College Basketball Teams Most in Need of a Monster Recruiting Class
In college basketball, we often focus on the best when it comes to recruiting. The best freshman groups compete for national titles in most years, so the discussion usually turns to the Duke Blue Devils and Kentucky Wildcats of the world. Plenty of other programs need big recruiting classes over the next few seasons in order to keep competing in their respective conferences.
Some of these teams have new coaches who need to integrate new pieces into a new system, while others are veteran programs that need a boost after losing key seniors.
Here are 10 programs that need monster recruiting classes in the next two years.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes
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Who they have: Four-star forward Tyler Cook headlines a group that includes 3-stars like forward Cordell Pemsl, wing Ryan Kriener and guard Jordan Bohannon.
Why they need a big class: Iowa needs this class to produce because it's losing four seniors from a team that currently leads the Big Ten. Replacing experienced seniors like Mike Gesell, Adam Woodbury and Jarrod Uthoff means this 2016 class has to be ready.
Top 2016 targets: Cook is a tough and rugged interior player who should rebound and score on energy plays. The Hawkeyes stayed in the state of Iowa for three other commitments, so they're building locally over the next few seasons.
Top 2017 targets: Head coach Fran McCaffery has son and 4-star wing Connor McCaffery committed in 2017, and Iowa is working hard to put talent around him in the next few classes.
9. Miami Hurricanes
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Who they have: Five-star Dewan Huell will stay in Miami and is joined by 4-star guard Bruce Brown and 4-star guard Rodney Miller.
Why they need a big class: Miami is having a great season so far, but they have to replace a starting backcourt and two experienced frontcourt pieces with this class. The Hurricanes have a lot of open spots in the next two seasons and a growing fanbase.
Top 2016 targets: As a McDonald's All-American, Huell will be expected to compete right away, and Brown could get a lot of early minutes, as well. Miami is also looking at a few other targets late and might not be done with its recruiting process.
Top 2017 targets: Four-star forward D.J. Russell is already committed to join the Hurricanes, who are recruiting nationally at every position for a big class.
8. Oklahoma Sooners
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Who they have: Four-star shooting guard Kameron McGusty, 4-star wing Kristian Doolittle, 3-star center Matt Freeman and Ohio State transfer Austin Grandstaff.
Why they need a big class: The Sooners have been among the nation's top teams all season and have had success under head coach Lon Kruger the past few seasons. But now that Player of the Year candidate Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins and Ryan Spangler are seniors, the Sooners need to rebuild with this class.
Top 2016 targets: It will be nearly impossible to replace Hield, but Texas native McGusty is a gifted scorer who can make plays with the ball. Grandstaff should give the Sooners an additional shooter once he's eligible. Doolittle is another wing athlete for Kruger to develop.
Top 2017 targets: Four-star forward Brady Manek is staying in Oklahoma and playing for the Sooners, and Oklahoma has a couple of more spots in that class. In-state scoring guard Trae Young is a major priority, and Oklahoma is targeting players across multiple positions.
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7. Illinois Fighting Illini
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Who they have: Three-star guard Tejon Lucas is the only member of Illinois' 2016 class.
Why they need a big class: Illinois needs the talent to stay consistent and make it back into the Big Ten's top half. The 2017 class is especially vital for the Illini because the state of Illinois has a deep local class that head coach John Groce needs to tap into.
Top 2016 targets: Illinois has needed shot-making guards the last few years, and Lucas can create and hit some shots that should help the Illini. Illinois is also showing interest in Australian forward Harry Froling and local big man Nick Rakocevic.
Top 2017 targets: Illinois could have a ton of open scholarships in 2017, and in-state guard Javon Pickett is the start of that group. The Illini are also targeting in-state guys like Jeremiah Tilmon, Nojel Eastern, Jordan Goodwin, Christian Negron, DaMonte Williams and Justin Smith.
6. Wisconsin Badgers
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Who they have: Wisconsin is without a commitment in its 2016 class.
Why they need a big class: With uncertainty after Bo Ryan's retirement and new head coach Greg Gard's interim status, Wisconsin needs to get solid recruiting in place immediately in order to capitalize on its back-to-back Final Four runs. The current roster is still relatively young, but it needs help.
Top 2016 targets: Since Wisconsin is returning essentially its entire roster for next season, 2016 isn't a huge class. The Badgers also don't have a coach locked in for next season, so that will help with recruiting once that is finalized.
Top 2017 targets: In 2017, Gard has some momentum, as in-star guard Kobe King has remained committed despite Ryan's retirement. That group is the class in which Wisconsin will need one of everything.
5. Oklahoma State Cowboys
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Who they have: Four-star guard Lindy Waters is staying in Oklahoma, and 3-stars like big man Gorjok Gak, wing Cameron McGriff and guard Thomas Dziagwa round out the 2016 class.
Why they need a big class: Have you seen how good freshman point guard Jawun Evans has played lately (22.3 points, 6.5 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game in his last four games)? The McDonald's All-American floor general will need targets around him the next few years, and these next two classes will have major implications in that regard.
Top 2016 targets: Waters is an ideal fit for Oklahoma State because he can space the floor as a shooter when defenses collapse on Evans. McGriff is also the type of above-the-rim athlete that has typically thrived in head coach Travis Ford's system.
Top 2017 targets: Oklahoma State will work to keep in-state guard Trae Young home while also targeting several talented players from Texas and big men.
4. St. John's Red Storm
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Who they have: Four-star guard Shamorie Ponds and 4-star JUCO wing Bashir Ahmed form St. John's current 2016 class.
Why they need a big class: New head coach Chris Mullin has one of the most talent-depleted rosters in high-level college basketball and badly needs to fill out his team with capable players. With a few playmakers, St. John's could be back in the Big East race.
Top 2016 targets: Ponds and his high-scoring style should help St. John's put up points. Mullin is also working to add New York native and 5-star guard Rawle Alkins to the class, as well.
Top 2017 targets: St. John's is targeting many players along the East Coast, including Mohamed Bamba, Trevon Duval, Hamidou Diallo and Jordan Tucker.
3. Texas Longhorns
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Who they have: McDonald's All-American guard Andrew Jones joins 4-star guard Jacob Young and 4-star big man James Banks.
Why they need a big class: New head coach Shaka Smart needs to fill a lot of positions with five departing seniors, and he's also trying to implement his style of play. The next few classes give Smart a lot of scholarships to work with.
Top 2016 targets: Jones and Young can score, and Banks is the type of high-upside big man who could blossom into a good Big 12 center. The Longhorns are also hard after local big man and 5-star center Jarrett Allen.
Top 2017 targets: Texas and Smart have targeted prospects from coast to coast because they could have a scholarship for each spot on the floor in the class.
2. California Golden Bears
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Who they have: Four-star guard Tyson Jolly.
Why they need a big class: The 2016 class is somewhat important, but 2017 is a huge class for Cal, as it needs a new talent influx to replace the Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb group. And with three McDonald's All-American guards entering the Pac-12 in 2016, the conference isn't getting any easier.
Top 2016 targets: The Golden Bears could still opt to take someone besides Jolly in the 2016 class, and they did make up ground late on Brown to land him.
Top 2017 targets: Head coach Cuonzo Martin already has two commitments in the 2017 class, as in-state guards Alec Hickman and Jemarl Baker are both in. There could be a scholarship for every spot in this class, and Cal is recruiting nationally.
1. LSU Tigers
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Who they have: Guard Skylar Mays, wing Wayde Sims, guard Kieran Hayward, JUCO guard Branden Jenkins and JUCO big man Duop Reath.
Why they need a big class: LSU is only going to be nationally prominent for the one season Ben Simmons is on campus unless it responds with a talented class to build for the future. Simmons came with plenty of talent that will stay a few years, and head coach Johnny Jones needs more players around that core group once Simmons is gone.
Top 2016 targets: Mays and Sims are talented in-state prospects who are staying home—joining Brandon Sampson as local products in the last two classes. Hayward is an Australian who maintains that pipeline for the Tigers. Reath and Jenkins are two of the best JUCO prospects in the class.
Top 2017 targets: Keeping the local trend going, LSU has a commitment from a talented local guard in Cedric Russell. The Tigers will also hope to lure some of the talented 2017 big men in the south to stay in SEC country, and 2018 looks positive, as Louisiana native Javonte Smart is already a top-10 national prospect.
Recruiting ratings via 247Sports.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and information were obtained firsthand.
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