Kanaan Carlyle was an easy choice to make it into the first release of rankings for the 2023 class as he’s one of the top guards in the country. Currently at No. 11 overall, Carlyle has proven to be one of the elite scorers in the class while also showing the ability to lock down on the defensive end.
Scholarship offers trickled in for Carlyle before he ever played a high school game. It hasn’t slowed down since. In the last couple of weeks, Georgia and LSU stepped up. Before that, he had received offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss and Tulane. Interest has also come in from Butler, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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IN HIS OWN WORDS:
Auburn: “I’ve been watching them because they had Jared Harper. I like how fast they are and it would be a good fit. The coaches are all good and keep it real with you.”
Georgia: “I don’t know a lot about their program, but I’ve seen them. I watched Anthony Edwards last year. They way they play seems fun and it’s a good environment.”
Georgia Tech: “I know Coleman Boyd and Jordan Meka that play there now. I haven’t really asked them about the program yet, but I will in the future.”
LSU: “They said they love my game and told me to keep working hard. I’ve watched them a little the last few years and like the way they play.”
On programs he’d like to get an offer from: “It’s really the Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina type schools. They play on the biggest stage and put out NBA players.”
RIVALS' REACTION
Look for Carlyle’s recruitment to eventually include the top college basketball programs from coast to coast. He possesses all the traits that get college coaches excited on the court, while also checking all the boxes with intangibles.
He’s yet to step foot on a college campus for a visit and he’s only talked to a few of the schools on the phone so far. Therefore, it’s really hard to call out favorites at this point, especially since a college decision is likely at least a year away.
