College Basketball Recruiting: 15 Best Players of 2013 Class and Landing Spots

The 2013 recruiting class is loaded, and college basketball coaches are beginning to take advantage of that. The recruitment of the class is beginning, and we are going to see quite a few talented guards coming in.

These are the Top 15 recruits in the class and we have a general idea of where each will be going. Only two of the Top 20 recruits have committed. The class is still open for the taking.

While hunting season is starting for some, the college basketball recruiting season has begun. These are the biggest recruits to land.

15. Nate Britt (North Carolina)

Nate Britt is a talented point guard from Washington D.C. He is the second-best point guard in the class and will continue the streak of talented point guards Roy Williams has recruited.

Britt is a southpaw who drives very well. He can either run the floor in transition or probe the defense in the half-court set and then kick the ball out to a teammate. He's very good at finding a seam, and he is a vocal leader.

Britt also has decent range out to 15-20 feet. He has good touch, and he can do a lot for a team. Williams is going to love having Britt as a second coach on the court.

14. Isaiah Hicks (North Carolina)

Isaiah Hicks has also committed to Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels. He is a 6'8" power forward who will help fill the holes left by UNC's NBA-ready frontcourt.

Hicks is a long, athletic forward who has been impressing scouts since his freshman year. He runs the floor with speed and athleticism, and he can give some truly spectacular finishes.

Hicks is not big, however. He needs to add some weight and work on his post-moves if he wants to remain a power forward. However, he would make a good small forward at this point, which is what I think he will become for Williams.

13. Chris Thomas (Arizona)

Chris Thomas is possibly the best scorer in the class. He has good range, but his true forte is when he drives. He is next to unstoppable in transition because he drives so well, and he can beat you in so many ways.

Thomas is going to be an NBA shooting guard, and the demand for this kid will be through the roof.

Thomas is from Denver, Colorado, and I think he will want to stay out west. His top schools appear to be Colorado, Memphis, Kansas and Arizona (all of whom have offered him a scholarship).

I see Thomas committing to Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats. Miller is a great recruiter who has brought in a lot of talent (seen by his 2012 class that includes three recruits in the top nine). Miller will want Thomas and he will find a way to land him.

12. Nick King (Memphis)

Nick King is a dual-threat on offense. This 6'7" Memphis, Tennessee small forward can hit jumpers easily or drive well. He had doubters last season because his strength and toughness came into question, but he has proved the critics wrong this year.

King is looking at schools in his area, and that makes me think he wants to stay close to home. As an 18-year-old kid, it is hard to go to a school that is far from home. King will want to stay in Tennessee.

The best school for King is Memphis. They have a great program that is constantly in the Top 25, and if Will Barton goes to the NBA he should be the star of the team. Memphis is also better at recruiting than Tennessee and will land this future star.

11. Jabari Bird (Arizona)

Jabari Bird is a 6'6" shooting guard from Richmond, CA. He plays for the Oakland Soldiers who have had quite a few players go to Arizona.

Bird has great length and skills. He has range out to 25 feet but he can also hit pull-up jumpers over his defender because of his long frame. He also drives well and finishes with highlight-reel dunks in transition.

Arizona seems to be the right place for Bird. They were among his early top three (Washington and Cal also included) and have stayed there with Cal dropping out. Sean Miller personally visited Bird, which he says meant a lot to him.

Having friends and former teammates playing Arizona will help, but the deciding factor will be Miller's incredible ability to recruit. He will be the one with Bird on his team come the 2013 season.

10. James Young (Ohio State)

James Young is yet another shooting guard on this list. He has shot up rankings since being a four-star recruit in summer and now being in the Top 10. He has been rising since early 2011 and could very well end up at the top of the class when all is said and done.

The reason his stock has risen so fast is because he is such an explosive athlete. He has a strong body, and is also exceptional on the drive. He also has range out to about 20 feet and beyond and is always improving this.

Young lives in Michigan and is looking at two schools very closely: Michigan and Ohio State. While it's odd that he is looking at rival programs so closely he will end up choosing OSU. The Buckeyes will be gearing up for another run come 2013 after Jared Sullinger departs after this season, and Young will be key in doing so.

9. Allerik Freeman (Syracuse)

Known for his strength, Allerik Freeman is yet another shooting guard on this list. He can play either guard or forward because of his strength and great passing ability.

Freeman doesn't have great range, but he drives well and is plays like he is the strongest player on the floor. He is a unique player because he can do so much, and he will be a major contributor to wherever he goes.

This Charlotte-born recruit is one of the few recruits who doesn't care about staying close to home. While North Carolina is on his list, he also has Arizona, Syracuse and Kansas. He is considering top-tier schools and clearly wants to be somewhere with a great coach.

The most legendary coach on his list is Jim Boeheim of Syracuse. Freeman has said that it would be an honor to play for Boeheim and I believe he will do so in the fall of 2013.

8. Troy Williams (Kentucky)

Troy Williams is a long and lanky small forward who plays for his uncle Boo Williams. He has great athletic ability and can drive well.

Williams is 6'6" 190-pound forward who could play shooting guard if he can keep his streaky 22-foot range consistent.

Williams will end up in Kentucky. One of the biggest reasons for this is because coach John Calipari, who has a knack for landing Top 10 recruits, has a good relationship with Williams' uncle, who is also his coach.

7. Aaron Harrison (Maryland)

The twin brother of Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison is a shooting guard from Houston, TX.

Harrison is a high-energy player who runs the floor well and hits threes. He gets a lot of his points from his brother Andrew, and the two will probably go to the same school.

Having a twin typically leads to a close family, and while the two attended Big Blue Madness for Kentucky I think they will play for Maryland. They two have a lot of family in Maryland and they could be close to home if they go there.

Look for the Terps to get a brand-new backcourt in 2013.

6. Aaron Gordon (Washington)

Aaron Gordon is a power forward from San Jose, CA. He is one of the best prospects in the class because he easily gives the most effort on every play.

In the half court, he can nail jumpers or drive well. He is also a force in transition and can block shots well on defense. He has become even more focused and gives more effort as of late, and he is constantly improving.

Gordon appears to be most interested in Washington, as he visited them unofficially in mid-November. I see him picking the Huskies over Arizona, Kansas, Stanford and New Mexico.

5. Chris Walker (Kentucky)

Chris Walker is a 6'10" power forward. He is very long and skinny, yet does not have the girth to dominate inside in college. He is working to gain muscle, and he still has time. However, he needs to add about 30-40 pounds.

Walker is an athletic combo-forward, and he can make big plays from anywhere within the three-point-line.

Walker knows he's one of the best in the country and he even asked LeBron James for recruiting help. He said: “If LeBron hits me back and tells me where he thinks I should go, I'd do it."

LeBron gave him advice and told him Ohio State and Kentucky were his top schools. Less than a week ago, UK was not in his top three, but they are now in his top five. He has tweeted quite a few times about Kentucky and they appear to be on his mind at this point.

And let's not forget that John Calipari may be the best recruiter in history.

4. Andrew Harrison (Maryland)

Andrew Harrison, twin brother of Aaron who was on this list at No. 7, is the point guard. He generates a lot of offense for both big men and his brother Aaron who plays shooting guard.

Andrew has great size and length for a point guard (the same as Aaron) and he uses it well. He also creates for others or can hit threes.

Andrew will want to be close to his family in Maryland and with Aaron following him to stay close to his brother and to have a great point guard the two will both end up in College Park.

These twins should be better than the Morris twins.

3. Julius Randle (Texas)

Julius Randle is a 6'9" 225-pound power forward. He is a southpaw who will be a pro in a few years and he is consistently impressing scouts.

Randle is looking for ways to improve, and, to be honest, there aren't many. He wants to work on his inside-outside game and his pull-up jumper, but apart from that he is one of the best players in the country.

Randle is a Dallas, TX native who will want to stay close to home. The recruiting process is a long one that requires strong bonds with your coach and family and he will need his family on his side. He will want to stay home among all of the offers from the best schools in the country.

Texas has a had a few great big men recently with Tristan Thompson last season and Cameron Ridley coming in next season. Randle will be the next to do so.

2. Nerlens Noel (Connecticut)

Nerlens Noel is the No. 1 center in the 2013 class. He is a once-in-a-generation shot-blocker whose defense has landed him the No. 2 spot in the country.

Noel also scores a lot of offense because of his ability to find space and finish inside. He is athletic and versatile, and he could play any position besides perhaps point guard.

Noel is a Massachusetts-native who will also want to stay close to home. Luckily for him, he is close to Connecticut. Andre Drummond will be gone, and Jim Calhoun is an excellent recruiter. If Calhoun stays with Connecticut through the 2013-14 season Noel will be his next talented big man.

1. Jabari Parker (Duke)

Jabari Parker is a small forward who leads the 2013 class. He is very athletic and versatile. He can do just about everything on the floor and he can definitely light up a statsheet.

Parker affects the game through scoring, rebounding, defense, ball-handling and shot-selection. Parker almost never takes a bad shot and he shall be a future star in both college and the NBA.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski personally made the trip to see Parker with two assistant coaches. Duke clearly wants Parker, and after a poor 2012 class, Coach K will be looking to make a big splash this season.

Parker is looking all over the country, and among his apparent top five (Duke, Kansas, Washington, Illinois, Michigan State), Duke appears to be the best school.

Josh Schoch is an aspiring sportswriter dedicated to bringing you everything related to college basketball, recruiting, college football, the NFL, MLB, NBA and much more. Follow him on Twitter.