McDonald's Nuggets: Latest on top available 2021 prospects
In this week’s edition of McDonald’s Nuggets, Dan McDonald discusses the latest on the top available prospects in the 2021 class and names the Transfer of the Week and the 2021 and 2022 Commits of the Week.
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MORE: Transfers who will be great fits with new teams
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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WHAT’S ON MY MIND: Top available prospects in 2021
Let’s do a quick update on where things stand with the top seven available prospects in the 2021 Rivals150.
Starting at No. 1, Chet Holmgren has been considered a Gonzaga lean for a while now. This season did nothing to change that stance. Could new Minnesota coach Ben Johnson convince the Gopher legacy to stay home? It’s unlikely, but don’t rule it out. It probably wouldn’t be wise to rule out the G League either.
Jaden Hardy previously put out a top 12 of Arizona, Arizona State, Georgetown, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan, Oregon, Texas Tech and UCLA. However, the best bet would be on him playing in the G League next season.
For a while, Duke was trending heavily for Patrick Baldwin Jr., but that momentum now seems like it’s shifted toward the idea of staying home to play for his dad at UW-Milwaukee.
Baylor, Florida State and Georgia have been in the mix for Michael Foster, but he’s another one likely headed to the G League.
Efton Reid had been planning to announce his decision on Thursday, but he ended up postponing his announcement. Florida State, LSU, Ohio State and Pittsburgh are the finalists in his recruitment.
Ty Ty Washington recently added an offer from Kentucky, which shook up an already heated recruitment. He’s planning to announce a top five this weekend. Auburn is another program likely to make the cut for the former Creighton commit. Arizona State, Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Texas, Texas Tech and UCLA are also involved.
After a strong senior season at IMG, look for former Texas signee Tamar Bates to be a highly recruited wing going forward. Since opening up his recruitment, he’s heard from Gonzaga, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Washington, along with several others. Marquette will also likely be a factor with Shaka Smart at the helm.
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TRANSFER OF THE WEEK: Walker Kessler to Auburn
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl doesn’t miss on prospects from Georgia often. One of his rare misses was Walker Kessler in the 2020 class, but Pearl rectified that this week by securing Kessler's commitment as a transfer from North Carolina.
The former five-star prospect flashed his talent this year in Chapel Hill in games where he saw extended playing time, and he looks like a player ready to make a big jump as a sophomore. He’ll pair up with incoming five-star and fellow Georgia native Jabari Smith to form an elite front court in the SEC.
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2021 COMMIT OF THE WEEK: Jonas Aidoo to Tennessee
After initially committing to Marquette before the coaching change in Milwaukee, Jonas Aidoo became one of the most highly recruited prospects in the 2021 class in the last few weeks since opening up his recruitment.
On Wednesday, he ended all the drama by choosing Tennessee over schools from all over the country. The 7-foot center has a ton of upside on both ends of the court and should be an early-impact guy in Knoxville for Rick Barnes.
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2022 COMMIT OF THE WEEK: Tamin Lipsey to Iowa State
It didn’t take long for new head coach TJ Otzelberger to secure his first commitment in the 2022 class with an early decision from point guard Tamin Lipsey. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound floor general from Ames, Iowa, is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 16.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.2 rebounds per game. The athletic lead guard who has the potential to be an elite defender chose the Cyclones after also considering offers from Minnesota and Nebraska.