College Basketball Recruiting: Best Players at Every Position in 2015 Class
When college basketball coaches are on the recruiting trail looking for players they feel can make an impact on their team the next season and beyond, they're looking for specific positions.
With a little wiggle room here and there, if a team is set to lose their center after the season, a big man is what they'll covet, while a team that's on tap to have needs in the backcourt will look for shooting and point guards. It's not about grabbing the best available player but the best for the needs that a team has.
In other words, not every school will be pursuing the nation's top small forward if they don't have a need for a wing in 2015-16. But if they need a power forward, they will want to get the best one available.
With the 2015 recruiting cycle winding down and nearly every notable player having chosen their future school, here's a look at the five best players from this class at each position. Players are chosen based on their overall recruiting rankings as well as their projected impact this upcoming season.
NOTE: This list only includes players who are certain to be part of the 2015 recruiting class. Thon Maker, a 5-star power forward, has indicated he may not join a team until the second semester.
No. 5 Center: Tyler Davis
1 of 25Height, weight: 6'9", 269 lbs
Will play for: Texas A&M
Texas A&M loaded up on quality in-state talent for 2015, and Tyler Davis was the biggest piece of that haul in more ways than one.
Once weighing in at nearly 350 pounds, Davis has devoted himself to getting in better shape and the byproduct has been a far more complete player than just a big one. That enabled him to rise up the recruiting rankings, finishing at No. 30 in 247Sports' composite standings.
He is one of four 4-star players the Aggies signed for next season, all from Texas.
No. 4 Center: Caleb Swanigan
2 of 25
Height, weight: 6'8", 265 lbs
Will play for: Michigan State
All signs pointed to Caleb Swanigan choosing California as his college, but then when it came time to make his announcement he surprisingly picked Tom Izzo's Spartans. Looking at the kind of player he is, this shouldn't have been that shocking; he seems to fit perfectly into what Izzo tries to do at Michigan State.
"He just puts his guys in places they can succeed," Swanigan said of Izzo, per Kyle Austin of MLive.com. "That's the greatest thing about him, he doesn't strap anyone to a place where they can't do anything. He gives them the freedom that allows them to go out and produce."
Swanigan is one of the few true back-to-the-basket players in the 2015 class, and his physical presence in the paint will be a huge boost to a MSU team that was already going to be loaded with returners.
No. 3 Center: Stephen Zimmerman
3 of 25
Height, weight: 6'11", 214 lbs
Will play for: UNLV
Stephen Zimmerman had one of the more high-profile recruitments of anyone in the 2015 class, thanks to a stepmother who was a regular presence on Twitter and because of a skill set that provided more than just post skills. But when the Las Vegas-bred Zimmerman ultimately chose hometown UNLV, he did it quickly and quietly with a simple tweet instead of a formal announcement.
Zimmerman's game isn't very quiet, though, as he's one of the top dunkers in the class, as well as one who can hit shots from outside the paint. He will fit in well with the Runnin' Rebels next to 6'10" forward Goodluck Okonoboh and in the place vacated by one-and-done forward Christian Wood.
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No. 2 Center: Diamond Stone
4 of 25
Height, weight: 6'10", 246 lbs
Will play for: Maryland
His name sounds like a character from a daytime soap opera, but his game is more suited to a prime-time TV slot—or an MMA pay-per-view program.
Diamond Stone is a bruiser who gives Maryland the kind of physical player down low it was lacking this past season, its first in the Big Ten. The Terrapins were still able to finish second in that conference, but now with Stone joining a loaded lineup they figure to be co-favorites for the league title along with Michigan State.
Stone is a Midwestern kid, from Wisconsin, and he's learned to play with strength and power. This usually translates into scoring and rebounding, but he's been known to bang some bodies (or give a referee a black eye, as he did with an inadvertent elbow during the McDonald's All-American game).
No. 1 Center: Skal Labissiere
5 of 25Height, weight: 6'10", 200 lbs
Will play for: Kentucky
The top center in the 2015 recruiting class is headed to a program that just saw four similar players turn pro early and will probably have at least three of them go in the first round of the NBA draft. That was one of the reasons Skal Labissiere chose Kentucky, while Wildcats coach John Calipari sought him out because of how similar his game is to those of recently departed players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles and Dakari Johnson.
"I can't wait to see how much better I can get up there and how much better we can get as a team," Labissiere told Larry Vaught of VaughtsViews.com.
Born in Haiti, Labissiere moved to the Memphis area in 2010 following a massive earthquake.
No. 5 Power Forward: Carlton Bragg
6 of 25
Height, weight: 6'8", 205 lbs
Will play for: Kansas
Though he mistakenly said Kentucky instead of Kansas in a moment of teenage nervousness during his college announcement, the hat Carlton Bragg put on showed he was truly committed to being one of Bill Self's next great frontcourt players with the Jayhawks.
An athletic forward who plays above the rim and can hit from outside, Bragg figures to give Kansas some versatility at a position that this past season lacked much scoring punch. Cliff Alexander wasn't polished offensively, while Perry Ellis' play often ran hot and cold.
No. 4 Power Forward: Chase Jeter
7 of 25
Height, weight: 6'10", 239 lbs
Will play for: Duke
He won't be Duke's next Jahlil Okafor, but as one piece of another top-rated recruiting class Chase Jeter won't have to do it all himself on the inside, either. He did a lot on his own at the high school level and on the AAU circuit, but with the Blue Devils this season he'll be more of a role player who could end up being like one of Kentucky's platooning posts than a one-man show.
Jeter could play the 4 or the 5, depending on who else Duke runs out alongside him. Okafor has turned pro after one season, but Rice big man transfer Sean Obi will be eligible and returners Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee make for a far deeper frontcourt.
No. 3 Power Forward: Henry Ellenson
8 of 25
Height, weight: 6'10", 230 lbs
Will play for: Marquette
Steve Wojciechowski's first season as Marquette's coach didn't go particularly well on the court, as the Golden Eagles went 13-19 and tied for last in the Big East. But he made major inroads toward the future with the signing of Henry Ellenson, an in-state star who chose Marquette over Kentucky, Wisconsin and Michigan State.
Ellenson chose Marquette not long after his brother, Wally, transferred from Minnesota, though he'd been a target of that program long before. With a bang-around style inside that's mixed with some improved mid-range and perimeter play, Ellenson could end up being a matchup nightmare if his exterior game continues to develop.
No. 2 Power Forward: Ivan Rabb
9 of 25
Height, weight: 6'10", 210 lbs
Will play for: California
With offers from all over the country, Ivan Rabb had the chance to set out on his own path for college. He ultimately chose to stay close to his family in Oakland, and in doing so set the stage for California to land a monster recruiting class that 247Sports currently ranks as fifth-best in 2015.
Rabb picked the Golden Bears over Arizona, among others. While the latter had an immediate opening at the 4 with Brandon Ashley turning pro, Rabb gets to establish his own legacy with a California program heading into its second season under coach Cuonzo Martin.
With the ability to shoot using either hand and an already top-notch rebounding acumen, Rabb will be a key to what Cal does this season.
No. 1 Power Forward: Cheick Diallo
10 of 25
Height, weight: 6'9", 218 lbs
Will play for: Kansas
One of the fastest risers in the 2015 recruiting class, Cheick Diallo saw his stock go through the roof thanks to his play at various all-star events. He was named an MVP of both the McDonald's All-American game and the Jordan Brand Classic, combining for 44 points and 21 rebounds in those contests.
Those performances didn't necessarily add to the teams chasing him, but they did make the push from the likes of Iowa State, Kentucky and St. John's much stronger. But Diallo picked Kansas in the end, giving the Jayhawks two of the five best power forwards of the class and filling their most pressing need for 2015-16.
"The Jayhawks' lack of inside scoring was a persistent problem last season," wrote Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star.
Diallo, originally from West Africa, has a path that's similar to recent Kansas star Joel Embiid, who was also from Africa. Diallo only started playing basketball five years ago.
No. 5 Small Forward: Malachi Richardson
11 of 25
Height, weight: 6'5", 191 lbs
Will play for: Syracuse
Syracuse had signed four players for 2015 prior to being hit with NCAA sanctions in March that included scholarship reductions over the next four years. That meant they couldn't replace any departed players from the 2014-15 season, but they didn't have to worry about Malachi Richardson and others walking away.
Holding on to Richardson is key for the Orange to be able to weather the storm. The loss of Rakeem Christmas and Chris McCullough from the frontcourt puts a lot of pressure on Richardson and the rest of the roster to be able to replace that production. Richardson has a good shooting touch, something Syracuse lacked last year.
"His combination of size, athleticism and a quick release jump shot make him a bonafide threat from beyond the 3-point arc," wrote Mike Waters of Syracuse.com.
No. 4 Small Forward: Ray Smith
12 of 25Height, weight: 6'7", 185 lbs
Will play for: Arizona
Ray Smith didn't get to do the circuit of all-star games and recruiting showcases this spring like other top prospects, as he was still recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered in July. Instead, he's worked on getting himself back to playing form for Arizona, which stuck with its commit despite the injury happening four months before he signed.
The Las Vegas product called the tear "a blessing," per Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star, saying that "once I get through it, I'll have a story of how I dealt with the obstacle of a torn ACL, how I stayed positive and how I can be a role model for people who tore their ACL or might tear their ACL."
Before getting hurt, Smith was on his way up the rankings. He might not contribute much this first season with the Wildcats, who have plenty of wings, but he'll be a key participant in the future.
No. 3 Small Forward: Brandon Ingram
13 of 25
Height, weight: 6'9", 195 lbs
Will play for: Duke
Brandon Ingram had every major North Carolina school after him, as well as powers from beyond his home state's borders. In the end he picked Duke over UNC because of the chance to play right away, with the defending champion Blue Devils needing to replace four starters while Carolina brings back four.
Ingram's frame is deceiving, because he's very skinny and lanky. He's not very strong yet, but that hasn't prevented him from shooting well or being able to use his length and athleticism to his advantage on both offense and defense. He figures to serve as a replacement in many ways to Justise Winslow, though he has the ability to play the 2 or 3 and allow Duke to use a variety of lineups.
No. 2 Small Forward: Jaylen Brown
14 of 25
Height, weight: 6'7", 217 lbs
Will play for: California
The last major recruit to commit for 2015, Jaylen Brown had a list of eight diverse schools on his final count in early April and then slowly teams began to drop off. First it was UCLA, then in-state suitors Georgia and Georgia Tech, then Kansas was cut, leaving California, Kentucky, Michigan and North Carolina.
The Golden Bears won out last week, getting Brown's commitment to join Ivan Rabb for the program's best recruiting class since Jason Kidd's group in the early 1990s. And the No. 3 overall prospect is expected to be an instant-impact player, one who should get Cal over the hump and back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013 and possibly its first Sweet 16 since 1997.
"The 6'7" forward is an excellent athlete who uses his developed body and quickness to make plays near the rim," Bleacher Report's Tyler Conway wrote. "His length has allowed him to move between both forward spots in high school."
No. 1 Small Forward: Ben Simmons
15 of 25
Height, weight: 6'8", 220 lbs
Will play for: LSU
The nation's No. 1 overall recruit is listed as a small forward, but Ben Simmons prefers to be called a "point forward" because of his tendency to bring the ball up the court and direct the offense. He did this frequently the last few years at Florida's Montverde Academy, where he played after moving from Australia, and he could very well be doing it quite often for LSU.
The ability to handle the ball like a guard but be able to play inside and muscle opponents is why Simmons is so highly rated by NBA scouts. NBADraft.net has him as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, while DraftExpress projects him as the third selection.
In an SEC that's bringing in a slew of the nation's top freshmen—five are on this list, and two are headed to Baton Rouge—Simmons' arrival will be huge for LSU's success.
No. 5 Shooting Guard: Perry Dozier
16 of 25Height, weight: 6'6", 180 lbs
Will play for: South Carolina
South Carolina's first McDonald's All-American since Rolando Howell in 2001, the local star picked the Gamecocks over Louisville and others. By doing so he should help the Gamecocks turn the corner under Frank Martin after only 45 wins in his first three seasons.
Dozier, whose father and uncle played for South Carolina and whose sister is on the Gamecocks' women's basketball team, can play both guard spots and handle the 3 if needed. South Carolina returns four starters from last year's 17-16 team, and Dozier could be the player that gets it into the top half of the SEC.
No. 4 Shooting Guard: Luke Kennard
17 of 25
Height, weight: 6'5", 180 lbs
Will play for: Duke
Luke Kennard could be this year's version of Grayson Allen, in that he was the first player to commit to Duke long before the rest of its superstar-filled recruiting class took shape. But unlike Allen, who struggled to get playing time as a freshman before his surprise performance in the Final Four, Kennard could be starting at the 2 for the Blue Devils this fall.
However much he plays, look for Kennard to come out firing. The high-scoring guard averaged about 40 points per game for his high school this past season, finishing second in Ohio state history and a few spots ahead of LeBron James.
Kennard is an aggressive scorer who will get his points in whatever way possible, not just as a spot-up shooter. This is also similar to Allen, who during the Final Four drove to the basket with no fear against Michigan State and Wisconsin.
No. 3 Shooting Guard: Antonio Blakeney
18 of 25
Height, weight: 6'4", 170 lbs
Will play for: LSU
The addition of Antonio Blakeney to a 2015-16 LSU team that was already going to feature star prospect Ben Simmons more than made up for the loss of Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey to the NBA draft. While Simmons is a multi-faceted player who doesn't fit into a particular mold, Blakeney is a pure scorer who will look to find his shot as often as possible.
Blakeney hit six of 14 field goals for 14 points with four rebounds in the McDonald's All-American Game, and he averaged more than 29 points per game in high school in Florida.
"Antonio Blakeney will bring a different dimension to our basketball team with his ability to score," LSU coach Johnny Jones said in a statement (h/t NOLA.com) after Blakeney signed in April.
Originally committed to Louisville, he backed out of that pledge last summer and chose LSU over Kentucky and others.
No. 2 Shooting Guard: Dwayne Bacon
19 of 25
Height, weight: 6'6", 190 lbs
Will play for: Florida State
Dwayne Bacon has been one of the more impressive players in the 2015 class in terms of how he's improved over the past year. That continued on Saturday with his performance in the Ballislife All-American Game. Playing for Team Future, Bacon had 20 points and helped his squad beat Team Elite.
He's expected to be in a similar position of impacting the game at Florida State, where he'll team up with sophomore-to-be Xavier Rathan-Mayes for one of the most explosive backcourts in the country.
Bacon has to improve as a defender and rebounder to be a complete player, but in the interim he'll rely on his scoring ability to contribute.
No. 1 Shooting Guard: Allonzo Trier
20 of 25
Height, weight: 6'4", 185 lbs
Will play for: Arizona
Allonzo Trier hasn't met a shot he didn't like, and since a good percentage of them keep going in he'll continue to fire them up. How that fits in with an Arizona system that has traditionally not had an overwhelming scoring leader remains to be seen. For now we know that Trier is capable of being the game's top producer every time out.
Long before his strong performances in recent all-star games, Trier was scoring in bunches on the touring circuit. Last summer he averaged 30.8 points per game in five contests at the prestigious Peach Jam AAU tournament, including scoring 42 in a matchup against stellar guard Isaiah Briscoe.
At Findlay Prep in Nevada, where he transferred following previous seasons in Maryland, Trier continued to score at will.
No. 5 Point Guard: Jalen Adams
21 of 25Height, weight: 6'2", 170 lbs
Will play for: Connecticut
The past two Connecticut teams have lived and died by their small-but-stellar point guards, Shabazz Napier during the national title season in 2014 and Ryan Boatright last year. Jalen Adams could be the next in that line of go-to guys, assuming he can keep developing the skills needed to run an offense.
"I definitely don't want to follow anybody's path; I kind of want to create my own," Adams told Chris Bradley of MassLive.com. "But I'm looking forward to carrying the tradition."
Already an accomplished scorer, at the college level he'll need to be at the point to be most effective. But his athleticism will still be valuable even as he morphs into his new role, and the Huskies' prospects for 2015-16 should be better than this past year.
No. 4 Point Guard: Jalen Brunson
22 of 25
Height, weight: 6'1", 190 lbs
Will play for: Villanova
Point guard play was one of the few weaknesses that Villanova had last season, as neither Ryan Arcidiacono nor Dylan Ennis really fit that spot well. Arcidiacono is better as a shooter, while Ennis opted to transfer from the program.
But with Jalen Brunson on his way in, that issue shouldn't exist anymore. One of the purest points in the 2015 class, Brunson is always looking to create for others while still keeping in mind his own options.
Team him with Josh Hart and Arcidiacono on the perimeter, and a third straight Big East title should be a cinch.
No. 3 Point Guard: Isaiah Briscoe
23 of 25
Height, weight: 6'3", 200 lbs
Will play for: Kentucky
While Kentucky missed out on most of the big names who were still uncommitted during the late stages of the 2015 recruiting cycle, one area where it didn't have to worry about coming up short was at the point thanks to the early commitment from Isaiah Briscoe. With both Harrison brothers going to the NBA, Briscoe only has Tyler Ulis to worry about when it comes to getting playing time.
Brunson is among the most prolific scorers at this position in the country, as he handled the ball and provided most of the offense for Roselle Catholic (NJ) and various travel and all-star teams. Kentucky doesn't appear to have the same depth as last year to force another platoon, so Brunson could be among the highest-scoring freshmen in Division I this season.
No. 2 Point Guard: Derryck Thornton
24 of 25
Height, weight: 6'2", 175 lbs
Will play for: Duke
Until about a month ago, Derryck Thornton was a lock to be one of the top point guards of the 2016 class. Then Duke won the NCAA title, sent three freshmen into the NBA draft and suddenly needed someone to run the offense right away.
Thornton made the move into the 2015 class and signed with the Blue Devils, and though he'll be young—he turns 18 on May 30—he'll not be given much time to grow into being a key player. But the way he's performed, that shouldn't be a problem.
"Thornton is a setup, pass-first point guard who can break down a defender off the bounce and create help," ESPN's Paul Biancardi wrote. "His speed and quickness can pressure opposing point guards."
No. 1 Point Guard: Malik Newman
25 of 25
Height, weight: 6'3", 174 lbs
Will play for: Mississippi State
The nation's highest-rated point guard went far off the beaten path for his college choice, picking a school that won just 13 games last year and hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 2009. But thanks to Mississippi State hiring Final Four-level coach Ben Howland, the school was able to hold onto a legacy player who also had Kansas and Kentucky chasing after him.
Malik Newman is the son of former Bulldog Horatio Webster, who played there in the late 1990s, but that seemed like the only reason a player of Newman's ilk would consider MSU. Howland was able to sway him on the notion he'd be the guy. In a conference that's set to be much better this season thanks to a slew of top recruits, he can really make a name for himself in what could be his lone season of college.
"Howland's pedigree of putting 18 former players into the NBA intrigued Newman at a time when the Bulldogs were seemingly out of the Newman sweepstakes," wrote Courtney Cronin of the Clarion-Ledger. "Howland preached how he could help Newman reach his goal during his first in-home visit on March 26, which grabbed the guard's attention."
All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports, unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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