Meet the top prospects in the new senior class.
by Aggrey Sam
With the school year coming to an end (or already over), it’s only fitting that you’re formally introduced to the new seniors–the prep Class of 2010. Many prep observers have panned this group as weak class, but I actually think it has a lot of depth and will make watching college basketball a more enjoyable experience over the next five or so years, as I don’t see a lot of these prospects being one and done. Of course, who knows what happens over the summer? A couple of these cats could blow up and decide to follow the lead of Brandon Jennings–or better yet, their classmate Jeremy Tyler, who isn’t included in these rankings. Lastly, with this class in particular, I don’t see how anybody–expert or not can definitively say these are the top players. At this point at least, it all depends on your preference. And these are who I prefer.
| Rank | Name | Ht. | Pos. | School | College | Why? |
| 1 | Harrison Barnes | 6-7 | SF | Ames (IA) | Undecided | As fundamentally sound, polished, smooth and fluid as it gets in high school, Barnes also has a terrific stroke and athleticism. |
| 2 | Brandon Knight | 6-3 | PG | Pine Crest (FL) | Undecided | Now that he’s added more strength to his frame, Knight can overpower opponents, as well as lock them down on D, beat them from the outside and set up his teammates. |
| 3 | Jared Sullinger | 6-8 | PF | Northland (OH) | Ohio State | Simply a horse down low, Sullinger is showing more flashes of being able to step away from the basket, too. |
| 4 | DeShaun Thomas | 6-7 | SF/PF | Bishop Luers (IN) | Ohio State | A prototypical inside-outside player, Thomas gets it done in the post, in transition, off the dribble, from the perimeter and on the boards. |
| 5 | Tristan Thompson | 6-9 | PF | Findlay (NV) | Texas | Still getting back into the swing things after a controversial mid-season transfer, the Canadian product’s potential is unquestioned. |
| 6 | Will Barton | 6-6 | SG/SF | Brewster (NH) | Memphis | A dynamic athlete, ballhandler, passer and scorer, what truly sets the Baltimore product apart is his competitiveness and motor. |
| 7 | Jereme Richmond | 6-7 | SF | Waukegan (IL) | Illinois | After a tremendous high school season, Richmond, an athletic scoring swingman, continues to display all the tools of a big-time player. |
| 8 | Kyrie Irving | 6-2 | PG/SG | St. Patrick (NJ) | Undecided | While he plays the role of distributor on his powerhouse high school squad, on the circuit, Irving is a dominating scorer. |
| 9 | Josh Smith | 6-10 | C | Kentwood (WA) | Undecided | Smith’s skills, athleticism, massive frame and soft touch makes him a boy among men on the high school level. |
| 10 | Dion Waiters | 6-3 | SG | Syracuse (MD) | Syracuse | A pure scorer with quickness, range, a toght handle, athleticism and power, Waiters has started to improve the other aspects of his game, too. |
| 11 | Terrance Jones | 6-9 | PF/SF | Jefferson (OR) | Undecided | A face-up forward who handles, passes and shoots the ball like a point guard, Jones also has the strength and athleticism to get things done in the paint. |
| 12 | Joe Jackson | 6-0 | PG/SG | White Station (TN) | Undecided | The pint-sized Memphis native has always been able to get buckets, but has now expanded his game to the defensive side of the ball, as well as putting more emphasis on being a playmaker. |
| 13 | Doron Lamb | 6-4 | SG | Oak Hill (VA) | Undecided |
A silky-smooth scorer from the Big Apple, Lamb is also a capable passer with a tremendous feel for the game, a high IQ, versatility and other intangibles |
| 14 | Jelan Kendrick | 6-6 | SG/SF | Westlake (GA) | Undecided | A long, smooth wing with point-guard passing instincts, Kendrick is also capable scorer–whether finishing at the rim, knocking down the outside J or finessing foes with his dazzling in-between game. |
| 15 | Gary Franklin | 6-2 | PG/SG | Mater Dei (CA) | USC | Franklin, a lights-out shooter, is one of the most clutch players in the class, but also possesses a strong all-around game and natural floor leader instincts. |
| 16 | Tarik Black | 6-9 | PF/C | Ridgeview (TN) | Undecided | A monster on the inside, the physical and athletic Black intimidates on both ends of the floor and is adding to his developing range of skills. |
| 17 | Reggie Bullock | 6-7 | SF | Kinston (NC) | North Carolina | A fluid swingman with a tremendous stroke, Bullock is fundamentally sound has great size for the wing position. |
| 18 | Melvin Tabb | 6-8 | PF | Enloe (NC) | Wake Forest | A solid all-around frontcourt player, Tabb has a post game, is able to face the basket from the perimeter and has the skills and athleticism to be a force in both transition and the halfcourt. |
| 19 | Phil Pressey | 5-9 | PG | Dallas Episcopal (TX) | Undecided | While Pressey’s quickness and leaping ability are eye-catching, his basketball IQ, ability to anticipate and jaw-dropping passing are what sets him apart. |
| 20 | Dominique Ferguson | 6-10 | PF/SF | Lawrence North (IN) | Undecided | A long and athletic, perimeter-oriented forward, Ferguson’s range and ball skills make life extremely difficult for whoever matches up with him. |
| 21 | Markel Starks | 6-2 | PG | Georgetown Prep (MD) | Georgetown | Underrated even in his own area, Starks is one of the most complete true point guards in the class, as his handle allows him to get in the lane at will, he has excellent court vision, shoots it from deep and is a strong finisher. |
| 22 | Adreian Payne | 6-9 | PF | Jefferson (OH) | Undecided | Although Payne still has some work to do to become a consistent, dominant force, his upside–highlighted by his length, athleticism, shot-blocking and finishing–make one of the most highly-coveted post prospects in the class. |
| 23 | Cory Joseph | 6-3 | PG/SG | Findlay (NV) | Undecided | Joseph, a Canadian import, is a scoring point with a deadly stroke, good size for his position, a high basketball IQ, excellent quickness and remarkable poise. |
| 24 | Roscoe Smith | 6-8 | SF/PF | Walbrook (MD) | Undecided | Another B-More native who is likely headed to prep school in the fall, Smith is a skilled, rangy and athletic wing prospect whose best days are ahead of him. |
| 25 | Ray McCallum | 6-1 | PG | Detroit Country Day (MI) | Undecided | McCallum, a coach’s son (his father is the head man at Detroit), is a pass-first point man, who distributes with the best of them, but can also take over games with his scoring ability. |
| 26 | TJ Taylor | 6-4 | SG | Denison (TX) | Oklahoma | Taylor is a husky, tough and deceptively athletic lefty guard who can shoot it from deep and off the dribble, finish at the rim and handle the rock with equal ability. |
| 27 | Tobias Harris | 6-8 | PF/SF | Half Hollows Hills West (NY) | Undecided | While Harris has the body of a power forward to go along with some post moves and toughness in the paint, he has the perimeter skills of a wing, which makes him a mismatch every time out. |
| 28 | Patric Young | 6-8 | PF | Paxon (FL) | Florida | Young, while still in need of some polish, is a physical monster, who dominates foes with his athleticism, power and tremendous motor. |
| 29 | Keith Appling | 6-3 | SG/PG | Pershing (MI) | Michigan State | A scoring lead guard out of Detroit, Appling has the athleticism and shooting ability to play off the ball, but his ballhandling and developing point-guard skills make him a dual threat. |
| 30 | Kendall Marshall | 6-4 | PG | Bishop O’Connell (VA) | North Carolina | Perhaps the best passer in the high school ranks, Marshall isn’t the fastest or most athletic guard, but his feel for the game is second to none, and his size at the point and improving stroke make him even more dangerous. |
| 31 | Lenzelle Smith | 6-4 | SG/PG | Zion-Benton (IL) | Ohio State | Smith may not look the part upon first glance, but he’s a hard-nosed, versatile, all-around player who can play all three perimeter positions thanks to his handle, strength, passing ability, toughness and knowledge of the game. |
| 32 | Cameron Clark | 6-7 | SF | Sherman (TX) | Undecided | Clark, a big-time athlete, is fluid, smooth, a terror in transition and has an unblockable, high-release J that he uses effectively from both mid-range and beyond the arc. |
| 33 | Joshua Hairston | 6-8 | PF/SF | Courtland (VA) | Duke | Hairston is starting to define his game as more of a power forward–more rugged play, back-to-the-basket moves and board work–but still has the face-up game and shooting of a wing player. |
| 34 | Terrence Ross | 6-5 | SG/SF | Montrose Christian (MD) | Maryland | A smooth wing with a beautiful stroke, Ross also has good size and length for the wing, handles the ball with proficiency and has excellent athleticism. |
| 35 | Ryan Harrow | 5-11 | PG/SG | Walton (GA) | North Carolina State | Harrow is a tiny, lightning-quick and dynamic lead guard who can shoot the rock fom way out, make defenders look silly off the dribble, hit his teammates with ridiculous dimes and elevate over the trees for impressive high-flying finishes. |
| 36 | Tyler Lamb | 6-5 | SG | Mater Dei (CA) | UCLA | A big-time shooter, Lamb is also a committed defender on the perimeter, who uses his savvy and skill to get tough buckets in the halfcourt, but also excels in transition. |
| 37 | Taran Buie | 6-3 | SG/PG | Bishop Maginn (NY) | Penn State | Ryan Jones’ soon-to-be favorite player is a smooth combo guard who can run the show, score from deep with his reliable stroke or going to the hole, using his effortless athleticism. |
| 38 | Josh Selby | 6-3 | SG/PG | Lake Clifton (MD) | Tennessee | Formerly of perennial powerhouse DeMatha, Selby is a big-time scoring lead guard, who has top-notch athleticism, a knack for finishing and range on his J. |
| 39 | JayVaughn Pinkston | 6-6 | PF/SF | Bishop Loughlin (NY) | Undecided | Pinkston is built more like a football player, but the NYC product is a skilled ballhandler for a bruiser, bullies opponents down low and is monster on the boards. |
| 40 | Gerard Coleman | 6-4 | SG | Tilton (NH) | Undecided | A hard-nosed slasher with a nice handle, Coleman, a Boston native, is a better shooter than he’s given credit for, a tough defender, a smooth athlete and a capable ballhandler. |
| 41 | Trevor Releford | 5-11 | PG | Bishop Miege (KS) | Undecided | A true point guard with a tight handle and outstanding court vision, Releford is also a creative and effective finisher in the lane, plays tough and pesky D and keep his man honest from the outside. |
| 42 | James Johnson | 6-9 | PF | Morse (CA) | Undecided | Johnson, a native of Canada, is a long, big-time athlete, who finishes with aggression, runs the floor well, is a force on D and on the glass and can even step out to hit jumpers. |
| 43 | Andre Stringer | 5-10 | PG | Forest Hill (MS) | Undecided | The diminutive Stringer is a quality scoring point due to his accurate deep range, but he can also run the show, use his compact frame to finish plays inside and make life difficult for opposing ballhandlers. |
| 44 | James Bell | 6-5 | SF/SG | Montverde (FL) | Villanova | Bell, a high-flying swingman, has become a deadly shooter from the outside and is one of the more fundamentally-sound athletes you’ll see. |
| 45 | Alex Kirk | 6-11 | C | Los Alamos (NM) | Undecided | Kirk isn’t one of the most dynamic big men out there in terms of athleticism or speed, but he has an array of post moves, can step out and shoot, is tough on the glass and as a shot-blocker, finishes with strength and plays with intensity. |
| 46 | CJ Leslie | 6-9 | PF/SF | Word of God (NC) | Undecided | One of the premier athletes in the nation, Leslie has all the tools to be an elite player–puts the ball on the floor well for his size, shot-blocker, big-time finisher, can step out to shoot it–but still needs to find consistency in his game. |
| 47 | Julian Washburn | 6-8 | SF/PF | Duncanville (TX) | Undecided | Washburn’s always had potential, but now he’s starting to find his nice as a perimeter defender, slasher from the wing and an overall inside-outside threat. |
| 48 | JT Terrell | 6-4 | SG | Cummings (NC) | Wake Forest | One of the best streak shooters in the country, Terrell still needs to continue to diversify his offensive repertoire, but with his top-notch athleticism, that shouldn’t be an issue. |
| 49 | Casey Prather | 6-6 | SF | North Side (TN) | Undecided | Prather, a big-time athlete on the wing, is still in the process of developing his ball skills, but has become a very effective outside shooter thus far, making his upside that much higher. |
| 50 | Pe’Shon Howard | 6-2 | SG/PG | Oak Hill (VA) | Undecided | Howard, who’s been on the national scene seemingly forever, has become a near-knockdown shooter, a capable floor general, an effective defender and an improved finisher, while retaining his tremendous motor. |
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