HoopSeen125 rankings outliers vs the national opinion
We’ll be the first to admit it, we look around. A lot. How do the national hoop mavens rank the class of 2017? We wonder just like you do.
That’s why we look closely at the 247 Sports Composite rankings. The listing is a collection of the national ranking services and comes up with the average ranking number across the board. It is a good resource to gain a collective view at how the pundits see the college basketball prospects.
In a subjective and opinion-based world, not every opinion will fall under the groupthink umbrella. That is, perhaps, the great thing about the space we fall under. Opinions make the travel circuit so entertaining.
Naturally, our opinions didn’t line up exactly with the consensus thought with our updated class of 2017 rankings. Here are the five players that we line up much differently than the majority.
Gill, MA
1. Kellan Grady: He’s been one of the best players on the adidas circuit this season and helped the New England Playaz rack up a good number of wins in the spring. The Davidson commitment has been high on our list since the high school season and hasn’t looked back. He helped the New England Playaz win the adidas Memorial Day Classic over the weekend and has the skills to jump right into Davidson’s lineup and be a major contributor.
HoopSeen Ranking: No. 37
247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 168
2. Jamal Cain: The 6-foot-7 forward made a splash at the Spiece Run and Slam tournament in May and turned some heads with his play. He’s a priority recruit in the Midwest and the in-state Wolverines are moving quickly on him. Rightfully so. Cain is a motor man from the wing to the rim. We like where he is going and he should be a fun player to chart in July on the recruiting front.
HoopSeen Ranking: No. 60
247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 193
3. Nate Watson: Few guys have blown up more on the travel circuit this year than the big man from D.C. Premier. Watson is the leading scorer for his 10-2 team, putting up 14.8 points and grabbing 6.2 rebounds a game. He’s been a bull in the paint and finishes very well around the cup. His improved athleticism is one of the main reasons why we like him so much more than the rest of the field.
HoopSeen Ranking: No. 70
247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 173
4. David Beatty: Like Watson, Beatty has been one of the breakout studs on the Under Armour circuit this season. The 6-foot-4 guard from Philly plays like you’d expect a Philly guard to play like - tough, has a competitive mean streak and delivers in the clutch. He’s great to the rim and continues to improve his versatile skill set in the backcourt. Out of the area schools are starting to join the fray. The recruiters know what we see, too.
HoopSeen Ranking: No. 81
247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 157
5. Ejike Obinna: Nearly all of the ACC is in the picture for the 6-foot-9 big man from the Uncommon Bulls. We get it. Obinna is a talent in the paint. He’s a shot-blocker, a scorer and a big rebounder. The majority of the national rankers haven’t seen him play much, if at all. But we have. And we like him inside the top 100.
HoopSeen Ranking: No. 85
247 Sports Composite Ranking: No. 169
