Rivals Roundtable: Wild week, G League, Brown, Walton

The last week proved to be one of the most interesting that there has been for the class of 2020. In this weekend’s edition of the Rivals Roundtable, national analysts Eric Bossi, Corey Evans and Dan McDonald discuss the week that was and preview the week ahead.

MORE: Roundtable on Green's G League decision | G League keeps talent home | Three-Point Play on Michigan, more

2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position

2022 Rankings: Top 75

Bossi: There was G League news of five-stars Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd but I’m going a different route. I still can’t help but shake my head about the J.T. Thor decision and how it greatly impacted three programs.

As best as I can tell, the four-star combo forward indicated to Oklahoma State that he was a done deal late last week. They focused on him and moved away from four-star guard Donovan Williams, who then gave a silent commitment to Bruce Weber and Kansas State.

By Sunday morning, though, Thor had been flipped to Bruce Pearl and Auburn to move their class to No. 10. In scramble mode, Mike Boynton and the Cowboys were somehow able to flip Williams back to them in time for his Monday evening announcement giving them a No. 4 class and leaving Kansas State on the wrong side of teenage indecision. Even though they missed on Williams, the Wildcats are still ok with a class that ranks No. 18 nationally.

Evans: Umm, I mean, it would have to be the groundbreaking move that Green made on Thursday. No longer is college the only option for an elite prospect if he doesn’t want to spend a winter overseas. The exorbitant amount of money and development-first approach that the G League has now created could change the game for elite prospects and the schools pursuing them. We thought Josh Christopher was big news on Monday evening when he committed to Arizona State, it paled in comparison to what Green had to say on Thursday afternoon.

McDonald: Christopher’s recruitment was always pretty interesting to me. Nobody ever seemed to have a great pulse on which way he was leaning. For a while, Michigan seemed to be the leader. Adding USC to the list late fueled some speculation that both Ziaire Williams and Christopher could end up playing for the Trojans. But it was Arizona State that won this big recruiting battle for one of the top scorers in the 2020 class.

Bossi: Overall I like the plan and I really like that they have built in some structure to the contracts in a bonus fashion to encourage growth. I do think that it would be wise to have them play a little more than seems to be planned. The 15-20 exhibition game number being thrown around seems a little low and I feel the 30-35 range would help without being over the top. The No. 1 thing I would change is housing the select team with high schoolers in Los Angeles.

If I were to make a list of cities that would be filled with distractions for young men with newfound fame and fortune, L.A. would probably be at the top of the list. I know it’s easy to get to, but the G League needs to seriously consider how they are going to help eliminate distractions if they want this to work.

Evans: I really am having a hard time figuring out what they did wrong. Offering up to, and for some over, $500,000? Check. Focused on development above all else? Check. Bringing in first class coaches and trainers to work with these select prospects? Check. Providing the proper housing and also travel that is comparable what the elite college programs offer? Check.

Maybe an extended season beyond just the 15 or 20 games would help but I have to say, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Rod Strickland did it right this time. They knew what it would take in order for the elite to eschew the college path, which is the safest route, or the NBL, which has become an intriguing avenue of late, and delivered on it precisely.

McDonald: I like everything I have read about the new pathway program. Abdur-Rahim’s comments about why prospects in the past haven’t viewed the G League as a viable option were on point. I still think the more games these players can play the better they will be. There is only so much growth that can happen in individual workouts and practice. I’d like to see these guys get around 40 games like they would if they played on one of the top college teams.

Bossi: For the past couple of weeks all signs have been trending towards Texas for Greg Brown and the hometown high flyer would be a monster pickup for Shaka Smart. However, sources have confirmed that Brown is high up on the wishlist of the G League and this next week could swing him in the direction of the professional route.

As for Kerwin Walton – the best shooter left on the board – the best information that I can get from behind the scenes suggests that North Carolina, Arizona and Creighton are in the best position. As of today, I’m sticking with my pick of North Carolina but it is really close with them and Arizona.

Evans: Who knows now? The recruiting world seemed to have been thrown upside down over the past week; from Christopher spoofing Michigan, to Todd decommitting from Michigan, and to then see Green pick the G-League, nothing would surprise me anymore.

However, if all things go as planned, Brown will be committing to Texas on Friday. There has already been talk that Brown has shot his commitment video. However, don’t think that he and his family aren’t considering the new G League path. If Texas is Option 1A, then the G League may be Option 1B.

In regards to Walton, it is up in the air. North Carolina seems to be the flavor of the week and has garnered most of the talk. Is that correct? Again, it is anybody’s guess. I am sticking with Arizona, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if he picked Creighton, or even stayed home and selected Minnesota. All of his finalists are relatively in the dark.

McDonald: With Brown, my prediction is Texas if he goes to college. I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if he’s the next top high school prospect to consider a proposal from the G League. I see Walton ending up at North Carolina.