Five names to watch in the 2017 class
We recently released out top-100 rankings for the 2017 class and the talent sure isn’t lacking within this specific crop of recruits. There is depth, premier talent, size, and play makers all over the place. We valued and jumped on board with Kellan Grady and Christian David more than most others due to their ideal size for their specific spot on the floor along with each of their own improving skillsets. However, there are a few others that we were unable to include within the top-100 but with a good few weeks in April, could see their name pop up the next time we update our list of names.
Fairfax, VA
Right on the edge of the being ranked, Aaron Thompson has really improved his game over the past few months. While he still doesn’t wield a super reliable perimeter jumper, where the DMV recruit brings his value to the floor is in his ability to impact both sides of the basketball. He is the definition of a floor setter as he runs his team like a savvy veteran, something that he actually is as he will be a three-year starter for the prestigious Paul VI bunch next high school season, and will also play on the Nike EYBL circuit for the second straight summer. Thompson is a lefty with an explosive first step who can really lock up on the defensive side of the floor; look for his stock to pick up even further this summer running with the Team Takeover crew.
Keith Williams is a hard playing, playing making wing out of the New York City area. He brings great size to the floor standing at 6-foot-5 and can really score it from each level within the half-court setting. Williams had a solid showing this past high school season with the Bishop Loughlin bunch as the New Yorker has really worked on his athleticism and explosiveness at the basket and it clearly paid dividends with his final stat lines. Running with the New Heights crew this summer, Williams is one of those wing-types that colleges come to drool over due to their scoring prowess and defensive skills which give insight as to why we don’t feel too good not including the junior in our top-100.
One of the greater matchup issues out of the state of Florida, Anthony Polite didn’t get the nod within the top-100, yet he has all of the ball skills, size, and toughness to do so the next time that we release the rankings. Bringing ideal size to the floor standing at 6-foot-5, Polite isn’t the greatest of jump shooters, though he is pretty polished at every other facet of the game. He has the strength in scoring through contact at the basket, is very fluid and athletic at the basket on the finish, and can create for others as a jumbo lead guard that can play all three positions on the perimeter. With shades of current Florida State guard Terance Mann to him, look for Polite to greatly enhance his profile this summer as a member of the Florida Vipers travel program.
Another ballplayer out of the state of Florida could be ready to break out onto the national scene this summer running with the Florida Sons bunch. Mayan Kiir, a 6-foot-8, super hard playing and deceptively super skilled big man in the post, gets the nod here. He didn’t get the clearance to be submitted into our top-100, though he has all of the physical tangibles and developed skills from 15-feet and in to do so in the coming months. While he does have to get stronger a bit further and develop his face-up game, every year there seems to be a few that pop up out of nowhere from the Sunshine State and Kiir could be the next in line in enjoying a heightened college recruitment.
One of our most difficult moves was in keeping Jaylen Sebree out of the rankings. The 6-foot-6, super smooth and slippery guard, oozes out potential and loads of talent. The next step with his game is adding consistency to his game. He sees a lot of highs and a lot of lows and establishing himself as a priority, high-major recruit would mean that Sebree has become a lot more productive each time that he hits the hardwood. The Kentucky native hasn’t stopped growing and his basketball ceiling is as good as it gets from the state and the Midwest region; Sebree is worth keeping an eye on this summer and if he can put it all together, it would be easy to believe that you will be seeing the Christian County junior’s name in our newly refined rankings the next time that they are published.
