Nerlens Noel: Power Ranking Best Fits for Top High School Center

Nerlens Noel is ready to make one team very happy. At the same time, he will break the hearts of two powerhouse programs when he makes his decision as to which school he will play college basketball for next year. 

Before the decision comes down, it would be wise to look at which program would be the best fit for Noel. He is a superstar center in the making, with some analysts—including Kyle Tucker of the Louisville Courier-Journal (via ESPN)—saying that he is already a better shot-blocker in the middle than Anthony Davis.

To his credit, Noel is already building the tension for his announcement on Twitter, by saying that he has something big planned for Wednesday night.  

"

Gon shock the world !!

"

"— Nerlens Noel (@NerlensNoel3) April 10, 2012"

While that lingers in your mind, here is our power ranking of the best fits for Noel as he prepares to make the biggest decision of his life. 

No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats

If Noel is just looking to go somewhere to win, Kentucky is clearly a perfect fit. John Calipari has done amazing things with more one-and-done players than anyone else. 

However, all the comparisons to Anthony Davis and the pressure to perform will put far more pressure on him than he needs. That's not to say Noel can't handle it, but is it really worth all the headaches?

It would be interesting to see Noel and Shabazz Muhammad, who is also considering Kentucky, playing on the same team. 

No. 2 Georgetown Hoyas

Noel is a perfect fit for what Georgetown wants to do. He plays great defense, but his offensive game needs work before he can truly become an elite college player. 

The Hoyas seem to be allergic to scoring the basketball, so Noel would at least give them a presence in the middle to prevent teams from putting the ball in the hoop. 

Bringing Noel to town would certainly make the Hoyas a more formidable team next year in what will likely be a weaker Big East. 

No. 1 Syracuse Orange

If you are looking for a program that would allow Noel the opportunity to shine right away without the pressure of following one of the best freshman in recent college basketball history, plus the chance to win big right away, the Orange are the best fit for Noel. 

Jim Boeheim has built a great foundation at Syracuse. He understands how to get the most out of his players, and will help Noel maximize his talent for as long as he remains in school. 

Noel will give Boeheim the perfect replacement for the newly-departed Fab Melo. He is a better player in the middle than Melo. He also comes with less baggage. 

When Noel makes his decision tonight, Syracuse may not be the name of the hat he puts on, but it would be the best fit for him. 

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