I believe the children are the future.
by Aggrey Sam
As I’ve stated in the past, I think the Class of 2011 has a chance to be very special. I freely admit that I haven’t seen a lot of big names in this class, and others I have seen were either much further away in their development than recent reports indicate or have fallen off due to injury or others catching up to them. Still, every time I see players in this class, I get excited. I don’t know why, but as a group, they just all seem to play beyond their years. If you consider 2010 a lackluster crop, don’t worry–2011 will make up for it.
| Rank | Name | Height | Position | School | Why? |
| 1 | Michael Gilchrist | 6-8 | SF/PF | St. Patrick (NJ) | Gilchrist is an incredibly versatile prospect who is a tenacious rebounder and defender, plays with a tremendous motor and scores using his length, quickness, athleticism and savvy. |
| 2 | Austin Rivers | 6-4 | SG/PG | Winter Park (FL) | Rivers, an early Florida commit, is a big-time scorer and playmaker with a high basketball IQ (he’s Doc’s son) and possesses both great flair and feel for the game. |
| 3 | Johnny O’Bryant | 6-9 | PF | Eastside (MS) | A monster physically, O’Bryant is an elite athlete who intimidates in the paint, owns the boards, finishes with power above the rim and continues to develop his post and face-up skills. |
| 4 | Tony Wroten | 6-5 | PG/SG | Garfield (WA) | A strong and athletic lefty, Wroten is a big playmaker with excellent court vision and the tools to be an elite defender, as well. |
| 5 | Quincy Miller | 6-8 | SF | Quality Education (NC) | Originally from Chicago, Miller is a long wing who can shoot it from deep, slash to the basket off the dribble, finish with great athleticism and get it done in the paint, too. |
| 6 | James McAdoo | 6-9 | PF | Norfolk Christian (VA) | McAdoo, a relative of former NBA great Bob, is a face-up post player with an excellent touch, good athleticism and the length to be a force on the glass and on D. |
| 7 | LaQuinton Ross | 6-9 | SF | Murrah (MS) | An advanced scorer, Ross is a smooth and polished player who can really make the scoreboard move, handle the rock and create mismatches on the perimeter with his size. |
| 8 | Marquis Teague | 6-3 | SG/PG | Pike (IN) | A scoring combo guard, the little brother of Wake Forest’s Jeff, is an explosive athlete who gets buckets both going to the rim and from deep. |
| 9 | LeBryan Nash | 6-6 | SF/PF | Lincoln (TX) | Nash is a powerful and versatile scorer who bullies opponents on the interior, dominates the glass, elevates for big-time finishes and keeps defenders honest from the outside. |
| 10 | Michael Shaw | 6-8 | PF/SF | De La Salle (IL) | A versatile finesse player, at his size, Shaw is equally capable of posting up his man as he is of facing him up and either driving by them or knocking down an outside J. |
| 11 | Myck Kabongo | 6-1 | PG | St. Benedict’s (NJ) | Kabongo, an early Texas commit, is a lightning-quick floor general from Canada with good fundamentals who can get in the lane at will, pressure the ball defensively and set up his teammates. |
| 12 | Julian Royal | 6-8 | PF | Milton (GA) | Royal is talented forward with an inside-outside game with good ball skills, a nice shooting touch and excellent size. |
| 13 | Mychal Ammons | 6-6 | SF/SG | Vicksburg (MS) | A smooth-shooting swingman with excellent size and strength, Ammons is a polished prospect with a lot of intangibles. |
| 14 | Dezmine Wells | 6-5 | SF/PF | Word of God (NC) | Wells, a former football prospect, is built like a truck, gives maximum effort on the court, possesses a nicely-developing perimeter game, has big-time athleticism and takes no prisoners in the paint. |
| 15 | Adonis Thomas | 6-6 | PF/SF | Melrose (TN) | A physically developed and athletic forward, Thomas has high-level athleticism, an excellent motor, strong finishing ability and a knack for making plays all over the court. |
| 16 | Deville Smith | 6-0 | PG/SG | Callaway (MS) | Smith is a scoring combo guard with explosive athleticism and quickness, but also has solid playmaking ability. |
| 17 | PJ Hairston | 6-5 | SF | Dudley (NC) | A strong wing with good athleticism, Hairston also a beautiful stroke with excellent range. |
| 18 | Tyler Adams | 6-10 | C | Brandon (MS) | A big-bodied post player, Adams isn’t a monster athlete, but is very skilled on the blocks, fundamentally sound and physical in the paint. |
| 19 | Aaron Ross | 6-7 | SF/PF | Pulaski (AR) | Ross, an early Arkansas commit, is a big, versatile forward who has the frame to battle on the interior and the skills to play on the perimeter. |
| 20 | Wayne Blackshear | 6-5 | SF/SG | Morgan Park (IL) | Blackshear is a strong and athletic wing who can slash to the basket for high-flying finishes and be a factor in transition. |
| 21 | DeAndre Daniels | 6-7 | PF/SF | Taft (CA) | Daniels is an athletic forward who can step out to shoot the ball, but is also willing to mix it up in the paint. |
| 22 | Darius Perkins | 6-2 | SG/PG | Dunbar (FL) | A big-time shooter with good size for both backcourt positions, Perkins also has the basketball IQ to run the show. |
| 23 | Rodney Hood | 6-7 | SF/SG | Meridian (MS) | A long and talented swingman, Hood is a versatile player who can handle the ball and pass like a point guard. |
| 24 | Gregory Lewis | 6-9 | PF | St. Frances (MD) | A developing post player, Lewis needs to get stronger, but has big-time athleticism, face-up skills and a defensive presence. |
| 25 | Keaton Miles | 6-6 | SF | Lincoln (TX) | Miles, a long and skilled wing, combines shooting range, tenacity and a defensive mindset. |
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