Starting Five: Top 30 Trey Patterson has list
One of the top 30 ranked players in the class of 2021, combo forward Trey Patterson is down to 10 schools. Who made the list and who has the inside edge? There's a talented senior point guard back on the market after Marcus Watson's decommitment and more in this week's edition of the Starting Five.
1. PATTERSON HAS 10 ON HIS LIST
Currently ranked as one of the top 30 players in the class of 2021, 6-foot-8 combo forward Trey Patterson is down to 10 schools.
The product of Rutgers Prep announced over the weekend that he is down to Arkansas, Auburn, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Memphis, Rutgers, Tennessee and Villanova.
A skilled forward, Patterson is capable of draining threes, he has a crafty post game and he can put the ball on the floor and create. In many ways, he is pretty similar to LSU's Trendon Watford who entered the NBA Draft after the 2019-20 season.
Active on the visit trail, Patterson has seen many of his finalists and has even completed official visits to Auburn, Florida and Indiana.
At this point, there is no favorite and no timetable has been set for a decision, but in addition to those he has visited officially it would be wise to keep a close eye on Rutgers and Villanova in this one.
2. CLASS OF 2020 PG MARCUS WATSON BACK ON THE MARKET
All of the sudden there's an interesting option for programs still in the hunt for a point guard from the class of 2020.
On Sunday, three-star floor general Marcus Watson, who ranks among the top 50 point guards in the senior class, received his release from Wake Forest.
An attacking floor general who only knows how to play the game at full-throttle, Watson is speedy and one of the best playmakers in the country. Last summer, he led Nike's EYBL in assists while playing for the Mac Irvin Fire and he's somebody that Wake was certainly counting on.
Prior to committing to Wake, Watson's most high-profile offer had come from Illinois. The Illini have his four-star teammate Adam Miller and top 35 point guard Andre Curbelo coming in next year so they won't need a point guard. However, any high-major program still looking for a ball-handler would be well-served to look at Watson.
3. WHAT IS MINNESOTA GETTING IN LATE ADDITION?
On Sunday, Minnesota added Turkish shooting guard David Mutaf to its 2020 recruiting class. So what are Richard Pitino and the Gophers getting in the three-star prospect?
Mutaf is not a prospect that Rivals.com has had the opportunity to scout in person, but his film from competition in FIBA events and with the club he was playing with, Fenerbahce Basketbol, shows some nice things.
Mutaf has good strength and while he's not overly athletic or prone to escaping defenders via the dribble, he does take care of the ball, plays with smarts, is a good passer and looks more than capable of knocking down an open shot. The skilled lefty should be able to provide quality minutes as a role player his first few years in Minneapolis and certainly has the tools to develop into a starter down the road.
Mutaf joins Rivals150 high schoolers Jamal Mashburn Jr. and Martice Mitchell in the Gophers' 2020 class. They've also added transfers Brandon Johnson and Liam Robbins.
4. KOBE JOHNSON MAKING NAME FOR HIMSELF
The younger brother of top 10 class of 2020 forward and Duke signee Jalen Johnson, class of 2021 shooting guard Kobe Johnson has been making his own name after a big junior season.
A solidly built 6-foot-5 scorer, Johnson averaged 19.6 points per game as a junior at Milwaukee (Wisc.) Nicolet while earning Wisconsin Division 2 All-State honors.
Johnson is at his best attacking the basket where he's able to use his strength and ability to finish through contact at the rim. He doesn't waste many dribbles, has a good pull-up jumper and range to the three-point line. He's also a pretty good passer and rebounder for a shooting guard.
Over the weekend, Johnson picked up a high-major offer from California. Others who have offered include Bradley, Colorado State, DePaul, East Tennessee State, Indiana State, Milwaukee-Wisconsin and Western Illinois.
5. CLASS OF 2023 GUARD JAHMERE TRIPP ON THE RADAR
The spring and summer usually offers high-end prospects coming off their freshman year a chance to make a national name for themselves. While Brooklyn (N.Y.) Collegiate wing Jahmere Tripp is missing out on travel ball, the 2023 prospect is still attracting big attention and for good reason.
A big-bodied wing, Tripp is somewhat similar to former five-star prospect Jabari Parker at the same age. He plays with a high level of skill, can shoot some from deep, rebounds very well and is a clever playmaker for others.
Despite not being on the travel circuit, Tripp has started to pile up offers while establishing himself as a player to know going forward. Stony Brook gave him his first offer a few weeks ago and UMass and St. Peter's quickly followed suit. LSU became the first high-major program to offer a little over a week ago and Nebraska did the same at the end of last week.