CBB Recruiting 2016: Ranking 10 Best Classes After McDonald's All-American Game

The basketball season is winding down at the high school and college levels, and that means recruiting classes are starting to round into final form.

Many of the nation's elite 4- and 5-star prospects already signed on the dotted line for next season back in November, but there were also some shake-ups to team recruiting rankings during the season with some later commitments.

Some familiar faces find themselves atop the best recruiting classes in college basketball for next season, but there are plenty of quality programs right behind them. The best classes were determined by the number of prospects signed for next season as well as the quality of the individual players among each group.

Teams like Kentucky, Duke and Michigan State could see themselves make another Final Four run with their spectacular freshman groups, while plenty of other teams could see huge gains thanks to their new players. 

10. North Carolina

Rankings: No. 11 in 247Sports, No. 10 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: None

4-Star Recruits: Tony Bradley (6'10" C), Seventh Woods (6'2" G), Brandon Robinson (6'5" SG)

What they'll do well: Provide athleticism

Seventh Woods is one of the premier athletes in the Class of 2016, as his freshman-year mixtape has over 14 million views thanks to his high-flying nature. Robinson is also a solid athlete who can cover ground on the wing and knock down some shots. Bradley isn't known as an athlete, but he's moving as well as ever and isn't the liability he used to be on that front.

Where they'll need work: Strength

Bradley (235 lbs) has done a great job of getting into shape for his senior season, but he'll still going to need to put on some weight to handle the rigors of the ACC. Woods (175 lbs) and Robinson (160 lbs) are both skinny perimeter options who will also need to put on weight to be more effective attacking the basket.

9. UConn

Rankings: No. 5 in 247Sports, No. 8 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: None

4-Star Recruits: Juwan Durham (6'11" PF), Alterique Gilbert (5'10" PG), Vance Jackson (6'8" SF), Mamadou Diarra (6'7" PF)

What they'll do well: Provide athleticism

This group can really give the Huskies a nice shot in the arm athletically, as Gilbert is nearly impossible to contain one-on-one on the perimeter, and Diarra and Durham are both plus athletes on the interior. Jackson isn't a great athlete, but he's big and skilled and a matchup problem for many.

What they'll need work: Decision-making

Gilbert and Jackson are the type of offensive talents who can take over stretches of a game, but both players have also shown a tendency to make some low-IQ plays. Gilbert can overpenetrate and force himself into some turnovers or poor shots, while Jackson can fall too in love with his perimeter jumper.

8. Florida State

Rankings: No. 10 in 247Sports, No. 9 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: Jonathan Isaac (6'10" SF)

4-Star Recruits: Trent Forrest (6'3" SG), C.J. Walker (6'0" PG)

What they'll do well: Handle the ball

Florida State has some talented wing scorers next season, but the addition of Forrest and Walker gives the Seminoles two guards who can handle the ball in pressure situations. Isaac can also handle the ball well for his size and can create his own shot as a jumbo wing.

Where they'll need work: Sharing the ball

Isaac, Forrest and Walker can all score and be aggressive hunting their own shots, but the Seminoles already have a scoring punch in Dwayne Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes. That means Florida State needs Walker and Forrest to make life easier on the other scorers by getting them good looks.

7. Virginia

(Warning: NSFW lyrics in the above video.)

Rankings: No. 8 247Sports, No. 7 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: None

4-Star Recruits: Kyle Guy (6'2" G), Ty Jerome (6'4" PG), Jay Huff (6'11" PF), DeAndre Hunter (6'7" SG)

What they'll do well: Play with a high IQ

Coach Tony Bennett usually likes basketball players who know what they're doing, and this group should be good from that perspective. Jerome and Guy form a potentially lethal future backcourt for the Cavaliers, and Hunter is the type of wing who can provide a bunch of matchup issues on both ends.

Where they'll need work: Adding strength

Huff is a skilled big man, but he's a potential candidate to redshirt because he's so skinny entering his freshman year. Guy and Jerome also aren't elite athletes and will have to hit the weight room to handle some of the ACC's stronger perimeter players. 

6. Arizona

Rankings: No. 7 247Sports, No. 6 in Arizona

5-Star Recruits: Lauri Markkanen (6'11" PF), Rawle Alkins (6'5" SG), Kobi Simmons (6'5" G)

4-Star Recruits: None

What they'll do well: Perimeter playmaking

The addition of two 5-star guards in Alkins and Simmons means that coach Sean Miller can put the ball in their hands and get buckets almost immediately. Alkins and Simmons will be able to touch the paint at will, and Markkanen could also provide a stretch 4 option with his range out to the three-point line.

Where they'll need work: Adjusting to playing with others

Three 5-star talents in one class is never a bad thing, but Alkins and Simmons can be ball-dominant guards who don't do much passing, and Markkanen was the go-to player on Finland's U18 team. Getting those three to play together along with more experienced college players could be tough in the early going.

5. Mississippi State

Rankings: No. 6 in 247Sports, No. 5 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: None

4-Star Recruits: Mario Kegler (6'7" SF), Schnider Herard (6'10" C), Tyson Carter (6'4" SG), Lamar Peters (6'0" PG), Eli Wright (6'4" SG), Abdul Ado (6'11" C)

What they'll do well: Perimeter weapons

When you combine this group with guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, coach Ben Howland's ballclub should have a lot of attacking guards on the perimeter next season. Peters, Carter and Wright can all make plays as ball-handlers, and Kegler is a big wing who can also score from the outside. With so many weapons, Mississippi State's offense could be tough.

Where they'll need work: Limiting turnovers

Those aforementioned perimeter playmakers are all talented enough to make the Bulldogs an intriguing SEC team, but the group will also need to reign in the turnovers and poor shot selection. Peters can overplay on drives, while Kegler can get a little too shot-happy from the perimeter when a smaller defender might be on him.

4. UCLA

Rankings: No. 4 in 247Sports, No. 4 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: Lonzo Ball (6'6" PG), T.J. Leaf (6'9" PF)

4-Star Recruits: Ike Anigbogu (6'9" C)

What they'll do well: Shooting

Lonzo Ball, T.J. Leaf and 3-star wing Kobe Paras can all knock down perimeter jumpers, and they should give UCLA's offense even more punch next season. Ball can pull up and hit threes from NBA range, while Leaf will be a matchup nightmare at forward because of his skill level.

Where they'll need work: Defensive consistency

While Ball is solid as a defender and Anigbogu is a potentially imposing shot-blocker, Leaf and Paras will have work to do on the defensive end in order to improve the Bruins' dreadful defense last season. While Anigbogu can be a rim protector, he has to do so without fouling. 

3. Michigan State

Rankings: No. 3 in 247Sports, No. 3 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: Miles Bridges (6'6" SF), Joshua Langford (6'5" SG)

4-Star Recruits: Cassius Winston (6'2" PG), Nick Ward (6'8" PF)

What they'll do well: Score

Replacing  Denzel Valentine, Bryn Forbes and Matt Costello will be tough. But Bridges, Langford and Winston can all put up points and should be able to immediately produce at the college level. Ward is no slouch, either, as he can be a cleanup guy on the interior who gets some putbacks.

Where they'll need work: Conditioning

Langford and Winston should be ready to go when they hit East Lansing, but Bridges and Ward might need to work on their bodies a little bit to be able to get up-and-down the floor for a full game. Bridges is a bruising wing, but he might have to guard smaller perimeter threats. And that would mean his quickness could come into question.

2. Duke

Rankings: No. 2 in 247Sports, No. 2 in ESPN

5-Star Recruits: Harry Giles (6'10" PF), Jayson Tatum (6'8" SF), Frank Jackson (6'3" G)

4-Star Recruits: Javin DeLaurier (6'9" PF)

What they'll do well: Make plays

Tatum and Jackson are the type of offensive weapons who can score or distribute, while Giles and DeLaurier are active interior players who should be able to provide immediate help on the glass. Giles, Tatum and Jackson could be the most talented trio coach Mike Krzyzewski has ever brought in and will be relied on to produce immediately. 

Where they'll need work: Perimeter shooting

This class is certainly talented, but Tatum has always been regarded as more of a mid-range assassin, and Jackson is at his best attacking the basket off ball screens. Duke should have some capable shooters returning around this class, but consistent three-point shooting could be something that hinders this group early.

1. Kentucky

Rankings: No. 1 in 247Sports, No. 1 in ESPN

5-Star Prospects: De'Aaron Fox (6'4" PG), Malik Monk (6'3" G), Edrice "Bam" Adebayo (6'9" PF), Wenyen Gabriel (6'9" F), Sacha Killeya-Jones (6'10" F) 

4-Star Prospects: None

What they'll do well: Provide immediate depth and star power

With a ridiculous five 5-star prospects signed in the Class of 2016, Kentucky has the kind of talent coming in most coaches can only dream of. This should help Kentucky stabilize quickly after some inevitable NBA draft departures who are sure to leave some holes on the roster. The influx of talented big men, in particular, should help a Kentucky frontcourt that was inconsistent during the 2015-16 season. 

What they'll need to work on: Perimeter shooting

This group has talent and athleticism galore, but the ability to space the floor could be a bit of a question mark for this recruiting class. Fox and Monk can be inconsistent as three-point shooters sometimes, and Adebayo is mostly a power guy who excels near the basket. Gabriel and Killeya-Jones have shown some perimeter shooting ability at forward, but coach John Calipari has often prevented skilled big men from shooting a lot from the outside.  

Recruiting ratings via 247Sports.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and information were obtained firsthand.