In this week’s Twitter Tuesday mailbag, Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst Corey Evans looks at the recruitment of Terrance Williams and Kai Sotto, dishes on the best players in high school basketball and more.
More: College programs feeling best about the Hoophall West
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Michigan. Terrance Williams made noise last week by backing away from his commitment to Georgetown. Many believed that it was directly connected with the recent transfers that hit the program but really, those departures just made it that much easier for Williams to decommit.
The Wolverines have made majors moves with Williams already. Word is that Juwan Howard completed an in-home visit with him on Sunday and that Williams could potentially visit Ann Arbor at the end of the month. Michigan is also selling the idea of having both Williams and his travel teammate, Hunter Dickinson, join up as Wolverines next season.
Notre Dame is making a similar pitch as the Fighting Irish remain a finalist for Dickinson and should have a chance with Williams seeing that they were a finalist for him the first time around. DePaul could receive a visit from Williams, too, as could UCLA, while Alabama is expected in to see him on Wednesday.
Williams is entirely open with his newfound recruitment. He sits as one of the best available prospects heading into the winter and should have no shortage of interest between now and the late period.
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I was absolutely wowed by Jeremy Roach and the explosiveness that he played with. He proved to me that he is almost back to 100 percent after suffering an ACL injury last fall.
If I am a Duke fan, I am thrilled with where Roach is in his rehabilitation. Sitting out an entire year is never easy but Roach handled it perfectly. He looks to have put in a lot of time in the weight room and looks to be in the best shape of his young playing career.
Keeping this all in mind, pound for pound, Roach is as good of a college point guard that the 2020 class can provide. He might not have the size of Cade Cunningham, or the wiggle to his game that Sharife Cooper possesses, but the intangibles are as good as you’re coming to find in a high school prospect.
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Yes, I actually saw Kai Sotto last month at the National Prep Showcase. He is a very intriguing prospect. The 17-year-old Philippines native is spending his first year in the United States and playing his senior season out at The Skills Factory in Atlanta, Ga. He is a special prospect that fits today’s style of play. Sotto is a 7-footer with great agility, a solid feel for the game, and an impressive blend of ball skills and a jump shot. He is not an overly explosive athlete and must get stronger and tougher, but all of the tools are there.
Sotto is a strong four-star prospect that will be included in the next Rivals150 update.
There are questions surrounding Sotto’s and his NCAA eligibility due to potentially earning money overseas but the feeling is that he wants to attend college next year. On Monday, he took an unofficial visit to Kentucky and the Wildcats should be viewed as a strong suitor in the race for his commitment, though his decision is nowhere near.
Auburn, DePaul, Georgia Tech and USC are also involved.
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Here are five names that come immediately to mind:
1. Cade Cunningham is arguably the most sure-fire bet to make it at the next level and beyond. Is he comparable to Ben Simmons with his size and playmaking prowess? He is special in every sense.
2. Evan Mobley sits as the best prospect in the 2020 class and rightfully so. While the game has skewed away from the 5-man, someone of Mobley’s ilk who features unique traits and unbelievable potential, should not be shortchanged.
3. Jalen Green continues to make noise this winter with his play. He is no longer just a freak athlete but a legitimate 2-guard that can check practically all of the boxes in the backcourt.
4. Jon Kuminga is a dominant force on the perimeter that can shoot, defend, rebound, and finish. He is the perfect blend of explosiveness and versatility.
5. You have probably heard of Emoni Bates. Possessing arguably the greatest upside out of anyone within the high school game, he has already won a state title and Michigan Player of the Year.
