College Basketball Recruiting: 10 Recruits Guaranteed to Be NBA Players One Day

Playing in the NBA is the dream of every college basketball recruit, and these prospects are guaranteed to be playing there one day.

There are many recruits who could play in the NBA right out of high school, but the one-and-done rule makes that impossible. Now, players like Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel have to go to college for a year before eventually reaching the NBA as expected.

These 2012 recruits have the skills it takes to play professional basketball in the most competitive setting, and they will soon achieve their dreams.

Devonta Pollard, Undecided

Devonta Pollard is one of the most underrated players in the Class of 2012 at No. 32 in the ESPNU Top 100, and he should be a Top 10 recruit.

Pollard is incredibly versatile, and he can play a different type of game every night. One night, he might be raining threes; the next, he will be out-powering smaller defenders and scoring inside, and the next, he will be a beast in transition.

What makes Pollard special is that there is no way to stop him.

He and Shabazz Muhammad are the best small forwards in the class in my mind (yes, even better than Kyle Anderson), and Pollard could play in the NBA next season if there was no one-and-done rule and he was given the recognition he deserves.

Look for Pollard to be a stud in the pros.

Alex Poythress, Kentucky

Too strong for guards, too quick for bigs, Alex Poythress is a matchup nightmare. He is one of the most interesting players in the class, as both he and Kyle Anderson are next to unstoppable.

There is no one else like these two.

Poythress is a very quick player. He can beat most bigs with his first step, and when he gets going, there's no stopping him from finishing. And if you put a guard on him, he knows how to out-muscle his opponent, lowering his shoulder and slowly but steadily getting inside.

Poythress is a great scorer because he is such a tough matchup, and if I were to compare him to a professional athlete, it would have to be Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.

There really is no one who can stop this guy.

Archie Goodwin, Kentucky

As a competitive and unselfish player, Archie Goodwin is a perfect shooting guard. He can get to the rim extremely well, or he can knock down shots.

Goodwin's forte is his ability to drive through the paint. He is next to unstoppable and is one of the best in the country in terms of getting to the rim.

Goodwin is long and athletic, and he can be a shutdown defender. However, the bottom line for Goodwin is that he is a scorer, just like Alex Poythress.

Gary Harris, Michigan State

At 6'4", Gary Harris has good size for a shooting guard. He won't physically dominate anyone in the NBA, but he is big enough to utilize all of his skills.

Harris is the best shooting guard in the Class of 2012, and he constantly proves it. He has good strength and length for his size, which will certainly help him at the next level, and he also possesses incredible anticipation.

Harris gets an incredible amount of steals because of his length and anticipation. Harris truly understands the game from all perspectives, which allows him to anticipate what most point guards will do before it happens.

A great scorer, Harris has range out to the three-point line, but he can also score in a variety of ways inside the arc, including driving through the lane or hitting short, pull-up jumpers.

Once Harris becomes more consistent from behind the arc he will be a lethal weapon in the NBA.

Cameron Ridley, Texas

Cameron Ridley is a 6'10", 230-pound center, and he uses his body effectively. Ridley hadn't been challenged by the best big men in the country for a long time, but he proved in August that he is legit, outplaying some of the best players in the nation.

After working out and improving his stamina, he is now moving much quicker and can play longer. Conditioning is a major drawback for many big men, but Ridley is constantly improving his, and he will be ready for the pros in a couple of years.

One of the best pure-post players in the class, Ridley reminds me of Tristan Thompson, who recently left Texas for the NBA. While he isn't quite as effective down low (Thompson was almost unstoppable), he is still elite. He also rebounds well and has a better game when facing the basket than Thompson did.

Ridley is the perfect big man for the pick-and-roll, as he sets wide screens and then rolls forcefully through the lane. While we probably won't see this, he and Jeremy Lin would make an unstoppable combination in the NBA.

Anthony Bennett, Undecided

Anthony Bennett is a versatile power forward who can do it all. Like most big men, he can dominate inside, but he can also step out and knock down threes.

Bennett isn't the best player down low, as he needs to polish his skills in the paint, but with the right coach, he could certainly do that. He can score with his back to the basket, but he needs to complete his game in the paint.

What makes Bennett so special is that he is big but skilled. He can play combo forward if need be, and if he can improve his speed, he will be the complete package.

Kyle Anderson, UCLA

Kyle Anderson has the skills of a point guard but the body of a small forward. He can handle the ball extremely well and is a great passer, but his 6'8" body allows him to do it all from the wing.

Anderson is a great athlete who is multidimensional. He can run the floor and lead his team in transition, or he can knock down jumpers. He is just as dangerous in the half-court set as he is in transition, and he keeps the offense going.

While the point guard is typically the floor general, Anderson can pick up that role as well. He is the perfect player in the sense that he has natural talent and is very coachable, and he is going to be an instant sensation in the NBA.

Isaiah Austin, Baylor

Isaiah Austin is a versatile seven-footer who is a game-changer. He is very athletic and runs the floor exceptionally well for someone of his size, and he is frequently rewarded for it in transition.

Austin can play with his back to the basket, finishing over defenders or through contact. However, he is skilled enough to face the basket and drive, or even knock down short jumpers.

His versatility and athleticism will be his bread and butter in the NBA, and he will immediately be one of the most athletic centers in the league.

Austin has been ranked in the top three of the 2012 class since mid-summer, and he is the only one who has not been shuffled around in the rankings very much. He has been an absolute force down low since he was a little kid, and he continues to be so.

Look for him to replace Perry Jones III at Baylor next season.

Shabazz Muhammad, Undecided

Shabazz Muhammad is arguably the best player in the 2012 class, and he remains so in my mind. He is an incredibly athletic small forward who can cut through the lane with ease and finish with a highlight-reel dunk.

Muhammad's freakish athletic nature and his competitive drive will be key in the NBA. I have compared Muhammad to both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in the past, and I stand by those comparisons.

He is chiseled and drives with an incredible amount of skill like James, while he has the talent and range of Wade.

Muhammad can do it all, and if there was no one-and-done rule, he would certainly be in the NBA next season.

Nerlens Noel, Undecided

Nerlens Noel recently reclassified back to his original class, and he is now ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2012.

He didn't leave himself a lot of time for recruiting, but he certainly wants to make a decision, go through college and get into the NBA.

Noel is one of the best shot-blockers in the country because of his length, athleticism and timing. These also help to make him one of the best rebounders in the country, but his forte is the blocked shot, and he is probably second behind only Christopher Obekpa.

Noel has the offensive game that Obekpa lacks, however, and he can score in a variety of ways, including with his back to the basket or knocking down a jumper. Once he adds a bit of muscle to his frame, he will be able to dominate inside.

With this type of talent, Noel will be an NBA player in a couple of seasons; there's no doubt about that.

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