Wiggins stays atop final class of 2013 rankings
Save for a few remaining All-Star games, members of the class of 2013 have completed their high school basketball careers and are ready to move on to college. As we unveil our final Rivals150 for the class of 2013, a familiar face sits atop the rankings as 6-foot-7 small forward Andrew Wiggins retains his spot at the top of a very strong senior class.
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A native of Canada who has been playing his high school ball at Huntington (W.V.) Prep, Wiggins wasn't always ranked No. 1 in the class of 2013. But that's only because he didn't move from the class of 2014 -- where he was No. 1 -- to the class of 2013 until a few months into the 2012-13 school year. Since making the move, though, he has had the top spot on lockdown and has been one of the most heavily covered and most talked-about prospects in a while.
Still undecided with his college choice and not giving any hints, Wiggins has Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina giving chase to land him for the likely one year he will spend in college. Like everybody else, they are in love with his athleticism, quickness, ability to finish in transition, defensive ability and penchant for making spectacular plays happen in the blink of an eye.
While Wiggins has a lock on the top spot, those chasing him haven't exactly rolled over and played dead for him, and the first few spots after him weren't easy to pick.
Holding on at No. 2, Kentucky-bound Julius Randle from Plano (Texas) Prestonwood Christian was able to shake off a broken foot that cost him much of his season. When the 6-foot-9, 245 pound southpaw returned to action for the state playoffs and the All-Star circuit, he actually looked to have improved during his time off and came back in tip-top shape. He blends power, skill and dominant rebounding ability.
After checking in at No. 6 nationally after the summer, Aaron Gordon of San Jose (Calif.) Archbishop Mitty moves up to No. 3. The Arizona-bound combo forward is a ridiculous 6-foot-8 athlete who has greatly improved his ball handling and passing. He is an impressive rebounder, finishes in transition and still has plenty of maturing to do given that he won't even turn 18 until mid-September.
Committed to Duke, No. 4 Jabari Parker continues Chicago's outstanding tradition of producing big-time basketball talents. A 6-foot-8 combo forward, Parker won four state championships at Simeon High School and has a versatile game. Parker can shoot with some range, is very good along the baseline and has the size and skill to go operate in the low or high post when needed.
Rounding out the top five is another Kentucky pledge, Andrew Harrison. A 6-foot-5 point guard from Ft. Bend (Texas) Travis in the Houston area, Harrison is a physically dominant lead guard who sees the floor, plays with physicality and is a major competitor. His shooting guard twin brother Aaron Harrison is headed to Kentucky with him and is also a top 10 prospect nationally, checking in at No. 7.
Just missing on the top five and landing at No. 6 is Bonifay (Fla.) Holmes County big man Chris Walker, who will head to Florida. At 6-foot-10, he has tremendous length, is quick off the floor and runs the floor extremely well. The No. 8 player in the country is Indiana-bound combo forward Noah Vonleh of New Hampton (N.H.) Prep. Like Wiggins, the Boston area native made a switch from the class of 2014 earlier in the year.
Rounding out the top ten are a pair of teammates from the Sunshine state who are headed to Kentucky and Florida, respectively. No. 9 Dakari Johnson is an old-school, back-to-the-basket center and space eater who plays tremendous positional defense. Like Wiggins and Vonleh, Johnson is another who made a switch from the class of 2014 to 2013. Finally at No. 10, Kasey Hill is the most athletic point guard in the class. A teammate of Johnson's at Montverde (Fla.) Academy, Hill navigates transition in a blur, can finish with power at the rim and has next level speed to go along with a first step.
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