Twitter Tuesday: Simons speculation, Matthew Hurt, UConn
Another round of #TwitterTuesday is here as we assess Anfernee Simons’ dilemma, the recruitment of five-star 2019 forward Matthew Hurt, if UConn has any change with two of the top remaining 2018 available this winter, and St. Johns’ chances of rounding out its class with a top-75 forward.
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Not much has changed with the recruitment of Anfernee Simons, arguably the most talked about 2018 prospect within basketball circles, over the past few weeks. Not only is Simons one of the top guard prospects available, but he could also opt to enter his name into the NBA Draft this spring, thanks to the proper age requirements and having been a full year removed from his high school’s graduation.
Will we see Simons in the NBA or college next fall? My guess is that he is headed to college and while there is a chance that an NBA franchise promises him a first-round selection in June, more than likely, Simons will select a college in the spring and enroll in the summer.
Simons has remained consistent with his school list, a group consisting of South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, UCLA and NC State. Florida gained the most traction immediately following his decommitment in September but after taking three guards during the early signing period, the Gators may have fallen off. UCLA looks to have put another prior Louisville commit, Courtney Ramey, higher on their board, where they have to play some catch up.
That brings us to a group of three. Tennessee may have recruited Simons the hardest; South Carolina, just like the Vols, have invested plenty of time and attention; NC State, who sent three coaches to see him for his game last week, has gained the most ground during his high school season.
Look for a few visits to be taken beginning in March with a signing in the spring. Others may get involved but it is likely that his future college destination will be USC, Florida, UT, UCLA or NC State.
Kentucky joined the party this past week by offering polished 2019 five-star Matthew Hurt. Duke is practically the lone remaining program to have yet to offer the Minnesota native as a bevy of bluebloods remain heavily entrenched in the recruitment of the junior forward.
Who has the best shot with Hurt? Kansas and North Carolina should be seen as the favorites. This could all change as a Kentucky offers holds plenty of value, yet Bill Self and Roy Williams have invested a ton of time and attention into Hurt’s recruitment.
Another program that remains a heavy contender is the local program, the Minnesota Gophers. Richard Pitino has made Hurt a priority since taking over in Minneapolis a few years back and the fact that he has the program on the uptick and successfully recruited Hurt’s brother, Michael Hurt, should only help the cause.
UNC, though they have not offered Alonzo Gaffney, a five-star 2019 small forward, they do remain in the mix for the Ohio native. The Tar Heels have been a heavy presence within the Buckeye State in recent years thanks to the recent enrollment of freshman big man Sterling Manley and commitment of Rivals150 junior guard Jeremiah Francis. Look for UNC to take another look at Gaffney in the near future as an offer could be in line for the top-25 prospect.
UConn sits within the final four for four-star Bryce Wills, a 2018 guard that recently reclassified back into his original class last month. They also offered former USC commit and top-75 forward J’Raan Brooks upon the reopening of his college recruitment. Do they have a shot with either of the two? Not likely.
Wills has already visited Stanford and Villanova for official visits and while UConn and Wake Forest round out his final list, it doesn’t seem as if either program will get the chance to host the Iona Prep standout. The Cardinal and the Wildcats are the top hitters for Wills and a commitment could be on the horizon, one that will likely lead him playing his college ball in Palo Alto or Philadelphia.
Brooks, on the other hand, has remained rather silent with his recruitment since backing off of his five-month long commitment to USC. One of the most productive and skilled power forwards nationally, Brooks has already taken official visits to St. John’s, a trip that took place last weekend, and California. The Huskies, thanks to the work of assistant coach Raphael Chillious, who came to the program this past summer as he worked on the former staff at Washington, has tapped back into his prior relationship with Brooks and his circle.
UConn would love nab a visit from Brooks, as would Washington, but currently, it seems as if Cal and St. John’s might stand in the best position for the four-star senior.
St. John’s just hosted four-star power forward J’Raan Brooks for an official visit last weekend, his second since his decommitment from USC last month. The Red Storm have remained a heavy presence on the west coast and while there has been talk about Brooks remaining near his locale, if it is one east coast program to land the talented prospect, the Johnnies would be the one. Cal and Washington are also in the mix, so too is UConn. His recruitment could end up leaking into the spring as a number of others are expected to jump into the mix.
Brooks isn’t the only prospect that St. John’s is involved with this winter as Jordan Brown, a five-star big man from Sacramento, holds the Big East program highly among his suitors.
A mobile, skilled and fundamentally sound frontcourt prospect, Brown has already taken an official visit to St. John’s. The Red Storm continue to prioritize one of the top remaining prospects, as does UCLA and California. The two Pac-12 programs have received most of the pub surrounding Brown but the Red Storm should not be discounted. Just like with Brooks, Brown’s recruitment could go on for a bit longer.