College Basketball: Highlight Reels from the Top 15 Recruits in the 2012 Class

The 2012 college basketball recruiting class is one of the best we have seen in years, and it contains some of the best athletes as well.

These guys have had some amazing plays during their high school and AAU games, and have compiled some incredible highlight reels.

To give you a preview of the type of guys we'll see in college next season, here are the best highlight reels from the best players in the 2012 class.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is a video worth?

15. Gabe York

Gabe York is a shooting guard who'll be playing for the Arizona Wildcats next season. While he remains one of the most underrated players in the country York's highlight reel will show you why I have him ranked No. 15, 18 spots higher than ESPN.

York is an athletic freak who has great range, but that's not all. He's one of the best scorers in the class but he's not selfish, and actually passes the ball extremely well.

When you see the recruiting class Arizona is bringing in, you might think that they'll have a problem blending this many stars together, but York will not hinder the meshing process.

14. Rodney Purvis

Rodney Purvis relies on his ability to slash through the lane to put up big points. He has good range out to 15 feet, but beyond that, he's streaky.

Purvis is the type of shooting guard you want to have in transition. It wouldn't be crazy to think that North Carolina State will look to run the floor with the great recruiting class they're bringing in, which Purvis is a big part of.

13. Danuel House

This is the type of highlight reel that makes you stop and think: Wow, this kid is a star.

House is an underrated small forward who's committed to the Houston Cougars. He's very athletic and a great leader in transition. His ball-handling skills are highly underrated, and he has great range.

House is indeed a star, and he remains underrated by just about every recruiting site and expert in the country.

12. Rasheed Sulaimon

Rasheed Sulaimon is a shooting guard, committed to the Duke Blue Devils and Mike Krzyzewski for the 2011-12 season.

Sulaimon is a high-energy player with an arsenal of weapons. He has good range, he drives well and he has a great pull-up jumper, which is shown in this video.

Sulaimon is only 6'3", which makes him a smaller shooting guard, but he plays like he's 6'6".

11. Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart is just that: smart. He's a highly intelligent player who's versatile and can play all three perimeter positions.

Smart is also freakishly athletic, and if he can extend his range, he will be one of the best recruits in this class.

10. Grant Jerrett

Another future Arizona Wildcat, Grant Jerrett is an athletic power forward. He can play inside with the best big men in the nation, but he also can run the floor well and knock down threes.

Jerrett could play small forward for the Wildcats next year, as they also have power forward Brandon Ashley coming in. He's incredibly smart, and that could help him adjust as much as anything else.

There isn't a team in the nation that doesn't want an athletic 6'10" small forward like Grant Jerrett.

9. Cameron Ridley

Cameron Ridley is a center who's committed to Texas. He's a 6'10" 230-pound pure center, and he will do big things in college.

A future NBA center, Ridley has a great post presence and can also run the floor well.

When you watch this video, keep in mind that all of these highlights came in one game for Ridley.

8. Gary Harris

Gary Harris is the best shooting guard in the 2012 class, and he's committed to play for the Michigan State Spartans.

When Harris went to the LeBron James Skills Academy, he was looking to showcase his exceptional talent, and he did.

Showing off his physical superiority and incredible mid-range game to go with his ability to knock down threes, Harris' stock rose after attending the academy.

7. Anthony Bennett

Anthony Bennett is an undecided recruit who ranked No. 2 in my monthly list of the 15 best undecided recruits, and this 6'7" power forward will become a small forward.

These highlights show his ability to elevate and finish well or block shots. He runs well and can also knock down threes if he has to.

Bennett is going to make a great small forward in college, and his athletic ability will help him dominate at the college level.

6. Kaleb Tarczewski

Kaleb Tarczewski is the second Arizona Wildcat-to-be on this list. He's a 7-foot true center who can fill the lane for a team.

Tarc shows good mobility for a center, but when he plays inside, he's next to unstoppable with his back to the basket, and he can block a ton of shots of defense.

This kid is deceptively talented—he's not flashy, but he gets the job done.

5. Kyle Anderson

Kyle Anderson is a small forward who's second only to Shabazz Muhammad in the position.

Anderson plays a very smooth game, and this 6'7" small forward can also play shooting guard or point guard because of his range and passing abilities.

Anderson can fit into any system, and he will certainly be key at UCLA. While he isn't the quickest player, he knows how to play to his strengths, and he can be a major contributor for any team.

4. Brandon Ashley

Brandon Ashley is our third and final Arizona Wildcat. He can play either power forward or small forward if need be.

Ashley is a 6'8" combo forward who plays extremely well with his back to the basket. He utilizes his quick spin-move very effectively, and even has range out to 17 feet when he faces the basket.

Ashley can be a leader on a team, and this basketball-smart kid knows everything there is to know about the game. He's essentially a point guard playing down low, and Sean Miller will appreciate that in Tucson.

3. Isaiah Austin

Isaiah Austin is an incredibly talented big man who was ranked No. 2 in the class for a long time, behind only Andre Drummond, who's now playing ball for the Connecticut Huskies.

Austin is the flashier version of Brandon Ashley, and he can showcase his talent well.

Austin can play inside like a true center, but he also has freakishly long range and good ball-handling skills for a 7-footer. Heck, he has good ball-handling skills for a small forward.

Austin is a nightmare for opponents, and he'll be the third great big man Baylor has recruited in as many years, along with Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller. Both of those guys are still at Baylor, and if Austin could be coupled with even one of them, Baylor would have one of the best frontcourts in the nation, if not the best.

2. Mitch McGary

Mitch McGary is a power forward who will be playing for the Michigan Wolverines come next season.

McGary made headlines during the offseason, as he broke a backboard at Elite 24, and ended up needing stitches to stop the bleeding.

McGary is back to full health, however, and he's ready to be a star in college for a year before turning pro.

1. Shabazz Muhammad

Shabazz Muhammad is the best recruit in the 2012 class, and this highlight reel shows why. He's an absolute monster, and he should be in the NBA now.

Muhammad is a skilled lefty who can shoot well from outside but whose best attributes show inside. He's next to unstoppable when he comes within 15 feet of the basket, and he will be outstanding in college.