The American Athletic Conference is still trying to find it’s way and identity as a basketball conference. One program isn’t waiting for everyone to catch-up to the status of a high-major program.

In fact, Connecticut has reeled in a class that is a good as any group the program has seen over the last 15 years.

The Huskies are reeling in talent from coast-to-coast, just like the days of Jim Calhoun. Kevin Ollie and staff have stayed the course for UConn recruiting standards. After a so-so season last year, this class should have Huskie fans excited.

The Huskies have four solid commitments and addressed several needs. Alterique Gilbert and Juwan Durham are among the top players at their respective position nationally. Vance Jackson is the No. 51 overall player in the composite rankings and big man Mahadou Diarra, a top 120 player, is a perfect four-year piece to a championship level team.

This UConn class is the best class (and probably better than) the 2006 group that was considered the No. 4 overall class. That group had Hasheem Thabeet, Stanley Robinson, Curtis Kelly, Jerome Dyson and others.

The class of 2010 (Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Roscoe Smith were the headliners) played a big role in the team’s National Championship run.

Just how good is this 2015 class? Potentially better than all of them from a top-to-bottom talent grade. National Championship good? Who knows. No one would have guessed the 2010 class would have won a title as this stage of their careers.

If you are a UConn fan, there’s justifiable excitement for next season and year’s beyond. This class could write a new chapter in an already storied history in Storrs.

Mick Cronin and staff have made their mark as a program that finds off-the-grid talent and coaches them up.

Despite being a top 50 level talent, Jarron Cumberland didn’t have a ton of high-majors in the mix. The strong 6-foot-6 wing from Ohio is a no-brainer Big Ten level player in our opinion. The Bearcats got in there early and got it done. Nysier Brooks, a Northeastern who is spending his final HS year in Dallas at Advanced Preparatory International, is a top 200 player that fits the bill of other Cincy prospects.

South Florida has been a basement dweller in the AAC standings for the last two years but the Bulls are bringing in some talent that should help improve the outlook in Tampa. Troy Baxter is a highlight reel with unique size. Andres Feliz has league-leading scoring potential while Malik Fitts is a top 300 level talent.

Temple has a terrific point guard in Alani Moore. The D.C. area native is a dynamic guard and one of the real studs in this conference’s incoming group.

Justin Young’s take: This is a bit of an underwhelming class as a whole. UConn is bringing in a group that is head and shoulders better than the rest of the pack. Could that mean the Huskies run the table in conference play? I wouldn’t put that out of the picture. As a basketball conference, this is an interesting year in recruiting. Last year the league reeled in six top 50 level classes. This year? Just two. Interesting developments at SMU could slow things in Dallas and Memphis, well, we tackle that next…

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAM RANKINGS

1. UConn (No. 4 national)
2. Cincinnati
3. South Florida
4. Temple
5. Memphis 
6. Tulane
7. Central Florida
8. Tulsa
9. SMU
10. Houston
11. East Carolina

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CLASS SUPERLATIVES