UW Basketball: 2010 Recruiting Update

Before I start this, I want to give credit to a great Gonzaga blog, The Slipper Still Fits. I am kind of taking their format from their recruiting post and applying it to Husky basketball. So before you read this, maybe go over there and give them some props for what they've done. Here is what the Husky roster will look like after the end of next season in 2010:

Seniors:
Matthew Bryan-Amaning F
Justin Holiday F
Charles Garcia F
Venoy Overton G

Juniors:
Darnell Gant F
Scott Suggs F
Elston Turner G/F
Isaiah Thomas G

Sophomores:
Clarence Trent F
CJ Wilcox G
Abdul Gaddy G

The Huskies have already signed Desmond Simmons as their first recruit of the class of 2010. That leaves the Huskies with 12 scholarship players on their roster, leaving one scholarship left.

Here are the players Romar is taking a look at to fill in that last scholarship spot on his roster:

Josh Smith is not even a senior in high school yet, but SeaTown Sports has had ample coverage on the 6-foot-9, 270 pound center from Kentwood High School. He already has over a dozen offers on the table from all prestigious college programs. However, do not be surprised if Romar and his staff are able to lure this highly-coveted recruit.

Like Jon Brockman, Smith is the type of guy that would not mind staying at home. From the people we have talked to, UCLA and UW seem to be at the top of his list at this point. Smith is currently ranked as the second best center prospect in the nation, and is our number one player in the state of Washington at this time. Smith is a very rare prospect, and might be a one-in-done guy.

From a scouting perspective, his physical presence makes Spencer Hawes look like a stick. He looks like more of a dominant player on the boards. He look more talented offensively than Kevin Love was coming out of high school.

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If Josh Smith does not end up coming to UW, the Huskies have a Plan B. His name is Alex Kirk.

Although not as big as Smith, Kirk measures at a tall 6-foot-11, which would make him the tallest player at UW. Kirk currently is a four-star recruit and is the 10th ranked center in the class of 2010. He is labeled as a great hustle player with good hands and good passing ability as well.

He lacks a go-to offensive move and doesn't seem to be super explosive. However, his height gives him a high ceiling, and he is bound to improve with one more year of playing high school basketball. Along with UW, USC, Cal, and Arizona St. all have some interest in Kirk. Texas Tech and Vanderbilt also have offers on the table to Kirk. 

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Romar has another offer on the table to a big man, his name is Terrence Jones.

Jones is a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward from Portland, Ore. He is a four-star recruit and is ranked No. 11 at his position. Besides UW, Oregon, Oregon St, Georgetown, and California have all offered scholarships to Jones. Jones is a lefty with a "nifty" post game and an improving outside shot. He has great size for his position and looks like a more skilled Matthew Bryan-Amaning.

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Like Josh Smith, John Gage is a local product, and, like the three prospects mentioned above, Gage is a power forward/center prospect. Gage is a tall 6-foot-10 and weighs 210 pounds. He plays for the well known "Friends of Hoop" AAU program, playing alongside the likes of Tanner Riley, Andre Winston Jr. and Joe Harris.

Gage is a three-star recruit and is a little under the radar. He is getting offers from local schools. Besides UW, he has offers from Portland, Portland St. and Seattle U. Recently some sources have Gage getting offers from Stanford and California as well, also claiming that he's deciding between those two schools and UW. 

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The last big target comes in the form of Anthony Brown, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Ocean View HS in California.

He has a high ceiling, with an "above average" feel for the game. Brown currently has four offers on the table from: Arizona, Arizona St., Stanford, and USC. The Huskies have yet to offer him a scholarship, most likely because of their desire to land Josh Smith instead.

It will be interesting to see which way Romar will go if he doesn't land Smith. Will he go after another talented center prospect like Alex Kirk? Or will he pursue a four guard lineup and find an athletic wing like Anthony Brown? Time will only tell.

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Who do you want most to play for the Huskies? Josh Smith, Alex Kirk, Terrence Jones, John Gage or Anthony Brown?