Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 at 5:58 pm  |  19 responses

SLAM Fresh 50 – 2012

Midterm rankings for the Class of 2012.

by Franklyn Calle / @FrankieC7

(Note: Rankings were updated on 2/8/12 following the reclassification of Nerlens Noel)

As we hit the halfway mark in high school hoops, it’s only right that we touch base and update the rankings for the Class of 2012. Known for the array of quality big men it offers, specially at the top of the list, this senior class is definitely bound to be special.

The top ranked name for the 2012 class remains the same with our high school diarist, Shabazz Muhammad, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Just this past weekend Muhammad dropped 37 points in front of John Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski at the Hoophall Classic. The undeclared senior is currently considering Duke, Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, UCLA and UNLV.

A name that dropped from the list is Jarnell Stokes, who quietly graduated from high school last month and enrolled at Tennessee (and made his college debut over the weekend). A newcomer into the rankings is Torian Graham who has solidified himself among the top guards in this class.

Aside from the first seven spots which remain the same, most of movement in the rankings consisted of players moving a few slots over—although there were a few guys who saw some dramatic climbs up the chart. Among them was Georgia Stars’ Alex Poythress, who has been averaging over 31 points per game and has dropped 40+ a few times this season already. Poythress went from ranking 17th in the fall to joining the top-10 club. In addition, Glenn Robinson, who killed it at the Brandon Jennings Invitational, also saw huge climb up the list, among others.

Check out the full rankings below to see where some of your favorite prep players are ranked!

RANK PLAYER HT POS SCHOOL COLLEGE WHY?
1 Shabazz Muhammad 6-6 SF Bishop Gorman (NV) Undecided Skilled lefty who can score in all types of ways.
2 Nerlens Noel 6-10 C Tilton (NH) Undecided Top defender & shot-blocker in the nation.
3 Isaiah Austin 7-0 C Grace Prep (TX) Baylor A threat from beyond the paint.
4 Kyle Anderson 6-8 SF St. Anthony (NJ) UCLA “Slow motion” can play multiple positions well.
5 Mitch McGary 6-10 PF Brewster Academy (NH) Michigan Very tenacious and versatile big man.
6 Brandon Ashley 6-8 PF Findlay Prep (NV) Arizona Skilled big man.
7 Anthony Bennett 6-7 PF Findlay prep (NV) Undecided Explosive forward who can light it up from inside or outside.
8 Cameron Ridley 6-10 C Bush (TX) Texas Can flat-out own the paint.
9 Kaleb Tarczewski 7-0 C St. Mark’s (MA) Arizona Skilled and athletic big man who can finish in a variety of ways.
10 Archie Goodwin 6-4 SG Sylvan Hills (AR) Kentucky Tremendous athlete and scorer.
11 Alex Poythress 6-8 SF Northeast (TN) Kentucky Lights up the scoreboard in a hurry.
12 Rodney Purvis 6-4 PG/SG Upper Room Christian (NC) N.C. State Uncontainable guard who knows how to use his speed and athleticism.
13 Gary Harris 6-4 SG Hamilton Souteastern (IN) Michigan State A terrific slasher who can also sink it from distance.
14 Marcus Smart 6-3 PG/SG Marcus (TX) Oklahoma State Plays either guard position, and does it well.
15 Rasheed Sulaimon 6-4 SG Strake Jesuit (TX) Duke Fills up the stat sheet by hitting shots from all over the floor.
16 Ricardo Ledo 6-6 SF Notre Dame Prep (MA) Providence Just a natural scorer.
17 DaJuan Coleman 6-9 PF/C Jamesville-Dewitt (NY) Syracuse Not much the defense can do when he’s in the paint.
18 Danuel House 6-6 SG/SF Highto`wer (TX) Houston Superb when in transition.
19 TJ Warren 6-7 SF Brewster Academy (NH) N.C. State The versatile forward has a knack for scoring.
20 Steven Adams 6-10 PF Notre Dame Prep (MA) Pittsburgh Athletic big man with room for improvement and scary potential.
21 Kris Dunn 6-3 PG/SG New London (CT) Providence Athletic and agile guard who knows how to break down the defense.
22 Shaquille Goodwin 6-8 PF Southwest Dekalb (GA) Memphis Tenacious forward with a nice skill-set.
23 Devonta Pollard 6-7 SF Kemper County (MS) Undecided Long, thin, lefty forward who uses his athleticism to cause damage.
24 Amile Jefferson 6-7 PF Friends’ Central (PA) Undecided Always on attack-mode and can be a threat when facing up.
25 Robert Carter 6-9 C Shiloh (GA) Georgia Tech Admirable soft touch around the rim.
26 Marcus Paige 6-0 PG Linn-Mar (IA) North Carolina Possessing great basketball IQ, Marcus does a great job orchestrating offenses.
27 Grant Jerrett 6-9 C La Verne Lutheran (CA) Arizona Nice touch in the paint.
28 Tony Parker 6-8 C Miller grove (GA) Undecided A headache around the basket.
29 Hanner Perea 6-8 PF La Lumiere (IN) Indiana Explosive and dangerous in transition.
30 Sam Dekker 6-7 SF Lutheran (WI) Wisconsin A threat on both ends of the floor.
31 Glenn Robinson III 6-5 SF Lake Central (IN) Michigan Has developed into an outstanding scorer.
32 Perry Ellis 6-8 PF Heights (KS) Kansas Hard to contain when on attack-mode.
33 Kevin Ferrell 5-10 PG Park Tudor (IN) Indiana Notable defensive player with loads of speed.
34 D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera 6-3 SG Oak Hill (VA) Georgetown Nice pull-up jumper.
35 Ricardo Gathers 6-6 PF Reserve Christian (LA) Undecided Utilizes his strength for some great finishes.
36 Omar Calhoun 6-4 SG Christ the King (NY) UConn Can sink it from just about anywhere; has expanded game.
37 Willie Cauley 6-11 C Olathe Northwest (KS) Kentucky Outstanding shot-blocker and rebounder.
38 Gabe York 6-2 SG Lutheran (CA) Arizona Athletic guard with deep range.
39 Shaquille Cleare 6-9 C The Village (TX) Maryland A headache in the paint.
40 Brice Johnson 6-9 PF Edisto (SC) North Carolina Constantly busy on the boards.
41 Braxton Ogbueze 6-0 PG United Faith Christian (NC) Florida A tough guard whose game extends beyond the perimeter.
42 Justin Anderson 6-6 SF Montrose Christian (MD) Virginia Very athletic and always looking to be the aggressor.
43 Daniel Ochefu 6-9 C Westtown (PA) Villanova Effective with his back toward or against the basket.
44 Winston Shepard 6-6 SF Findlay Prep (NV) Undecided Excels in transition and has a nice mid-range game.
45 Jeremy Hollowell 6-7 SF Lawrence Central (IN) Indiana Utilizes long range and solid handle for an array of moves to the basket.
46 Ryan Arcidiacono 6-3 PG Neshaminy (PA) Villanova A scoring point guard.
47 Adam Woodbury 6-11 C East (IA) Iowa Tough assignment for the defense when in the post.
48 Robert Upshaw 6-11 C San Joaquin (CA) Kansas State Good rebounder with lots of upside.
49 Torian Graham 6-4 SG Arlington Day Country (FL) Undecided Ever improving guard with all-around tools.
50 Jerami Grant 6-6 SF/PF Dematha Catholic (MD) Syracuse Impressive face-up game.
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  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    Good stuff.

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com Enigmatic

    This class just seems a bit weak to me.
    Nerlens Noel dominated Mitch McGary at the Hoophall, and to be real I’d put Noel, Julius Randle AND Jahlil Okafor over McGrary if I was making a “best high school big men regardless of class” list.
    That being said, there’s some dope talent on here. Muhammad is the real deal, I still put Jabari Parker as top overall high school player but Muhammad ain’t too far behind.
    Kyle Anderson is like Penny jr.
    I really liked what I saw from Brandon Ashley against Simeon too. That kids a beast . Arizona’s gonna be a problem next year!

  • AMPduppp

    Dajuan Coleman’s gonna make moves next year at Cuse, I ran against him in high school and he’s practically unstoppable down low cuz of how much space he takes up. Dude’s also got decent handles for his size and nice shooting range, seen him knock down a few treys

  • http://www.slamonline.com aman from arkansas

    my boy archie goodwin from my home state of arkansas but i wish he woulda sign with the U of A Razorbacks.

  • mike

    might want to move mcgary way down

  • Clutch23

    This class is going to be good but I would agree next year’s has more Eye Appeal, that kid Marcus Smart has game and is going to be a force in the NBA!

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Enigmatic, you’re really high on that JParker cat. What separates him from Shabazz and the rest of the class?

  • Brad09

    every year the so called experts over rate a white guy. Love being the exception, now ask yourself is McGary the next love or the next McRoberts? Ill let you decide.

  • Jimmy Johnson

    Just to let you know that Alex Poythress is from NorthEast,Tenn not Georgia. Also my Kentucky Wildcats will end up with the #1 recruiting class once again after we sign Bennet and Shabazz. CATS CATS CATS.

  • gmit8

    thank you for sharing your list of Fresh 50….
    please advise if Aquille Carr 5’9 Baltimore Patterson HS attending Seton Hall next yr. was considered….

  • UNLV Fan

    No Katin Reinhardt? Leader of a top 25 national team in Mater Dei and just schooled #35 Omar Calhoun on national TV…

  • da real

    Reinhardt needs t be on this list. he was the most impressive player I saw at the Hoop Hall after Shabazz Muhamed

    If you were at that tournament you saw what separates Shabazz from the rest. Best comparrison is Luol Deng with a little more athleticism.

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/college-hs/college/2012/01/qa-with-dan-poneman/ Enigmatic

    @JTaylor – Well, last time I tried to explain this to you I wasn’t sure if you ever read it cause I never got a response.
    His basketball IQ is off the charts. Where other players at that age might rely on their athletic ability or speed or brute strength (or in the case of 16 year old LeBron James – all three), Parker utilizes his mind and ability to read the team’s defenses to get his team better scoring opportunities.
    He’s so advanced in the mental aspect of the game, and yet he’s also extremely skilled.
    He can score from pretty much anywhere, from 3 point shots to the low post. He can create for himself off the dribble. He can create for others, I’ve seen Simeon use him as a point forward in stretches of games and he’s more than capable. Solid rebounder, good offensive rebounder. Athletic, but not an explosive athlete.
    Solid defender, can block shots as well as pick off passes in passing lane.
    He knows when to turn it on and be aggressive, and when it’s okay to be passive offensively. He’s had games where he dominated with his scoring, and he’s had games where he barely attempted a shot because teammates like Steve Taylor (Marquette-bound) and Kendrick Nunn were playing so well he’d rather focus his energy on defense and rebounding, and his team still dominated.
    I mean, it’s not just me, click on my name and read the interview I did with Dan Poneman, a basketball scout from Chicago who’s well respected nationally as having a great eye for talent.
    Google Parker and see what others are saying. I mean, Coach K compared him to a young Kobe, he gets Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony comparisons all the time. One CBS writer even said he might be the next Oscar Robertson! (I think that’s too far, personally)
    While you’re at it, google Jahlil Okafor too. Young man is a beast. Like I said, top 5 high school big man right now, and he’s only a sophomore!
     

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Enigmatic, great breakdown. You were this close to convincing me but I still think Shabazz is the best player in the country but hey, no one really knows for sure just how good these guys are until we see how they perform at the next level.

  • bike

    Who in the hell names a kid ShaBazz?

  • http://www.nyill.wordpress.com Enigmatic

    What’s wrong with Shabazz?
    You ever heard of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, one of the most influential African-Americans of the 20th century?
    You might know him as Malcolm X.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Exactly. I might name my kid Shabazz.

  • http://www.ballastv.com New england basketball

    steven adams is way to low he out played nerlens who is the best big in the country regardless of class

  • Casey

    Steve Adams will be the best player out of this class, nobody knows how good he can be, not even him.

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