Watkins

Duke Crews

Cordell Pope

Larry Davis

Gilbert Brown

Delroy James


POWER FORWARD


Brandon Wright, 6'9", 201lb, TN, R2/S2, offered
Rivals and Scout list Wright as the #1 PF in his class. In other words, he's a player. Top school choices include Duke, KY and UNC, while GT, WF and Kansas are still in the mix. He can go anywhere he wants to go and is still fairly open. He will also consider the NBA as well, so watch closely the possible 20-year age limit. He says he will wait until the last week in spring of 2006 to make his decision. He averaged 21 pts, 11 boards, 5 blocks and 2 steals as a junior. His Brentwood Academy team won the state title for the 2nd year in a row and Wright won his 2nd "Mr. Basketball" for the state of TN.


Vernon Macklin, 6'9", 191lb, VA, R9/S5, offered
Rivals and Scout list him as the #4 Power Forward in his class. Nicknamed "The Big Ticket"....Considering GT, Duke, UNC, MD and UVA. Are you see an ACC theme here? Good size but on the thin side. Can run the floor well, has strong finishing ability and a good mid-range jumper. North Carolina is probably a favorite.


Derrick Caracter, 6'9", 301 lb, NJ, R6/S10
Scout lists him as the 5th best PF in the nation. And yes, that's right - 301lbs. This kid has had some up-and-down performances against his best peers, but he is a skilled big guy. He can pass, shoot and drive and even has some long-distance range. The weakness - defense. Many think he is over-hyped. No doubt his size plays a factor in his ability to move his feet and play strong defense. If he trims down and really gets into shape, he's likely have an impact. As a sophomore he averaged 25 pts, 10 boards. He has named a top 5 of GT, KY, Stanford, UConn and S.Florida. Huhhh - S.Fl? Yes.


Curtis Kelly, 6'9", 190lb, NY, R13/S11
Listed as the 7th best PF by Rivals and #6 by Scout. Considering GT, UNC and Pitt for now. Strong possibility for the Jackets to land him. Still learning the game and wants to learn the wing spot. A lanky kid with a good mid-range jumper and good high-post skills. Good shot-blocker and a lefty. Academics could be a question-mark. He missed a lot of time early in high school due to academics.


Matt Shaw, 6'8", 230lb, CA, R41
Listed as the Rivals #13 PF in his class. High interest in UConn, GT and Michigan (which are his top 3 now), but also interested in Duke, Texas, Ill, Louisville, OR, Utah. Interested in architecture, which is one reason he likes GT. Good offensive skills of someone in the 3-spot, but too weak defensively to play SF.


Richard Semrau, 6'9", 210lb, OH, R28/S50
Rivals lists him as the #9 PF in his class. High interest in KY, WF and UNC, but also interested in GT, AZ, BC, IN, UCLA, PennST, Xavier, Louisville. As a soph. averaged 23.2 pts and 13 boards. Kentucky is probably the leader now.


Taj Gibson, 6'8", 210lb, NY
Was in the class of 2005 but will prep in Cali. and play as a junior this season, which means he is now class of 2006. He is interested in GT, AZ, Syracuse, GTown, St.John's, OR.ST, Utah, UConn. Seems to favor Arizona, but has also followed the Big East closely. Solid athlete that needs strength. Good clean-up guy no the glass and defensively.


Pierre Niles

Jerome Burney

Taj Gibson

Matt Gwynne

Demetrius Jemison

Avery Jukes

Tyrell Lynch

Jacob Green

Alex Stephenson

Jonathan Mitchell

Shamari Spears

AJ Tyler


CENTER


Brian Zoubek, 7'0", 230lb, NJ, R31/S15
One of the few true center prospects available (#5 center by Rivals, #3 Scout) and on GT's list. He is only 15 year's old so he may even grow further. Considering GT, Duke, Georgetown, Rutgers, UVA, VT, WF. Has already taken an unofficial visit to Duke and has family ties there. Also has ties with Duke recruit Greg Paulus and potential recruit Jon Brockman. Duke will be hard to beat. In fact, if you ask me, go ahead and mark him down for Duke....... Has REAL size and is a tough matchup. Can rebound well, can run the floor and has good post moves. Of course the spector of the NBA will be looming large with him.


Josh Lomers, 7'1", 250lb, TX, R30
4/23/2005.... Narrows his list to 4 - Texas A&M, Baylor, GT, CU.
Rivals lists him as the 4th best center in the nation and he is the #1 big-man in the state of Texas. Scout has him as the #13 center. Wants to visit CU, Baylor, TA&M, GT. Considers Texas A&M and Baylor his leaders for the moment. Also considering Kansas, Arizona and Kentucky. Lomars is not explosive, but he has a big body and good coordination. Good touch around the basket, but needs to get stronger.


Jason Bennett, 7'2", 240lb, FL, R88
Ranked as the 12th best Center in his class by Rivals (#9 Scout). A "project", but as I've said a lot, if you're 7-feet tall and NOT going to the NBA, you are a project. He is improving and has worked hard on his game of late. He's looking at a lot of SEC schools, including AU, FL, UGA, TN, AR, KY, along with GT and FSU. Solid defensive center.


Tom Herzog, 7'0", 210lb, MI, R46/S31
Scout has him as the #5 Center (Rivals #6). Legit bigman with good shot-blocking ability. Good hands and some decent game around the hoop. However, he's just not strong enough right now to really bang around. Going to have to add some muscle. Many people compare him to Chris Kaman. His current top list includes MI, Ill, ND, MichSt and the Jackets are trying to get into his final list.


Perry Stevenson

Albert Jackson

Tyrone McNeal

Andrew Ott

Ray Hall



OFF THE BOARD


Demond Carter, 5'10", 160lb, LA, R46
COMMITTED TO BAYLOR. Was considering also GT, Kansas, Kentucky. The 9th best PG as ranked by Rivals..


Landon Milbourne, 6'7", 195lb, GA, R55
12/23 - COMMITS to MARYLAND
.....Rivals ranks him the #11 SF in his class. Primarily interested in the bigs - GT, UConn, UNC, KY, MD, as well as GTown, UGA, Tenn, AL, Clemson, FL, OSU, VT. A kid in GT's backyard in Roswell GA. A left-handed good mid-range shooter with good athleticism. Main weakness is ball-handling.


Tywon Lawson, PG, 5'11", 182lb, MD, R19/S17, offered
05/12/2005.... Commits to North Carolina
04/10/2005.... Reports that he has narrowed his top 3 to UNC, WF and GT. That means UConn is out.
04/07/2005.... Visited with Roy Williams and now says UNC is his leader.
Ranked by Rivals as the #2 PG in his class (#1 by Scout). As a sophomore he averaged 20 pts. He is a talented PG who can shoot from long range, run the point and finish in the lane. Right now he has narrowed his final list to 4 teams - UNC, WF, GT and UConn. He has offers from all these schools except UNC, and in addition FSU, Mich, GeorgeTown. He played ball as a junior at Oak Hill Academy with his AAU teammate Kevin Durant, who is also a top-ranked guy who likes GT (see below. Lawson does not exactly fit the Paul Hewitt mold of a big strong PG. However, his speed and skill set are so high that he'll be welcomed aboard if he wants to be here.


Jeremiah Rivers, 6'4", 180lb, FL, R32/S46, offered
05/09/2005..... COMMITS TO GEORGETOWN.
The son of NBA standout Doc Rivers, but he stands on his own game. Rivals ranks him as the #5 PG in his class (#6 by Scout). As a junior he averaged 14.8 pts, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 boards. He's a high major prospect who can play both the 1/2-spots. He has a final 5 of GT, WF, Kansas, ND and GTown. He has decided not to go to Marquette, where his father played, as he wants to make his own mark.


Jamie Skeen, 6'8", 215lb, NC, R93/S32
2/14/2005...COMMITTED TO WAKE FOREST
Rivals ranks him the #24 SF in his class, while Scout lists him as the #11 PF. Very interested in Wake Forest. GT is also on the list with UConn, Clemson, FL, UNC, NCST, PS, Tenn, Charlotte, VT. Seems to have a strong inside-outside game and a nice shooting-touch. With his size and versatility, expect a lot of interest from major programs. I expect his stock to rise.





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