2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting

[chiefhawg]

Did one of his parents call a local sports talk show in advance?

[lefty08]

PF Noah Dickerson.

May be headed to LSU

[bulldog04]

May be headed to LSU

Why? So he can join a list of underachieving players

[Swinesong1]

Why? So he can join a list of underachieving players

Simmons' teammate.

[jbcarol]

 Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria  ·  21h 21 hours ago

Tennessee is the latest to offer 2015 SF @Ddixson_35

[jbcarol]

 Evan Daniels @EvanDaniels  ·  16h 16 hours ago

Kobie Eubanks told Scout he will take an official visit Alabama on Monday & Tuesday. Says he's still open.

[NaturalStateReb]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  11h 11 hours ago

Las Vegas businessman is trying to get McDonald's AA to skip college BB and play 1 year for $700,000 before NBA http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/vegas-businessman-wants-top-high-school-players-to-skip-college-with-him/ …

Vegas owner says he thinks he can get "5 of top 25" High School players to skip college THIS YEAR and play for him

That's some USFL action there.

[jbcarol]

South Carolina picked up a late Class of 2015 commitment on Monday as former Kansas State pledge Eric Cobb selected the Gamecocks. The 6-foot-9 Cobb is regarded as a three-star prospect, according to Rivals, and hails from Baltimore.

After decommitting from the Wildcats this spring, Cobb took official visits to South Carolina, Seton Hall and VCU before deciding on head coach Frank Martin's program.

The Gamecocks now have a five-man class in 2015 that includes McDonald's All-American guard P.J. Dozier, guard Jamall Gregory, forward Chris Silva and center Travon Bunch...

[jbcarol]

 Evan Daniels @EvanDaniels  ·  18m 18 minutes ago

Caleb Swanigan, a five-star center, has verbally committed to Purdue, a source confirms to Scout.


Picked Purdue over Kentucky.

[jbcarol]

 Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria  ·  3h 3 hours ago

"Kentucky was in the mix, Michigan State was still in the mix. I got a whole bunch of phonecalls" Caleb Swanigan's dad tells @SNYtv

[jbcarol]

 Steve Jones @SteveJones_CJ  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Owensboro's Aric Holman to sign with Miss. State, coach says http://cjky.it/1ShJjez  via @courierjournal

[jbcarol]

 Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Noah Dickerson to Visit Cal, Texas and Washington http://zagsblog.com/articles/noah-dickerson-to-visit-cal-texas-and-washington/ ...

[jbcarol]

Top available 2015 recruit with SEC offer/high interest

Noah Dickerson:  http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2015/05/former_florida_signee_noah_dic.html

Ben Simmons' high school teammate, Noah Dickerson, is looking to visit the LSU, along with Texas, Cal and Washington after Florida granted his release, according to basketball insider Adam Zagoria.

"Right (now) former Florida signee Noah Dickerson is looking at visiting Texas, Cal, UW and LSU, his AAU coach confirmed," Zagoria tweeted.

"Everybody knows coach Smart is a phenomenal coach," Dickerson said. "My mom and I believe the offense he runs would fit how I play and how I would need to play to make my jump to the next level, if there is one.

"It would be a perfect fit for me in the offense. He sees me as a player who could play inside and out. I can shoot the ball a little bit and I can handle the ball a little bit. So I can play both."

http://www.burntorangenation.com/basketball/2015/5/22/8644449/former-florida-commit-noah-dickerson-raves-about-shaka-smart

[jbcarol]

Florida officially granted 2015 signee Noah Dickerson his release from his Letter of Intent on Thursday, without restrictions. But an obscure SEC bylaw may prevent the 6-foot-8 power forward from Montverde (Fla.) Academy to transfer to another SEC school.

There is thought that Dickerson may want to join former Montverde teammate Ben Simmons at LSU, which would help a Tigers frontline depleted by underclassmen Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey declaring for the NBA draft.

This is what trapped KeVaughn.

SEC Bylaw 15.01.2

A student athlete who has signed an SEC Financial Aid Agreement with a member institution and is eligible to receive the athletic scholarship on the institution's first day of classes of the academic year specified on the financial aid agreement, but who does not enter that institution or who does enter and withdraws from that institution before fully completing his/her first semester or quarter (except when the recipient of an athletic scholarship award enters military service before enrolling in the awarding institution and remains in military service for a period of eighteen months or more), shall not be eligible to receive an athletics grant-in-aid during the student-athlete's first two years in residence at the second SEC institution.

Greg Sankey: "In the SEC they are actually signing a couple of documents. One is the actual National Letter of Intent (NLI) and the second is an SEC financial aid agreement. The first document, the NLI, sets out the dynamics of their signing, the end of their recruitment and their commitment to a particular institution and a sport. The financial aid agreement will set forth the athletic scholarship they will receive upon enrollment at the institution. Sometimes there is an institutional document as well explaining policies and procedures."

So, by signing the the SEC financial aid agreement that accompanied their NLI, UT's former signees agreed to go without a scholarship for two years if they backed out and went to another SEC school. And no one is going to do that, right? Especially when teams from other leagues are waiting, full ride in hand. End of discussion, almost.

The only way around the bylaw is a waiver, which must come from the SEC commissioner's office. They are rare, mostly because the previous SEC school's opinion is considered, and no one really likes sending their talent to the competition.

[jbcarol]

With bright future, Canadian prospect Jamal Murray aspires to 'be more'

Kentucky is at the heart of college basketball's one-and-done era, where top high-schoolers arrive for a single season of NCAA hoops before jumping to the NBA.

Last winter, Kentucky pushed to become the first undefeated national champion since 1976, but lost in the semi-finals of March Madness. Soon after, seven players – three of them freshman – declared they would leave school for the NBA draft. Coach John Calipari had a roster to rebuild – and a Canadian named Jamal Murray in his sights.

Murray, an 18-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., is the hottest name among Canadian high school players. Calipari visited Murray and his father, Roger, in April, and Murray visited Kentucky last week.

The 6-foot-5 guard had put together a solid basketball résumé over several years, but his performances in early April, particularly his 30-point MVP showing at the prestigious Nike Hoop Summit against numerous acclaimed 2015 college recruits, garnered much greater attention. Murray plays at fledgling Athletic Institute Orangeville Prep, north of Toronto, which saw a stream of coaches from top colleges visit last September.

Murray had also been courted by NCAA champion Duke University, but Duke has signed on two other top-ranked guards, which is typical of the ebbs and flows considered by both schools and recruits. Murray may have additional questions for Kentucky...

The key, Roger Murray said, is to see where Jamal would have the best opportunity.

Murray is likely to decide by June. High school players typically decide by the national letter-of-intent deadline, which this year was set for May 20 – but Murray has rushed to complete additional schoolwork so he can play college hoops this fall, instead of the planned 2016. To do so, he would bypass the letter-of-intent deadline and sign a letter of financial aid at some later point.

"You have to have some knowledge of where everyone is coming from," Roger Murray said of recruiting. "Just maintain your structure, of the original way you wanted to go, without getting caught up in the whole hoopla of it. It's a delicate balance." Asked about his son's ability and readiness for college basketball, Roger is emphatic: "Without a doubt."

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  11h 11 hours ago

Las Vegas businessman is trying to get McDonald's AA to skip college BB and play 1 year for $700,000 before NBA http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/vegas-businessman-wants-top-high-school-players-to-skip-college-with-him/ ...

Vegas owner says he thinks he can get "5 of top 25" High School players to skip college THIS YEAR and play for him

Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria 4m4 minutes ago Manhattan, NY

Tim Fuller has not accepted a job with the Las Vegas Dealers, he tells @SNYtv. He has consulted with the team but has not accepted a job.

[jbcarol]

Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria 5m5 minutes ago Manhattan, NY

Here's more on the Las Vegas Dealers offering up to $1M for McDonald's All-Americans http://zagsblog.com/articles/new-semipro-team-offering-up-to-1-million-for-mcdonalds-all-americans-but-players-say-they-havent-heard-about-it/ ...

NEW YORK — Cerruti Brown, the mystery man who is the head of the fledgling Las Vegas Dealers semipro basketball team, says he is willing to pay up to $1,000,000 to get at least one 2015 McDonald's All-American to play for his team this coming year.

In fact, he told SNY.tv on The 4 Quarters Podcast Monday that he's "shooting for five" McDonald's All-Americans.

"If we feel comfortable about giving $1 million, then that's something my partners and I will have to sit down and come to an agreement to move forward, but I think going forward these kids feel or know what they're worth," Brown said, adding that he and his three partners have $10 million in startup money. "In the conversations we've had, we've had great conversations with parents and guardians."

All 24 McDonald's All-Americans have committed to colleges, and the overwhelming majority have signed National Letters of Intent.

For Brown's plan to work, one of those players — such as a Kentucky-bound Isaiah Briscoe, a Kansas-bound Cheick Diallo or a Mississippi State-bound Malik Newman — would have to forego at least a year of college before entering the NBA Draft in order to play for a fledgling team that is aiming to play 35 games in Las Vegas (possibly at the Cox Pavilion) and then 15 games in Europe against to-be-determined competition.

The only problem is that after reaching out to about half a dozen 2015 McDonald's All-Americans — or their parents or mentors –none had even heard of Brown or the Dealers.

"I can't speak for anybody else, but we're going to Kentucky," George Briscoe, Isaiah's father, told SNY.tv. "I never heard of it and I don't have any comments on that. I know we're going to Kentucky."

"I never heard of them," a mentor of another McDonald's All-American added.

"First I heard of it," a third person said.

"Is it real?" a fourth asked.

"What's the deal with that?" a fifth inquired.

When I asked one McDonald's All-American if the Dealers had reached out to him, he simply said, "No."

Meantime, Brown remains a bit of a mystery man, as an Internet search of his background reveals little more than a handful of sunglass ads and several recent stories on him, including one by the Sporting News that does a good job detailing how little is known about Brown or the Dealers...

[jbcarol]

 Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 39m39 minutes ago

2015 wing Dikembe Dixson will visit UNLV June 15th + 16th, source told @CBSSports. Will also visit UIC, DePaul, + Wake Forest this month.

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN  2m2 minutes ago
Ex-Florida signee Noah Dickerson told ESPN he will visit Washington on Wednesday and Cal on Saturday. Class 2015 big man ranked 51 by ESPN.

[jbcarol]

Derek Jeter
Athlete · 18 hrs

Keep an eye out for this young man, Isaiah Briscoe, who is just finishing high school. I'm impressed with his poise and perspective -- on and off the basketball court. Next fall he'll join the University of Kentucky basketball team and he's widely regarded as the top point guard in his recruiting class...

https://www.facebook.com/theplayerstribune?fref=nf

[jbcarol]

Rutgers has another scholarship to work with after the school released Class of 2015 commitment Kejuan Johnson from his Letter of Intent

The 6-foot-6 Johnson attended Hargrave Military Academy this past season.

Johnson was having difficulty gaining admission into Rutgers and that could have played a part in the decision for the split.

An undersized forward who can rebound and finish near the hoop, Johnson is originally a native of Atlanta. With Class of 2015 options being limited at this point, Johnson could hear from a couple of programs still looking for depth for the upcoming 2015-16 season.

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/kejuan-johnson

[jbcarol]

Jeff Borzello ‏@jeffborzello 2h2 hours ago

Former Florida signee Noah Dickerson (No. 52) committed to Washington last night: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/13015191/noah-dickerson-commits-washington-huskies-receiving-release-florida-gators ...

Noah Dickerson is ranked No. 52 in the ESPN 100. Key late pickup for Lorenzo Romar and Washington.

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein  Jun 4
Two big wild cards to remember for next season: Jamal Murray and Thon Maker. Both could elevate a team immediately. Both could enroll late.

[jbcarol]

South Carolina picked up a late addition to its 2015 recruiting efforts this weekend as former DePaul commit Raymond Doby pledged to the SEC program, a source told NBCSports.com.

The 6-foot-7 Doby, who spent this past season playing a postgraduate year at St. John's Northwestern Military Academy, was released from his Letter of Intent at DePaul this spring and committed after taking his official visit to South Carolina this weekend.

An athletic wing forward, the three-star Doby is the sixth member of the Gamecocks' 2015 class, joining McDonald's All-American Perry Dozier, three-star shooting guard Jamall Gregory, three-star forwards Chris Silva and Eric Cobb and three-star center Travon Bunch.

South Carolina head coach Frank Martin has added a lot of size with this group as five of the six commitments are at least 6-foot-6...

[jbcarol]

 Richard Davenport ‏@ArRecruitingGuy 21h21 hours ago

Sunday recruiting tidbits: Arkansas leads for center Willy Kouassi after this weekend's official visit to Faye... http://bit.ly/1QCiMVM

[jbcarol]

Evan Daniels ‏@EvanDaniels  7h7 hours ago
Updated 2015 Class Rankings | Top 25: http://www.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&c=14&cfg=bb&yr=2015 ...

1. Duke
4. UK
5. LSU
8. A&M
13. Miss. St.
23. UF

[jbcarol]

Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria 5h5 hours ago

Jamal Murray May Visit Michigan, Others http://zagsblog.com/articles/jamal-murray-may-visit-michigan-others/ ... via @adamzagoria

[jbcarol]

Tyler Thompson ‏@MrsTylerKSR

.@PaulBiancardi gives KSR the latest on Jamal Murray: http://kentuckysportsradio.com/main/paul-biancardi-says-its-a-two-and-a-half-horse-race-for-jamal-murray/ ...
8:20 AM - 11 Jun 2015

Paul Biancardi made another appearance on Kentucky Sports Radio this morning to fill us in on all the latest with Jamal Murray. Biancardi told guest host Seth Greenberg that right now, it's a "two-and-a-half horse race" for the Canadian shooting guard.

"He visited Kentucky, he just visited Oregon, he's thinking about visiting Michigan and a couple of others. Will he do that? He's not sure. Right now, it's a two-and-a-half horse race, Michigan being the half. If they get the visit, you have to consider them a full-fledged threat. Handicapping it, how do you not pick Kentucky out of those three right now? But John Beilein has had a lot of success and Dana Altman's doing a lot of great things up at Oregon, and they've got a Canadian up there already in Dylan Brooks."

Biancardi added he's hearing Murray is finishing his academic requirements to be eligible for 2015. "Talking to people in his circle, that should happen, but you never know."

[jbcarol]

Evan Daniels ‏@EvanDaniels 25m25 minutes ago

There are plenty of coaches still looking for players. 2015 PG Elijah Long is qualified & available, per CIA Bounce coach Tony McIntyre.

[jbcarol]

In addition to possible reclassification prospects here are some of the top available 2015 recruits:

Levi Cook, 6-9 C from Huntington Prep
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/166363/levi-cook
Has Florida on the list

Greyson Smallwood, 6-9 C from Portland Jefferson
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/184183/greyson-smallwood
Has an offer from A&M

Hyron Edwards, 5-11 PG from East Chicago Central
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/162483/hyron-edwards
Has a Tennessee offer

[jbcarol]

Jeff Borzello ‏@jeffborzello 16h16 hours ago

Boston College has landed a commitment from 2015 big man Johncarlos Reyes, per a source. Out of Sound Doctrine (Ga.).

[jbcarol]

Sonny Bairos ‏@sonnybairos  6h6 hours ago
Oregon Ducks close to landing top Canadian high school prospect 1997 born Jamal Murray http://hoopshype.ca/jamal-murray-announcement-planned-for-espnu-oregon-front-runners/ ...

Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_CJ  8h8 hours ago
Report: Five-star UK target Jamal Murray to reclassify to '15 http://cjky.it/1IXnPyb

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman ‏@GoodmanESPN  Jun 20
Kobie Eubanks making his decision on Monday. I'd be shocked if he doesn't pick Alabama.

[jbcarol]

Matt Zenitz ‏@mzenitz  1h1 hour ago
Kobie Eubanks (@kobeeubanks), who compared his game to Joe Johnson, explains why he chose Alabama over Kansas, others http://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/index.ssf/2015/06/four-star_shooting_guard_kobie.html ...

[jbcarol]

 Paul Biancardi ‏@PaulBiancardi 3h3 hours ago

BREAKING NEWS! It's official Jamal Murray (@BeMore27) will make his big decision tomorrow at 6pm on TSN. (@TSN_PR) per his dad Roger.


yawn

[jbcarol]

Ben Roberts ‏@NextCats 13h13 hours ago

Rankings updated. UK tops Duke for No. 1 class in 2015.

[jbcarol]

Richard Davenport ‏@ArRecruitingGuy 34m34 minutes ago

Kouassi commits and signs with Hogs: Center Willy Kouassi has committed and signed with Arkansas. http://bit.ly/1fG8sk8

[jbcarol]

From LSU to Mizzou, from Kaintuck to Tenner, from A&M to OM, this thread will have a count-up and recap of the 2015 SEC basketball recruiting classes in the days ahead.

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 4h4 hours ago

Alabama still not done with 2015 recruiting class as Avery Johnson seeks transfer. http://ow.ly/OWI3F

"There's going to be one more addition," Johnson said Monday. "We're still not finished with the roster. Obviously, you're always on the lookout for a big guy, but we're going to add another wing player and we'll have that done, hopefully, by the start of our second session of summer school."

Classes begin Wednesday in the second term of summer school classes in Tuscaloosa. The last day to register for classes is July 6.

[jbcarol]

2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Classes:

1. Kentucky*

Top Line:  Scout #1, #12, #13, and #78; 247 Juco Recruiting: #18

Key Losses: 6-11 Karl Anthony-Towns, 10.3 and 6.7; 7-0 Willie Cauley-Stein, 8.9 and 6.4; 6-10 Trey Lyles, 8.7 and 5.2; Devin Booker, 10 and 2, 41.1 3P%

"Homer" perspective: Ben Roberts

SKAL LABISSIERE

Status: UK signee
Power forward | 7-0 | 215
[Academic] School: Lausanne Collegiate
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.

#1 or #2 in the nation

Labissiere was the first player in the class of 2015 to receive a scholarship offer from John Calipari, and the UK coach gained his commitment during the early signing period.
      The 7-footer survived the massive 2010 earthquake in his home country and moved to the United States shortly thereafter to pursue his basketball dreams. The association that governs Tennessee high school sports ruled him ineligible to play due to the circumstances of his transfer, so Labissiere's guardian — Gerald Hamilton — created a traveling team that would allow Labissiere to play basketball this past season.
      Hamilton's motives have been called into question, most notably in a CBS Sports report the day before Labissiere announced his commitment to UK. The questions surrounding Labissiere's status likely will draw attention from the NCAA before he ever plays a college game.

JAMAL MURRAY

Status: UK commitment
Guard | 6-5 | 200
School: Orangeville Prep (Can.)
Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario

From #10 - #15

Murray was already a highly touted recruit when his stock skyrocketed at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. The versatile combo guard scored 30 points and dished out five assists in the game, earning MVP honors while leading the World Select Team to a victory over a U.S. squad full of McDonald's All-Americans.
      Though a member of the class of 2016 at the time, Murray was already contemplating a move that would allow him to reclassify to 2015 and play college basketball this coming season. He followed through with that plan and committed to Kentucky over Oregon in late June, the final high-profile recruit to pick a school.

ISAIAH BRISCOE

Status: UK signee
Point guard | 6-3 | 210
School: Roselle Catholic
Hometown: Union, N.J.

#10 - #16

      Kentucky emerged toward the end of Briscoe's recruitment and managed to beat out local favorite St. John's for his commitment during the early signing period.
      The Cats picked up their pursuit of Briscoe over the summer, a time that included him helping the U.S. junior team win a FIBA gold medal and leading his summer team to the prestigious Nike Peach Jam title.
      Briscoe has honed his point guard skills over the past year or so. He spent the first part of his high school career playing alongside Tyler Ennis, the highly touted point guard who went to Syracuse and was a first-round NBA pick after his freshman season. As a result, Briscoe really didn't get to showcase his on-the-ball skills until he moved to Roselle Catholic last season.
      "Last high school season and this past AAU season were really the only times that people had started to look at him as a point guard," said Roselle Coach Dave Boff. "So when he started to be seen as a point guard ... his recruitment changed a little bit."
      Scout.com still evaluated Briscoe as a shooting guard at the time of his commitment to Kentucky, but director of recruiting Evan Daniels acknowledged that he has skills suited for both guard positions.

CHARLES MATTHEWS

Status: UK signee
Shooting guard | 6-5 | 185
High school: St. Rita
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

#48 - #78

His high school coach, Gary DeCesare, is the former coach at St. Raymond's (N.Y.), where one of his star players was former UK assistant Orlando Antigua. Matthews was also teammates with UK signee Tyler Ulis in the Chicago Meanstreets summer program, the same squad that produced former Calipari players Anthony Davis and Derrick Rose.
      Matthews has the skills and size to play both guard positions, and he has said that he'd like to run some point guard in college. Of course, his familiarity of playing in the same backcourt with Ulis should be an immediate plus for the Cats in 2015.
      The 6-foot-5 Matthews prides himself as a defender, and his quickness and length should allow him to effectively defend a wide range of opponents.
      "He's as athletic as anyone out here," 247Sports analyst Jerry Meyer...

MYCHAL MULDER

UK commitment
Shooting guard | 6-4 | 185
Vincennes University
Hometown: Windsor, Ontario

Mulder was a lightly regarded recruit when he came out of Ontario as a high schooler, but he has grown into a junior college All-American in two seasons at the highly successful Vincennes University.
      He was the only freshman starter his first season at Vincennes and led the team in scoring as a sophomore. Mulder also made 88 three-pointers and shot 44.7 percent from long range this past season, and UK will be able to use a shooter like that on the 2015-16 roster.

Johnny David, 6-2 preferred walk on from Mt. Lebanon, PA


*Kentucky's ranking is contingent upon Labissiere or Murray clearing the NCAA Eligibility Center.

[jbcarol]

2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Classes:

2. LSU

Top Line: Scout #2, #21, and #62

Key Losses: 6-10 Jarell Martin, 16.9 and 92; 6-8 Jordan Mickey, 15.4, 9.9, and 3.6 bpg.

LSU Basketball ‏@LSUBasketball Jul 1

The three freshman for 2015-16 @LSUBasketball -- Blakeney, Simmons, Sampson -- met with local media Wed.
http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=210179195 ...

Jay Bilas ‏@JayBilas Jun 30
Watched LSU's Ben Simmons for 3 straight days at the Nike Basketball Academy. He's ridiculous. Simmons has versatile talent rarely seen.

NOLA.com ‏@NOLAnews 22h22 hours ago

Benny (Simmons) and his jets cleared for LSU basketball takeoff: Ron Higgins http://bit.ly/1Jyi76g

Everything about Ben Simmons is so polished they may need to distribute free sunglasses to fans attending LSU's November home basketball opener just to cut the glare.

The most heralded recruit in Tigers' history, who's already projected as the first pick of next year's NBA Draft, joined fellow freshmen signees Antonio Blakeney and Brandon Sampson in meeting the Baton Rouge media for the first time Wednesday.

If you've seen the 6-10 Australian-born Simmons play, then it's understandable he answers questions in the same manner.

No wasted words (motion). Complete the question (play). Next question (possession).

"I've had media and cameras in my face since I first came over here (to the United States) in 2012," Simmons said. "It's a responsibility I have to do."

Just like going to college, which Simmons is doing at LSU, primarily because Tigers' assistant coach David Patrick is his godfather and a former Australian pro teammate of Simmons' father Dave.

Because of the NBA's silly rule banning high school players from jumping directly to the pros without playing in college for a minimum of one season, college is a requirement for Simmons.

It's hard believe that a guy who just a few days ago was at a Nike Elite camp getting rave reviews battling the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Kobe Bryant is getting lathered about playing college basketball in a conference revered for its football...

Coach Johnny Jones can't wait to get to Australia, to see how many ways he can turn Simmons loose within the team framework.

"The last thing you want to do is to try and handcuff a player that has the ability to impact the game in a lot of areas," Jones said. "Ben creates easy scoring opportunities for other guys out there. He has a high basketball IQ. The last thing you want to do is to try and put too many limitations on a guy who doesn't need it."

[jbcarol]

2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Classes:

3. A&M

Top Line: Scout #33, #38, #49, #124

Key Losses: 6-9 Kourtney Roberson, 8.8 and 6.5 and 6-5 Jordan Green, 6.1 and 1.8 apg.

Tyler Davis, who is recognized as one of the top post prospects in the 2015 class, committed to A&M

Davis, a 6-foot-9, 270-pound center,  had a terrific summer playing with the Texas Titans team. Davis is a massive post prospect that fights and plays with toughness in the paint. He rebounds at a high level and can overpower defenders and score on the block.

Through 16 games on the EYBL circuit, Davis averaged 13.2 points, while shooting 61-percent from the field. He also reeled in 6.4 rebounds a game.

Davis is regarded as Scout.com's No. 7 center and No. 24 player overall.

6-7 DJ Hogg has the chance to play either on the wing or as a stretch power forward.

The sharp shooting Hogg is considered the No. 31 prospect overall, and a four-star prospect.


Kennedy added a pledge from four-star center Elijah Thomas, giving the Aggies the nation's No. 2 recruiting class in 2015 (at the time).

Thomas, a 6-foot-9, 255-pound center, committed to Texas A&M over scholarship offers from Illinois, LSU, Oklahoma State and SMU.

Thomas brings value to the game with his ability to score on the block. He's aggressive with his post moves, has good scoring touch around the basket and is able to carve out space with ease. He's also effective as an area rebounder.

Thomas is regarded as the No. 8 center and the No. 30 overall recruit in the 2015 recruiting class.

Admon Gilder, a four-star shooting guard out of Texas, opted to stay close to home. He committed to Billy Kennedy and Texas A&M

A&M picked up a commitment from in-state shooting guard Admon Gilder. The 6-foot-2 guard from Dallas (Tex.) Madison chose the Aggies over Baylor, Oklahoma State and SMU.

At 6-foot-2, Gilder is known for his ability to score. He's comfortable off the catch and has good range on his shot, but he's also capable of going off the bounce and making mid-range pull-ups.

As a junior, Gilder averaged 25.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He helped lead Madison to back-to-back Class 3A state championships. Gilder is regarded as the No. 30 shooting guard in the 2015 class.

[jbcarol]

2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Classes:

4. State

Top Line: Scout #10, #78, #55 C

Key Losses: 6-7 Roquez Johnson, 9.3 and 5.1,

Courtney Cronin ‏@CourtneyRCronin 43m43 minutes ago

ICYMI: Mississippi State filled last spot in 2015 class w/ La. Tech transfer Xavian Stapleton (3 yrs eligiblity).  http://www.clarionledger.com/story/recruitingreport/2015/07/05/xavian-stapleton-mississippi-state/29737239/ ...

Less than three weeks after requesting a transfer from Louisiana Tech, former Madison Central Dandy Dozen guard Xavian Stapleton confirmed to The Clarion-Ledger that he will transfer to Mississippi State.

Stapleton averaged 6.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and shot over 41 percent from the floor last season for the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-6, 190 pound guard will have to sit out the 2015-16 season per NCAA transfer rules and will have three remaining years of eligibility.

Stapleton uses Mississippi State's last scholarship in 2015-16 that was freed up by former Bulldog Oliver Black, who parted ways with the program in June. MSU's 2015 class consists of Stapleton, four-star power forward Aric Holman, five-star guard Malik Newman, four-star guard Quinndary Weatherspoon and three-star power forward Joe Strugg.

http://www.scout.com/college/mississippi-state/player/153212-malik-newman/analysis

[jbcarol]

2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Classes:

5. Arkansas*

Top Line: Scout #65, #70, grad transfer, former Rivals #66

Key Losses: 6-10 Bobby Portis 17.5 and 8.9 (SEC POY); 6-6 Michael Qualls 15.9 and 5.3; 6-5 Rashad "Ky" Madden 9.6 and 4.6 apg

Arkansas added an interesting dynamic to its rivalry with Mizzou.

Hickman star Jimmy Whitt committed to Arkansas on Tuesday, choosing the Hogs over Missouri, Illinois, Marquette and SMU. Arkansas, which is run by former Missouri coach Mike Anderson, steals arguably the top point guard in the state right under MU's nose.

"It'll be fun to see where it goes now that I committed to Arkansas, definitely how to see how it is from the other side," Whitt said of the rivalry. "Because I've seen it from the Mizzou side and everything. So actually to experience for myself will be a fun experience."

Whitt is perhaps the most-hyped prospect from the Kewpies program since Lance Harris, who left Mid-Missouri for Kansas State in 2003.

Kapita, a 6-foot-8 forward out of Huntington Prep (W.Va.), is ranked No. 40 in the ESPN 100. He was one of the top prospects still remaining in the 2015 class.

"He chose them because of their style of play and he hit it off with some of the players currently on the team," Huntington coach Arkell Bruce said.

Missouri, Memphis and West Virginia were among the other schools that had been involved with Kapita in recent months.

The Congo native solidified himself as a top-50 prospect with a strong performance at the LeBron James Skills Academy in July. Kapita has a high motor and a very strong upper body that enables him to finish around the rim and make an impact on the glass.

He's missed most of his senior season with a hip injury.

Arkansas added some interior depth for next season late this week as Kennesaw State big man Willy Kouassi announced that he would finish his college basketball career with the Razorbacks.

A native of the Ivory Coast, Kouassi should be able to help Arkansas as a rebounder and interior defender after the team lost sophomore Bobby Portis to the 2015 NBA Draft. In 19.6 minutes per contest last season, Kouassi averaged 4.6 points and 5 rebounds per game while also registering 1.3 blocks per night. Although limited offensively, Kouassi shot 46 percent from the field on the season.

A former four-star recruit out of high school...

*Final ranking is contingent on this group enrolling for the fall.

[jbcarol]

2015 SEC Basketball Recruiting Classes:

5. Florida

Top Line:  Scout #69, #71, #20 PF

Key Losses: 6-4 Michael Frazier II 12 and 4; 6-2 Eli Carter 9, 2 and 2; 6-10 Jon Horford 6.5 and 4.8; 6-10 Chris Walker 4.7 and 3.5

Kevaughn Allen, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Little Rock (Ark.) North, informed Mike White that he will stick with the Gators, despite the coaching change

A four-star recruit, Allen is ranked No. 67 overall and No. 19 at the shooting guard position in the 2015 recruiting class.

With the news that Allen will honor his original pledge, White and his staff were able to keep three of the four original Gator commitment. Keith Stone and Kevarrius Hayes, both four star prospects, have publicly said they plan to stick with Florida...

Keith Stone has received far less exposure than the great majority of high-major seniors

A solidly built forward who could end up spending time both inside and on the perimeter, Stone projects as a versatile and extremely valuable four-year player. Despite a late emergence onto the radar, Florida was very happy to lock him up rather than try to wait until spring while the Gators sort through some roster overload.

Stone is at his best competing in a utility role, opportunistically scoring, rebounding, making plays for others and stepping up on defense. Stone doesn't possess extraordinary quickness or straight-up leaping ability — he does jump fairly well off one foot with a running start — but brings consistent effort and production to the court.

He excels making little plays and makes some more noticeable ones as well. He's a smooth three-point shooter who needs a little time to get his shot, but his release is fluid and the results frequently accurate. At Florida, he could play the role of strong, bullying wing or a stretch four, depending on the team's needs.

On defense, Stone possesses a very strong base and should develop into a feisty competitor on the end of the court...

Keith SoSmooth Stone ‏@Keith_Stone25 Jul 12

From now on either Saturday or Sunday im waking up at 6 to put in extra work #TeamNoBunnies 🐊🙌🏀. Starting today ✌️✌️


Kevarrius Hayes is a loud producer, the kind of player who gets the most out of his statistics. He's more memorable at present than he is consistent, but his game continues to progress

many raised their eyebrows when Kevarrius Hayes committed to Florida early last summer. It wasn't so much that the pledge was surprising — after all, he's a tall athlete who's local to Gainesville — only that everyone wanted to watch him in person.

Hayes had generated some buzz at the Elite 100 Camp just prior to his commitment, and he proved to be a standout at AAU Nationals in late July. I watched him in the fall at the Nike Team Florida Workout, and he certainly dispelled any skepticism about his ability to contribute to the Gator program.

He's more athlete than player and more highlight-maker than consistent stats producer, but that's common for young big men. Hayes' best quality is outstanding quickness of the floor. He utilizes that quick leap to snag rebounds, swat shots and toss down impressive slams. For Suwannee High, he has become a specialist at catching lobs off the backboard on the break. That kind of showiness in and of itself doesn't make for a great player, but you do get a sense for his physical gifts.

Beyond that, though he's thin now, his frame should enable him to add the weight needed to perform versus stronger opponents. If he's going to be full-time post player, he'll need to add muscle without sacrificing quickness, speed or flexibility.

For now, point blank range definitely is where Hayes belongs. He's a meat and potatoes offensive player who's effective enough on that basis that he can afford to take his time expanding his game...

Noah Dickerson, a Top 50 power forward in the Class of 2015 and former Hoyas commit, has formally requested his release from Florida following the departure of Billy Donovan to the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.

[jbcarol]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 23h23 hours ago

15 Impact SEC Freshman: S. Labissiere (UK), I. Briscoe (UK), J. Murray (UK), M. Newman (MSU), P.J. Dozier (SC), B. Simmons (LSU), A. Blakeney (LSU), T. Davis (A&M), E. Thomas ( A&M), D. Hogg (A&M), A. Gilder (A&M), H. Spencer (Auburn), D. Purifoy (Auburn), K. Allen (UF), B. Francis (UF).

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein 23h23 hours ago

5 Under-the-Radar SEC Freshman: B. Sampson (LSU), A. Holman (MSU), C. Silva (SC), J. Whitt (Arkansas), K. Eubanks (Alabama).

5 Under-The-Radar SEC Transfers: A. Collins (A&M), T.J. Dunans (Auburn), D. Hannahs (Arkansas), A. Edwards (Alabama), T. Gielo (Ole Miss).

[jbcarol]

Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria 1h1 hour ago Denver, CO

Jamal Murray's Big Fourth Quarter, Overtime Push Canada to Pan American Games Gold Medal Game http://zagsblog.com/articles/jamal-murrays-big-fourth-quarter-overtime-push-canada-to-pan-american-games-gold-medal-game/ ...

Murray scored all of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to help Canada defeat the United States, 111-108, in front of a pro-Canada crowd at the Ryerson Athletic Center in Toronto.

"I know one thing, Jamal Murray is going to be on the floor," ESPN's Fran Fraschilla said during the broadcast as the topic turned to Kentucky having three points guards next season in Murray, sophomore Tyler Ulis and freshman Isaiah Briscoe.

Canada will face Brazil for the gold medal on Saturday back at Ryerson. That game is set for a 4:30 p.m. tip-off on ESPN2. Canada has not medaled in any international competition since taking silver at the 2001 FIBA Americas Championship.

[jbcarol]

SEC Commits in Scout's Final 2015 Top 100

1. Skal Labissiere       Reach Your Dream / 6'11" / 200 lbs   UK
2. Ben Simmons         Montverde Academy / 6'8" / 220 lbs  LSU
10. Malik Newman      Callaway Sr HS / 6'3" / 180 lbs         State
12. Jamal Murray        Athlete Institute / 6'4" / 195 lbs       UK
13. Isaiah Briscoe       Roselle Catholic HS / 6'1" / 185 lbs   UK
21. Antonio Blakeney  Oak Ridge HS / 6'4" / 170 lbs           LSU
25. Perry PJ Dozier     Spring Valley HS / 6'6" / 185 lbs       SC
33. Tyler Davis           Plano West Senior HS / 6'9" / 270 lbs A&M
38. D.J. Hogg             Plano West Senior HS / 6'7" / 195 lbs A&M
49. Elijah Thomas       Lancaster HS / 6'9" / 250 lbs            A&M
62. Brandon Sampson Madison Prep Academy / 6'4" / 175 lbs  LSU
64. Kobie Eubanks      ELEV|8 Prep Academy / 6'5" / 210 lbs  Bama
65. Ted Kapita            Huntington Prep / 6'9" / 220 lbs       SPIRE Academy [OH]
66. Danjel Purifoy       Hargrave Military Academy / 6'6" / 185 lbs  AU
69. Kevaughn Allen     North Little Rock HS / 6'2"              UF
70. Jimmy Whitt         Columbia-Hickman HS / 6'2" / 155 lbs  Arkansas
71. Keith Stone          Zion Lutheran Christian / 6'7" / 215 lbs  UK
72. Aric Holman         Owensboro HS / 6'9" / 195 lbs         State
77. Horace Spencer    Findlay Prep / 6'9" / 215 lbs            AU
78. Charles Matthews St. Rita HS / 6'4" / 185 lbs              UK
89. Quinndary Weatherspoon  Velma Jackson HS / 6'5" / 175 lbs  State

[jbcarol]

Is Jamal Murray considering skipping classes to play for Team Canada?

FIBA Americas — an event that Canada has to finish either first or second in to qualify for the Olympics — will take place Aug. 31st-Sept. 12th, and that doesn't include the national team's training camp. Classes at Kentucky begin on Aug. 26th.

"He's going to Kentucky," Roger Murray, Jamal's father, told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "That's not the issue. The issue is just if we want to miss two weeks of school. We're just trying to see how much time he's going to miss, and if it's too much, if he should just go to school and not worry about it. From what I've gathered, he has to (physically) be in class. So we're just trying to see how much school he could miss and still play in the tournament."

"We'll see if there's any way he can do both, because that's what I want," head coach John Calipari told the Sporting News. "The kid absolutely wants to play for the national team, and we want that. But the NCAA has really clear guidelines on this."

There is also no indication yet of whether or not Team Canada will actually want Murray on this team. He is, after all, just 18 years old...

Another Kentucky freshman that has concerns about his status is of course center Skal Labissiere, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2015 and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

[jbcarol]

Isaac Humphries is Kentucky's insurance policy inside, but should that be concerning?

Kentucky has landed yet another piece in their 2015 recruiting class, as 7-foot Australian — by way of La Lumiere in Indiana — Isaac Humphries as sources have told NBCSports.com is expected to reclassify to 2015 and sign with the Wildcats.

Humphries joins a recruiting class that is looking increasingly like a mock United Nations. Kentucky's best incoming big man — Haitian center Skal Labissiere, the No. 1 player in the class — and guard — Canadian standout Jamal Murray — are both from abroad, and the Wildcats also have a commitment from New Zealand center Tai Wynyard in the Class of 2016; there's a chance Wynyard could end up in Lexington in December as well.

Top 15 guard Isaiah Briscoe, four-star wing Charles Matthews and JuCo shooter Mychal Mulder round out Cal's 2015 class.

Prior to this signing, the Wildcats did not have a true backup center for Labissiere. Marcus Lee is better suited to play as a four-man, an energy guy that is asked to rebound, block shots and catch lobs at the rim. Alex Poythress is an undersized four that is coming off of a torn ACL. Derek Willis has had some promising moments in his two seasons as a reserve, but he's still one of these guys that's closer to a three than he is a five.

Humphries is insurance.

And he's pretty good for an insurance policy, as he averaged 18.9 points, 11.3 boards and 3.3 blocks in the U17 World Championships.

Humphries is a physical low-post presence, a kid that will play hard, will rebound and has a soft-enough touch that he can finish around the rim with either hand as well as knock down the occasional jumper out to 12-15 feet. Worst cast scenario, he's a guy that provides five fouls, a chance to rest Labissiere and an option to play a big front line with Twin Towers. Best case? He'll end up being the guy every Kentucky fan hoped Dakari Johnson would end up being.

But there may be more to it than that, as the issues that have surrounded Labissiere throughout his recruitment have not been completely answered...