Words. Austin Burton
All over the country, high school basketball players are headed back to the classroom (or will be soon) following another summer of AAU tournaments, elite skills camps, and national showcase games. The crew at YAY AREA’S FINEST put together a comprehensive highlight of this year’s best rising seniors and the work they put in on the summer circuit.
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Words. High School Hoop
The most distinct difference in the HSH/2K Sports national Top 50 player ranking and everyone else’s is that we disregard class. To us, a baller is a baller; doesn’t matter how old you are or when you’re slated to graduate.
Our rankings also aren’t based on what type of prospect you’ll be in the future, what college you pick or don’t pick, or what city you’re from. For this updated version of the Top 50 — the first we’ve done since the Class of 2010 seniors graduated — all that matters is what you did on this summer’s AAU circuit and what you did last season. We had eyes and ears at pretty much every major event, and saw every player on this list multiple times. MORE >
Words. Jason Jordan
In the trendy and ever-evolving business that is basketball recruiting — where power equals influence, which often times equates to commitments — the ultimate powerful influential figure is one William Wesley.
Or is he?
“At least that’s the perception,” said Shawn Teague, whose son Marquis Teague is committed to Kentucky, the main school where Wesley is notorious for having influence. “He’s the guy everyone’s talking about. Especially with Kentucky’s recruiting.” MORE >
Words. Jason Jordan
Before he was named Co-MVP of the Boost Mobile Elite 24 last weekend, Jesuit High (Portland, Ore.) forward Kyle Wiltjer committed to Kentucky during halftime of the game.
Wiltjer, who blew up this summer while running with the Drew Gooden Soldiers out of Oakland, picked the ‘Cats over Georgia Tech, California, Kansas, Texas, Gonzaga and Wake Forest. MORE >
Words. Jason Jordan
When listing the top point guards in the 2011 class, it’s hard not to mention Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) star Quinn Cook near the top.
All Cook has done is remain consistent throughout the summer while running DC Assault, win gold with USA Basketball’s under-17 team, and cap off the AAU season with an MVP performance at adidas Nations.
“It’s been fun,” said Cook. “There were things that I felt I could’ve done better, but all in all I was OK with how I did this summer.” MORE >
Words. Jason Jordan
Perspectives Charter High (Chicago) forward Anthony Davis has ended his controversial recruitment, picking Kentucky over Syracuse, Ohio State and DePaul.
Just over a week ago, Davis and his father Anthony Davis Sr. were at the center of the controversy when the Chicago Sun-Times published a story on its high school sports website claiming that Davis had agreed to go to Lexington for $200,000. That story was eventually removed. MORE >
