Purvis is in elite class
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Got a question? Click here to send it to Meyer's Mailbag
Will Kansas make a late recruiting surge?
What does Amir Williams mean for Ohio State's recruiting class?
And how does Rodney Purvis stack up against his fellow guards now that he has moved up into the 2012 class?
These questions and more are addressed by National Recruiting Analyst Jerry Meyer in this week's mailbag.
What's up with Kansas?
Will Kansas sign any five-star recruits?
- Shamark from Macon
It is not unusual for Kansas to come up with recruits late in the game. Over the past couple years the Jayhawks have made a late recruiting surge under coach Bill Self.
This year, however, Kansas has suffered some painful recruiting losses in Josiah Turner going to Arizona, Mikael Hopkins heading to Georgetown and Ben McLemore deciding not to sign early. And there are only two five-star prospects left out there.
Kansas does have a good shot at landing both of the two available five-stars in McLemore and DeAndre Daniels. McLemore would have signed with Kansas if he had signed early. Now that he is waiting, Kansas will have to work hard to hold off Missouri and any possible new suitors. Nonetheless, Kansas would still have to be considered the leader to land McLemore.
Who knows what will happen with Daniels now that he is no longer a Texas commitment? Kansas and Florida are two of the more prominent names that you hear associated with his recruitment. There is no doubt that he will be a primary spring target for Kansas.
Near-perfect Purvis
What do think of Rodney Purvis? How does he compare to some of the other guards nationally in his new class (2012)? Is there a player, past or present, that you liken him to? Much appreciated.
- Arnold from Cary
Simply put, Purvis is one of the best scoring guards I've scouted in the eight years I've been doing this. Granted, many of the elite prospects were not at the King City Classic this summer, but Purvis was the dominant performer at the event as an underclassman.
Even though he has jumped up from the 2013 class to the 2012 class, he is still the top guard in his new class.
A lot about his game is similar to last year's No. 1 ranked prospect in the Rivals150, Josh Selby. Purvis might not be quite the explosive leaper at the rim that Selby is, but Purvis is a dynamic scorer like Selby with a similar overall game.
Purvis can score in pretty much any way and is adept at knocking down the difficult shot. Although he is best as a scorer, Purvis can also create scoring opportunities with his penetration and passing ability. On the defensive end, he can basically be as good as he wants to be.
What position for Parker?
Do you project Jabari Parker to be a face-up four at the next level or a pure three at the next level? What are your initial impressions of his game? Thank you.
- Sam from North Chicago
I project Parker as a do-everything four. He is a highly skilled big man who also has a physical game. Offensively, he has the skill level to play anywhere, but he probably won't have the foot speed to successfully defend a three.
The five-star prospect is only in the class of 2013, so there is a lot of time for development.
As for my initial impression of Parker, I was concerned with his lack of athletic explosiveness. The more I watched him, however, the more his game grew on me. His basketball IQ is top-notch, his skill level is advanced and he knows how to control space with his wide body. In other words he has a whole lot of game even though he is not overly athletic.
Gbinije comparisons
Based on how he played over the summer in camps and with Team Takeover, what are fair expectations for Michael Gbinije as a freshman and long-term? How does he compare with Brandon Roy at a similar point? Thanks.
- Ken from Boulder
Gbinije will likely do for Duke what he did for his teams this summer. He will not necessarily be a dominant player, although he will have impressive stretches of play. He will be a versatile glue player, who will play a positive role for a winning team.
Gbinije's role will grow in significance during his time at Duke, but he has the tools to be an important role player from the start as a freshman. He just does too many things well and is such a smart player not to help a team on the court.
Roy came out in 2002 while I was still coaching and not in this business, but I can see how Gbinije could develop into a Roy-type player. It is an aggressive comparison, and I wouldn't expect Gbinije to reach the level of play that Roy has achieved. There are definitely similarities in their play, though.
Williams' role at Ohio State
Where does Ohio State's 2011 class rank with the addition of Amir Williams?
- Tim from Westerville
The addition of Williams, who is a four-star center, gives Ohio State the No. 10 class nationally and the No. 1 class in the Big Ten. Ohio State edges out Illinois, which is the No. 11 class nationally.
More importantly than Williams giving Ohio State a fourth four-star prospect in its five-man class, Williams is the heir apparent of Jared Sullinger, who will likely be playing in the NBA this time next year.
Williams won't be a go-to scoring threat like Sullinger, but his length and athleticism will be effective in the middle of Ohio State's matchup zone.
Jerry Meyer is a national basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. Click here to send him a question or comment for his mailbag.
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