# Top classes of '05:



## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

This should be an interesting year, as 05 isn't as likely to be affected by NBA Draft entries. 

Louisville

Commited:
Top 40 PG Andre McGee
Top 25 PF Amir Johnson
Top 25 equivalent transfer PF/C David Padgett
Top 100 C Clarence Holloway

Up Next?:
Top 50 WG David Huertas
Top 50 WG/WF Marcus Johnson
Top 50 WF Chad Millard

Comments: It's almost unheard of for a coach to land three big men as good as Johnson, Padgett, and Holloway in the same class, but Pitino did just that this weekend. McGee is the starting PG of the future, and a potential McD's AA. There still isn't a bonafide future AA here, but the numbers are impressive. A top 50 wing, such as Chad Millard, Marcus Johnson, or David Huertas will commit shortly, giving Pitino the inside track on the #1 class for 2005. 

North Carolina

Commitments: 
Top 25 PG/WG Bobby Frasor
Top 25 WG/PG Marcus Ginyard

Up Next?:
Top 10 PF Tyler Hansbrough
Top 10 PF Richard Hendrix

Comments: Roy Williams still hasn't landed his big man, but the Bobby Frasor commit means that UNC is going to end up with one of the top classes of '05. Best shooter in the country, perhaps? Ginyard is a defensive stopper who can handle. Hansbrough looks like a UNC lean at this point, and would give the Tar Heels the best post player in the class of 05. Hendrix has UNC in his top 2, but the heels are up against hometown Alabama. Williams is still after the Texas duo of top 10 WF CJ Miles and top 50 PF Kevin Rogers, as well as top 50 C Andrew Bynum. Not there yet, but a potentially monstrous class. 

Duke

Commitments: 
Top 25 PG Greg Paulus
Top 25 PF Josh McRoberts

Up Next?:
Top 50 PF Tyrell Biggs
Top 10 PF/C Eric Boateng

Comments: K has been quiet this spring, but that's because he locked up two bonfide McD's guys last fall. Paulus gets compared to Bobby Hurley and Steve Blake, while McRoberts has put together a dominating spring. The Blue Devils are in need of another big man, and it sounds like they are in great shape with Boateng, a great kid with unlimited upside. It would be hard not to give Duke the #1 class in the country if they end up with Boateng as well. Biggs is the other guy the Blue Devils seem to want from '05. PG Chris Douglas Roberts and PF Jon Brockman are on the radar...

Georgia

Commits: 
Top 40 PG/WG Mike Mercer
Top 10 WG/PG Louis Williams
C Rashaad Singleton

Up Next:
Top 100 WF Octavius Spann
Top 100 PF Korvotney Barber

Comments: Most likely not a legit contender for #1, but signing the AAU teammate backcourt of Mercer and Williams is absolutely going to turn this program around. Williams still has a chance to be the #1 player in the country if he wants it, and will be scoring 20 per from day one. Spann and Barber are both athletic, physical combo F's that will fit in great with Felton's system. One should commit soon. If the Bulldogs could pull off a coup and get top 10 WF Keith Brumbaugh to go to school for a year or two, this class has a shot at #1. 

Notre Dame

Commits:
Top 25 PF/C Luke Zeller
Top 50 WG Ryan Ayers
Top 100 WF Zach Hillesand
Top 100 PG Kyle McAlarney

Comments: Mike Brey needed a big recruiting haul for 05, and it looked like he might be in trouble when Greg Pauls spurned the Irish for Duke. However, he rebounded nicely by getting a surprise commit out of touted big man Luke Zeller. Ayers, Hillesand, and McAlarney should all fit in nicely. Another commitment isn't expected in the near future, but getting things done early will only end up allowing Brey to get a head start on future classes. 

Kansas

Commits:
Top 25 PG Mario Chalmers
Top 25 WF Micah Downs

Up Next?:
Top 50 WF Terrence Williams

Comments: Bill Self has proven he can recruit with anybody, and the Chalmers/Downs combo has gotten his 05 class out to as good a start as anybody else's. Chalmers is generally considered the best PG in the class. and Downs, compared to Mike Dunleavy is rising faster than anybody. The Jayhawks will probably go for at least one big in 05, but it sounds like they will get another wing before that happens. Terrence Williams, the Seattle wing, looks like a near lock, but KU is also in on top 25 Illinois F Julian Wright and the Texas Miles/Rogers combo. I would think that top 25 PF Brandon Costner is a possibility this fall, although Costner isn't close to making up his mind...


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## Hollis (Jun 4, 2002)

Kansas' class is crazy...I thought someone else committed too? Maybe not..


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## VincentVega (Oct 12, 2003)

Most scouts think Chalmers is a slightly more athletic version of Notre Dame's Chris Thomas, and that Downs has a very good shot at being the #1 wing in the class by the end of the summer.

UNC landed a good one in Frasor. That kid is a slightly smaller, quicker, more versatile version of JJ Redick.

Whoever gets Tyler Hansbrough will be in for an absolutely massive treat.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Chalmers should be in the top 10. No question in my mind.


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## Pistolballer (May 9, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Hollis</b>!
> Kansas' class is crazy...I thought someone else committed too? Maybe not..


i hope so, combined with last years awesome squad, they are gonna be good this year, regardless of graduation


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## VincentVega (Oct 12, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Pistolballer</b>!
> 
> 
> i hope so, combined with last years awesome squad, they are gonna be good this year, regardless of graduation


This thread is about the '05 class, guys who won't play on their respective college teams until the '05-06 season (not this coming year, but the year after). Regardless, I think your statement is still correct, as Kansas has two top 25 guys (Robinson, Kaun) and three top 50 guys (Galindo, Giles, Jackson) coming in as freshmen this year ('04).

Kentucky, UCONN and Texas are gonna be absolutely loaded, too. And Georgia Tech is quickly turning into a perennial powerhouse.


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## HipHopCrossova.com (Jun 19, 2004)

*Kentucky*

Kentucky got the best scouting class this year. They got Morris he was expected to be in top 10 if he went to draft. And we got 2 other McDonald All-Americans....

Expect the next 2 years to be all Kentucky Basketball(if every1 stays).


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## UKfan4Life (Mar 5, 2003)

*Re: Kentucky*



> Originally posted by <b>HipHopCrossova.com</b>!
> Kentucky got the best scouting class this year. They got Morris he was expected to be in top 10 if he went to draft. And we got 2 other McDonald All-Americans....
> 
> Expect the next 2 years to be all Kentucky Basketball(if every1 stays).


We're talking about 2005...not 2004.


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## Casual (Jun 2, 2003)

If Kansas gets Downs and Williams after getting CJ Giles this year, I will be pissed.


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## kansasalumn (Jun 9, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Casual</b>!
> If Kansas gets Downs and Williams after gettint CJ Giles this year, I will be pissed.


Kansas as of now have Downs as a Jayhawk.

Williams is a possibilty.

Personally I rather have a top 25 Big man then get a role player with the 4th at any position.


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## VincentVega (Oct 12, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>blabla97</b>!
> Louisville
> 
> Commited:
> Top 25 PF Amir Johnson


From the NBAPA camp:



> Chalmers' hands are the quickest in the class of 2005," rivalshoops.com analyst Justin Young said. "He pickpockets opponents at midcourt nearly every game. Defensively, he's as good as they get."
> 
> *Chalmers blocked a dunk attempt by 6-10 Amir Johnson, who is headed to Louisville.
> 
> "He met Johnson at the rim and sent the attempt, and the Louisville commit, away," Young said.*


http://www.kusports.com/news/mens_basketball/story/110764


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

It should be noted that Kovotney Barber absolutely blew up at NBA camp this past weekend, and is now a legit McD's cantidate. Georgia is still in great shape. What a class Williams/Mercer/Barber/Spann would be.


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

Theres a reason why ole' Roy took Frasor and let Kansas have Chalmers. That is all I will say 
We will get at least one of Richard Hendrix or Tyler Hansbrough.
And if plays like McCants, Felton, and Marvin Williams stay... we will not only win the NC in 05, but 06 and maybe 07 as well.


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## TruCrimson (Apr 21, 2003)

The word here in Alabama is that "King" Richard Hendrix is coming to Alabama....hopefully the word is right.


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## PittsburgJayhawk (Jun 30, 2004)

> Theres a reason why ole' Roy took Frasor and let Kansas have Chalmers. That is all I will say


Comments like these baffle me.

Chalmers is proving at nearly every camp he plays that he's the best PG prospect in the country. Carolina fans acting like they're in on some secret that the rest of us aren't isn't just maddening as all hell, but confuses the daylights out of me.


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## Timduncan (Jun 30, 2004)

Whose Octavius Spann?


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## VincentVega (Oct 12, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>HeinzGuderian</b>!
> Theres a reason why ole' Roy took Frasor and let Kansas have Chalmers. That is all I will say


After the NBA Players Camp and other AAU events this summer, every single analyst has Chalmers in their top 10. Several have him in their top 5. Rob Harrington (one of the best in the business) thinks Chalmers might be the *#1 player in the class:*



> "Top Dog: Here's one vote for Mario Chalmers as the No. 1 guy in the class. Yes, he shoots too much, but the 6-1 native of Alaska has been scorching hot from the perimeter so far this year.
> 
> Chalmers clearly is at his best as a scorer, but he's also a talented passer and defender. If he can reign in his shot selection and bring a focused disposition to the court every time out, he could be a star at Kansas, to whom he committed in the early summer."


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/columnist/harrington/2004-06-30-prepstars_x.htm

I like Frasor (check my other posts), but he's clearly not the prospect Chalmers is. He struggled in creating his shot and handling PG duties at the recent camps against top competition, and his shot was off as well. He's going from near-lock for McD's AA to borderline top 30. UNC fans want to say he's the next Kirk Hinrich....well, I hate to break it to you, but Frasor's got a LOT of work to do to even sniff Kirk's talent level (athleticism and PG skills aren't even close here). Still, with experience and Roy I feel he'll be a very good player. Just not the impact guy Chalmers will most likely be at Kansas.



> We will get at least one of Richard Hendrix or Tyler Hansbrough.


You have a good shot at this, but anything can happen in recruiting.



> And if plays like McCants, Felton, and Marvin Williams stay...


I'd bet my next paycheck at least two of those guys are gone after next season. I'd bet $50 none of them will be in Chapel Hill this time next year.



> we will not only win the NC in 05, but 06 and maybe 07 as well.


UNC will win the NBA Finals, World Series, Superbowl and Stanley Cup each of those years as well.


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## pharcyde (Jun 22, 2002)

When was Chalmers considering UNC? It sucks to stick up for a KU recruit, but UNC fans are even more annoying. Chalmers' final two were KU and Arizona, I believe. Before UNC can "let" anyone have him, doesn't he first have to have interest in the Tarheels?


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