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Making the call: Who should top teams call first in the 2019 class

R.J. Barrett
R.J. Barrett (Bob Blanchard, Basketball Hall of Fame)

Today marks the day that rising juniors can receive phone calls and texts from college coaches. Prospects will now begin to realize what programs want them and which ones don't. We put ourselves in the shoes of some of the top college coaches, assessing what prospect would receive our very first phone call.

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ARIZONA

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Having visited Arizona's campus earlier in the week, Green will get the follow-up by Sean Miller today. A 6-foot-3 standout that brings great size, toughness and athleticism to the court, Green is one of the most versatile guards in his class. By way of Australia, Green is the best the state of Arizona has to offer in 2019. Miller has become great at getting the best out his guards and Green could be the next in line, someone that is eerily similar to former Wildcat guard Nick Johnson.

DUKE

While Bacot has visited Duke three times over the past calendar year, the Blue Devils have not yet extended an offer to him. Coach K will be giving a call to the Richmond native this week, if not today, and communicating the Blue Devils' interest in him.

FLORIDA

The Gators are involved with a lot of top talent in the 2019 class as they remain in the mix for five-stars Balsa Koprivica, Vernon Carey, Scottie Lewis and Bryan Antoine. However, Mike White’s first phone call needs to be to Mann. The 6-foot-2 lead guard has begun to emerge as one of the better prospects in his class. The Gators had him on campus last weekend and will do so again this weekend for their team camp.

KANSAS

Kansas has already made it a point to prioritize Robinson-Earl during his younger days of high school basketball but now, heading into his junior campaign, things will get ramped up another notch. Thanks to his proximity to campus and bloodlines that draw back to KU, look for Bill Self to be speaking with the five-star big man today. Robinson-Earl is already a lean to the Big 12 juggernaut and a direct phone call could voice again the fit that could be in Lawrence.

KENTUCKY

There has some debate as to whether Barrett, the top-ranked in the 2019 Rivals150, will attend college next fall or the following. Regardless, John Calipari will place a call directly to Barrett today, as the five-star standout could become the next in a line of Canadian stars at the SEC program. Calipari has become known for attracting the very best to Lexington and today starts the official recruitment of the top prospect in the 2019 class.

MIAMI

A phone call from Jim Larranaga to Carey will be nice, but seeing that the Miami coaching staff is actually headed to Argentina this week to see the five-star play on the under-16 United States team might be even better. Carey, the Hurricanes' top priority for the 2019 class, grew up in southeast Florida and his father, Vernon Carey Sr., played on the Miami Hurricanes football team that made it to the national championship game in 2002. A number of blueblood programs will likely enter the hunt for Carey's signature, but the Hurricanes remain the favorite at this point.

MICHIGAN STATE

It may be difficult to track down Weems this week as he'll be playing with the under-16 USA Team in Argentina this week, but one should never question Tom Izzo. The Spartans are known for their affection for hard-playing, sometimes undersized forwards and Weems fits the mold of a successful and productive Michigan State recruit. Ranked No. 20 in the 2019 Rivals150, Weems rebounds, defends and finishes. He's already atop MSU’s recruiting board, and Izzo will take it to the next level with direct communication today.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Frank Martin and his staff have done phenomenal work of landing some of the best prospects within the state of the South Carolina. They will hope that trend continues with in-state five-star Brown. The AC Flora product is ranked No. 10 in the 2019 Rivals150 and has visited the Gamecocks numerous times. South Carolina will begin showering Brown with affection and relaying their need for him immediately.

SYRACUSE

From nearby Rochester, N.Y., Stewart looks the part of a big-time power forward at the high-major level and no doubt, Jim Boeheim will tell the Rivals150 prospect today why he should attend Syracuse. A well-built, productive and hard playing big man with elite length, Stewart is the type of forward that can excel from day one in the Syracuse zone. Notre Dame, Providence and a slew of others will also be logging phone calls into Stewart’s cellphone today, but Boeheim is likely to be the first.

UCLA

UCLA has already has LaMelo Ball committed in the 2019 class and Bruins will look to pair him with another talented West Coast prospect. One of the very best rebounders in high school ball, Okongwu has been on the radar of Pac-12 programs for two years. Seeing that he plays alongside Ball at Chino Hills High School and for a travel program, the Compton Magic, that has become a feeder program for the Bruins within recent years, one has to believe that Steve Alford will be dialing up Okongwu early on.

UCONN

Haven’t heard of Delaire? You are about to. The 6-foot-8 small forward grew up a UConn fan and, on Tuesday evening, the home-state program decided to offer the intriguing talent. Blessed with great size, fluid athleticism and ball skills, Delaire has the chance to break out into a Rivals150 prospect next month. The Huskies immediately became a favorite for him earlier this week and the first phone call placed to him by Kevin Ollie today will only improve their chances.

NORTH CAROLINA

Roy Williams has laid the groundwork for recruiting Hurt, a skilled and polished power forward from Minnesota. While Hurt's older brother already plays for Minnesota -- and the Gophers will remain in the mix -- Kansas and North Carolina look to be the primary favorites for the 2019 standout. Williams will definitely be calling local Rivals150 wings Wendell Moore and Joey Baker, but placing a priority on Hurt could enhance the Tar Heels' chances with the five-star prospect.

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