Class of 2018 Position Rankings: Small forwards

We’ve brought back the position rankings to basketball and we reintroduce them this week by ranking the best point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards and centers in the class of 2018.

NEW RELEASE: Small Forwards | Shooting Guards | Point Guards

MORE RANKINGS: 2018 Team | 2018 Rivals150 | 2019 Rivals150 | 2020 Rivals150

Today, we move to the small forwards, who are led by the nation’s No. 1 ranked player, Duke commit R.J. Barrett, a Canadian who plays his high school ball at Montverde (Fla.) Academy. What stands out about the 2018 crop of small forwards as a whole? Who is the best fit for his college destination and who might be getting a bit overlooked?

Rivals.com national basketball analysts Eric Bossi and Corey Evans weigh in with their thoughts.

Eric Bossi: “In the age of multi-positional players and versatility, what stands out to me is how many of the top-end small forwards in 2018 will be able to be utilized as small ball four men to help stretch and extend defenses. Duke commit Zion Williamson, North Carolina commit Nassir Little, Syracuse commit Darius Bazley, Oregon commit Louis King, Texas commit Gerald Liddell and Indiana commit Jerome Hunter are all players who I would bet end up playing a decent amount of time at the four during their college careers. And that’s just guys who rank in the top 10 at the position.”

Corey Evans: “Who, in five or six years, can we label as the best? RJ Barrett has remained the top prospect in the 2018 class ever since he reclassified at the tail end of the summer. Barrett has all of the physical abilities to make himself a long-tenured standout in the NBA. However, who is to say that Zion Williamson, Darius Bazley or Nassir Little couldn’t have an even better career? They each have totally different skill sets and as the game evolves in the coming years, it will be interesting to see who announces themselves as the best.”

Bossi: “It’s hard not to like how good a fit Darius Bazley is for Syracuse. Because of his length and quickness, Bazley will be able to play on the top or bottom of the Orange’s two-three zone and he’ll give them a valuable rebounder and versatile offensive player who will allow them to go big with him on the wing or small with him as a four man. Thinking about him and Oshae Brissett playing alongside each other on the front line is something that ACC foes aren’t going to be looking forward to.”

Evans: “Adrien Nunez isn’t known by many, as the New York native entered last summer as a member of the 2017 class with zero scholarship offers. Thanks to a prolific performance in July, converting nine three-pointers in one game alone, Nunez’s stock soared. Thereafter, he decided to take a prep year at St. Thomas More this fall as a number of top mid-major and high-level programs entered the picture. Ultimately, Nunez was swayed by Michigan coach John Beilein and the system that he has become known for throughout the years. Just like it was for Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Caris LeVert, Nunez may have found the ideal landing spot and opportunity to shine the brightest.”

Bossi: “I’m not exactly going out on a limb here because we already have him ranked No. 3 at his position, but I could see Nassir Little eventually passing the guys ahead of him. He’s not as skilled as R.J. Barrett or quite the overwhelming athlete Zion Williamson is, but he’s improving at a rapid rate and seems to have another level he can reach at North Carolina and beyond. Moving a bit further down the list, I’d keep a close eye on Creighton-bound Christian Bishop and UConn commit Emmitt Matthews. Bishop has tremendous size and skill while Matthews is a long, lean kid with the potential to develop into an elite jump shooter.”

Evans: “There is something about Aaron Nesmith that has really caught my eye. The 2018 wing from Charleston, S.C., has become the forgotten member of Vanderbilt’s highly lauded recruiting class this winter, but he may emerge early in Nashville as an integral piece in coach Bryce Drew’s offense. A highly valued shooter that has developed his ball skills in recent months, Nesmith is an elite competitor. He can score in volumes but it is his willingness to maximize his game that could be the reason that he surprises some as a high-level producer in the SEC.”