Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 10:00 am  |  15 responses

SLAM Fresh 50 – 2010

For entertainment purposes only.

by Aggrey SamJared Sullinger

I’ve only been doing these rankings for a few years now, but I feel like I’ve been doing them forever. That’s probably because I’ve been playing GM in my head since I was a little kid, and high-major coach/sneaker camp director since not long after that. I’d like to think my background makes me a little different than most people who do this, but one thing I’ve come to realize is that you can’t control what you can’t control. If I don’t see a kid at his best or at all, that’s life. When I do watch a kid play, I think about what I’ve been told, but I try to go into evaluating him with fresh eyes. Regardless, something that’s very important for all my fellow high school hoops observers to remember is this: entertainment value only. That’s all these are. Of course, I value my own opinion, but if you don’t agree, then so be it. It all shakes out in the long run. Real quick, as far as the current senior class, don’t expect any out-of-the-box phenoms. I’m sure we’ll see a few one-and-dones, but I think this class will be much better after a year or two in college, which I love as a college hoops fan. They need the seasoning and it’ll make the game better. Isn’t that the point?

Rank Name Height Position School College Why?
1 Jared Sullinger 6-7 PF Northland (OH) Ohio State Monster in the paint with skills.
2 Harrison Barnes 6-7 SF Ames (IA) North Carolina Complete swingman does it all.
3 Brandon Knight 6-3 PG/SG Pine Crest (FL) Undecided Powerful scoring point is polished all-around guard.
4 Will Barton 6-6 SG/SF Brewster (NH) Memphis Slender Baltimore swingman always gives it his all.
5 Josh Selby 6-3 PG/SG Lake Clifton (MD) Undecided Big-time athlete, big-time scorer.
6 Tobias Harris 6-8 PF/SF Half Hollows Hills West (NY) Tennessee Slimmed-down frame has helped game.
7 Terrence Jones 6-8 SF/PF Jefferson (OR) Undecided Size, skills allows him to play anywhere on court.
8 Joe Jackson 6-0 PG/SG White Station (TN) Memphis Potent scorer developing playmaking ability.
9 Deshaun Thomas 6-7 PF/SF Luers (IN) Ohio State Scoring forward simply gets it done.
10 Tristan Thompson 6-10 PF Findlay (NV) Texas Canadian has bulked up, maintained skills.
11 Kyrie Irving 6-2 PG/SG St. Patrick (NJ) Duke Coach K’s most important recruit in a long time.
12 Dion Waiters 6-3 SG Life Center (NJ) Syracuse Philly product is a powerful scorer.
13 Josh Smith 6-10 C Kentwood (WA) UCLA Uses huge frame to dominate paint.
14 Jelan Kendrick 6-6 SG/SF Wheeler (GA) Memphis Combines wing game and point guard skills.
15 Jereme Richmond 6-7 SF Waukegan (IL) Illinois Long, athletic and talented wing.
16 Doron Lamb 6-4 SG Oak Hill (VA) Undecided New Yorker is smooth, savvy scorer.
17 Reggie Bullock 6-7 SF/SG Kinston (NC) North Carolina Skilled wing is shooter with high hoops IQ.
18 Patric Young 6-8 PF Providence (FL) Florida Beast on inside.
19 Cory Joseph 6-3 PG/SG Findlay (NV) Undecided Canadian is relentless scorer.
20 CJ Leslie 6-8 PF/SF Word of God (NC) Undecided One of nation’s top athletes.
21 Perry Jones 6-10 PF Duncanville (TX) Baylor Major upside to go along with skilled game.
22 Fab Melo 7-0 C Sagemont (FL) Syracuse Brazilian import is still raw, but has serious potential.
23 Adreian Payne 6-9 PF Jefferson (OH) Michigan State Big-time athlete should thrive under Izzo.
24 Roscoe Smith 6-8 SF Oak Hill (VA) Connecticut Baltimore native is athletic wing with a stroke.
25 Kendall Marshall 6-4 PG O’Connell (VA) North Carolina Possibly the nation’s best passer, true point.
26 Tyler Lamb 6-5 SG Mater Dei (CA) UCLA Polished wing is efficient scorer.
27 Terrence Ross 6-5 SG Montrose Christian (MD) Undecided Smooth swingman is versatile scorer.
28 Tarik Black 6-8 PF Ridgeway (TN) Memphis Monster athlete is key part of top recruiting class.
29 Gary Franklin 6-2 SG/PG Mater Dei (CA) California Tough shooter can also run the show.
30 Okaro White 6-8 SF/PF Clearwater (FL) Florida State Athletic defensive stopper with offensive skills.
31 Dwight Powell 6-10 PF IMG (FL) Stanford Skilled Canadian operates in paint, on perimeter.
32 Meyers Leonard 7-0 C Robinson (IL) Illinois Monster athlete continues to improve.
33 Josh Hairston 6-8 PF Montrose Christian (MD) Duke High-energy inside-outside player.
34 Evan Smotrycz 6-9 PF/SF New Hampton (NH) Michigan Skilled shooter is perfect fit for Beilein’s system.
35 Trevor Releford 5-11 PG Miege (KS) Alabama Quick playmaker is underrated prospect.
36 Justin Coleman 6-4 SF/SG Huntington Prep (WV) Undecided Wing has great toughness, athleticism.
37 Lenzelle Smith 6-3 SG/PG Zion-Benton (IL) Ohio State All-around player with great intangibles.
38 Ryan Harrow 5-11 PG/SG Walton (GA) North Carolina State Slight frame belies explosive athleticism, scoring ability.
39 Stacey Poole 6-5 SF/SG Providence (FL) Kentucky Athletic swingman is great slasher.
40 Keith Appling 6-2 PG/SG Pershing (MI) Michigan State Tough combo guard with excellent quickness.
41 Melvin Tabb 6-8 PF Enloe (NC) Wake Forest Athletic with solid inside-outside game.
42 Gerard Coleman 6-4 SG Tilton (NH) Providence Boston native is talented scorer.
43 Jayvaughn Pinkston 6-6 PF/SF Loughlin (NY) Villanova Bully in paint has wing skills.
44 Markel Starks 6-2 PG Georgetown Prep (MD) Georgetown Poised, smooth lead guard.
45 Casey Prather 6-6 SF Northside (TN) Florida High-level athlete with improved perimeter skills.
46 TJ Taylor 6-3 SG/PG Denison (TX) Oklahoma Stocky combo guard is underrated scorer, playmaker.
47 Russell Byrd 6-7 SF Blackhawk Christian (IN) Michigan State One of nation’s top shooters.
48 Dominique Ferguson 6-9 PF/SF Hargrave Military (VA) Florida International Indiana native is major recruit for Isiah.
49 James Johnson 6-9 PF Elsinore (CA) Virginia Canadian is versatile high-flyer.
50 Alex Dragicevich 6-7 SF Glenbrook (IL) Notre Dame Savvy wing is polished scorer.

Aggrey Sam is the Bulls Insider and beat reporter for Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

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  • Ken

    Why doesn’t Maryland ever get any prize recruits? *sigh*

  • http://slamonline.com/ Tzvi Twersky

    Good stuff. One Q, though: where does Phil Pressey (headed to Mizzou) fit in? Did he just miss the list or is he not even close?

  • http://www.yahoo.com Logues

    cory joseph, please come to minnesota!

  • you already know.

    Where is Phil Pressey ? are you serious slam! best true point guard in that class.

  • ball4life

    Terrence Jones is filthy. saw him at UW the other night. and he had 41 on Raineer Beach

  • Da Hood

    Ive seen most of these kids in the top 15, but none impressed me like Kyrie, kid is it, im not sure he is not the best in this class.

  • MemphisMo23

    How Bout Them Tigers……
    Memphis of course
    4 of the top 30

  • http://www.cashwithatrueconscience.com/rbblog Ryan

    Great list! I agree with most of your rankings.

    I second the Kyrie comment from above. He’s a serious candidate for national POY. Monday was as unassertive as I’ve seen him and he still went for 30 against the most talented high school team on earth. Every other game – barring one – he’s been completely unstoppable. He’s a Top 5 player, hands down.

  • matt

    Jared at no. 1?? with his performance at the hoophall I couldn’t call him no. 1. The rest of your list is pretty good it should either be knight or barnes at no. 1

  • Johnson

    Still hopin Terrence Jones doesn’t pull a Kev Love and heads to a cali school, i think he would get even more of a verbal assault every time he played oregon/osu but if he stays and goes most likely to Oregon that would hopefully at least for a year revive the interest in college basketball cause its gettin a little ridiculous, the only consolation is the entire pac-10 is struggling.

  • http://NoKTHarrell? Donald P

    I wonder if you guys have seen KT Harrell. I realize that not everyone can make your top 50. I would like to know what your evaluation of his game is.

  • wronged

    Nate Lubick… better than at least a dozen of those guys

  • http://csnchicago.com a. sam

    Ken: They’re always in the mix, especially before kids blow up, but never seem to close the deal. I have some insights that I won’t share here, but do some digging into the Terrence Ross situation.
    Tzvi/you already know: I was on the Pressey bandwagon pretty early (wrote a story about him for the mag a few months ago) and even thought he was a top 25 type before last summer. However, his still-shaky outside J and underwhelming performances at NBPA Top 100 Camp and a couple other events where I saw him play had him miss the cut this time around. Definitely a top-75 player and an impact freshman at Mizzou. Great fit, especially with Mike Anderson being his pop’s college teammate. Also, I’d give Kendall Marshall the title of best floor general in 2010. Larry Drew needs to watch his back.
    matt: I did this before Jared’s stinker on MLK Day, with his performance in Northland’s upset over Findlay in mind. Still, after bouncing back to hit the game-winning free throws and snatching 17 boards, I’m sticking with him.
    ballforlife/Johnson: Good luck with T. Jones. My prediction: Kentucky, him and Josh Selby.
    Da Hood/Ryan: Yeah, Kyrie keeps getting better and better.
    Donald P: I won’t lie, I haven’t seen KT Harrell. I’ve heard great things about him from people I respect, especially in regard to fitting in with Bennett’s style at UVA.
    wronged: I’m a Hoyas fan and I like Nate’s game, but he just missed the cut for me.

  • http://curb2daburbs.blogspot.com So Outta Reach

    Keith Appling Michigan State bound greatness

  • scott edwards

    where is tony chennault?

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