Rivals Roundtable: What to watch this spring
The Rivals.com national basketball recruiting trio of Eric Bossi, Corey Evans and Krysten Peek weighs in on current topics in their hoops world.
RANKINGS: 2017 Rivals150 | 2018 Rivals150 | 2017 Team Rankings
1. Which 2018 prospect are you most excited to see in person this spring?
Eric Bossi: I'm going to go a little further down the radar and take our current No. 24 player, Quentin Grimes. The skilled combo guard from Houston is a big-time scorer but has designs on playing point guard at the next level. If he's a legit option as a full-time point guard he can go from upper-end to truly elite prospect as Kansas, Duke, Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, Baylor, Texas A&M and others chase him.
Corey Evans: The 2018 class is a group that we are just waiting to see who will make their move into the elite category. This winter, Jahvon Quinerly did just that. Now it is time to show how great of a prospect that he really is. He might be the most ready-made point guard in his class; this spring will prove just how valuable he is.
Krysten Peek: Hands down Zion Williamson. They hype around the five-star power forward during this high school season has been ridiculous. Between making ESPN Sports Center Top 10 multiple times and having Drake wear his jersey, it will be nice to see him against some tougher competition on the adidas circuit this spring and summer.
2. What's your No. 1 storyline for the 2017 stars heading into those all-american games?
Eric Bossi: It has to be the upcoming decision of the top point guard in the senior class, Trevon Duval. He's now seen officially his final five of Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Seton Hall. Latest word is that it is a tossup among Arizona, Duke and Kansas but the real interesting twist is rumors about him potentially going overseas that won't seem to die. Duval has spent the entire winter denying that. We have to take him at his word that he plans to attend college, but if there is any truth to him playing professionally instead of going to college, it would leave the schools recruiting him in a total scramble.
Corey Evans: Does Michael Porter finish things as the top-rated prospect in America? The 2017 class has seen DeAndre Ayton, Wendell Carter, Trevon Duval and Mo Bamba carry the baton as the No. 1 player nationally throughout their high school days. Porter’s late push has placed him atop but going against the best and on the biggest stage will prove just how tremendous of a prospect that he really is.
Krysten Peek: Which top program will land Trevon Duval. With Kansas and Duke still in the mix and needing a point guard, it will be a huge win to whichever school lands him.
3. Which current college freshman has surprised you the most with his first season?
Eric Bossi: The guy who really stands out as a surprise for me is Texas A&M's Robert Williams. I probably didn't get as good of a scout on him, but as a freshman he's where I hoped he would be as a junior and he's far outplayed any early expectations. There is no shame in being ranked No. 67 coming out of high school, but he's a guy that I undervalued and it looks as if he could be a lottery pick after one year.
Corey Evans: Tony Bradley always had a soft spot with me thanks to his quality motor, consistent playing style and intangibles. However, when I was asked if he was a one-and-done player before the season, I laughed. Now, Bradley is the one laughing. Despite not getting a ton of minutes in North Carolina’s deep frontcourt, the 6-foot-10 center has remained steady and productive. He has averaged a rebound per three minutes on the floor and made better than 57 percent from the floor. Add in the fact that he is in the best shape of his life and it is time to buy stock now in the Tar Heel freshman.
Krysten Peek: Miami's Bruce Brown. He's had a streaky season overall but came up big in wins against Duke and North Carolina, dropping 25 and 30, respectively.