Here are the underclassmen who stood out to us during our time in Las Vegas and Orlando for the third live period of July.
ALL-JULY TEAMS: First Live Period | Second Live Period | Third Live Period
How he impressed: Baker already made a big move in the last rankings update to 2019. In Vegas, he looked like he needs to be considered for five-star status. Big, athletic, skilled and improving every time we see him.
Recruitment: Baker is an admitted Texas fan, so the hometown Longhorns should be the team to beat. Stanford, Texas A&M, UCLA, Oklahoma, Tulsa, Auburn and others are at least going to take a run at him.
How he impressed: Say what you want about Ball, his father Lavar Ball and all of the hype that comes along with him, but he produces each time out. Ball has grown a lot, is much more athletic and is starting to play more like his oldest brother, Lonzo Ball. As far as we are concerned, he backed up his five-star status.
Recruitment: Committed to UCLA
How he impressed: Edwards is the lone 2020 prospect who makes the list based on his play in Orlando during the last period. A physical and skilled wing, Edwards is a big-time bucket-getter and has put himself in line to start off as a five-star prospect.
Recruitment: Look for him to be a priority in the Southeast as Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn and Florida State are among those that have already offered.
How he impressed: One of the biggest revelations of our time spent in Las Vegas, Gaffney looks like a budding star in the mold of a Brandon Ingram-type player. He shoots with range, is a fluid athlete with size and length, and looks to have serious upside. A move to five-star status isn’t out of the discussion.
Recruitment: Gaffney’s recruitment has taken off with Florida, Kansas, Louisville, Ohio State, West Virginia, Cincinnati and Penn State offering during July.
How he impressed: Already the No. 2 point guard in the class of 2019, Hagans is putting some heat on No. 1 PG Cole Anthony. We’ve know that he can set guys up and defend at a high level, but seeing him operate as a high-level scorer really opened our eyes.
Recruitment: Hagans mentioned Kentucky and North Carolina as two programs that haven’t yet offered but from whom he’s hearing much more. Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Iowa State, Kansas, N.C. State, St. John’s and many others have offered.
How he impressed: One of the best pure scorers we saw all summer – regardless of class – Hampton is a big point guard who plays the game with enthusiasm. His love for the game is evident and what I like most is that he makes his teammates better. He’s a lock for the top five when 2020 rankings drop.
Recruitment: Baylor, California, Kansas, LSU, Oklahoma State, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech have already offered.
How he impressed: Because we didn’t get to see Hurt in the spring due to injury, we weren’t sure what to expect from him in Vegas. Showing no signs of rust, Hurt shot the cover off the ball and was productive on the glass. The big-time skills have always been there but as he’s matured physically he’s learned to really assert himself.
Recruitment: Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina and home-state Minnesota are battling for his services.
How he impressed: Green is no stranger to our reports this summer, but we wanted to see him again to be sure he’s as good as we have thought. Any questions we may have had have been answered. He's a big-time athlete and scorer, and a kid who will be legitimately in the conversation to open up the 2020 rankings in the top spot (although outstanding and skilled combo forward Isaiah Todd is the favorite). At a minimum, Green will begin in the top three for 2020.
Recruitment: Green already has offers from Arizona, Connecticut, Creighton, Fresno State, Florida State, Oklahoma State, UCLA, USC, Villanova and Washington.
How he impressed: One of the best young talents we have seen from the state of Wisconsin, Johnson does it all. Smooth wing game, commanding presence on the floor and best of all his teams win at a high rate. We’re talking about a kid with top 10 in 2020 potential.
Recruitment: Wisconsin and Marquette made early offers but we expect them to come in from all over the country soon.
How he impressed: A strong, athletic and tough guard who can really score off the dribble, Springer can get buckets with the best of them. He’s electric in the open floor, plays with an edge and is another with a chance to start off rated as a five-star prospect in 2020.
Recruitment: Auburn, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Kansas State and Virginia Tech have offered.
How he impressed: We first saw Strawther as an eighth grader in the fall of 2015 and thought he had potential. He has not disappointed as he’s grown into a big wing who is a very dangerous jump shooter. Strawther also has a body built for contact and is part of what looks to be an excellent group of 2020 prospects in Las Vegas.
Recruitment: Creighton, Connecticut, UCLA, USC, Washington, UNLV and Florida State have all offered.
How he impressed: A big and physical driver, Walker looked pretty comfortable playing up two age groups in the 17U group of the adidas Summer Championships. He can already play above the rim and seems to enjoy creating some contact.
Recruitment: Committed to Arizona State
