Introducing the HoopSeen Tennessee rankings
It is no secret among college basketball coaches that the south produces a ton of Division 1 talent. In fact you would be hard pressed to find a successful Division 1 program that doesn’t recruit the southern states. The majority of the national headlines usually center on the talent from Florida and Georgia because of the sheer number of players both states produce on a consistent basis. However, the heady college recruiters out there know that when recruiting the south the talent from the state of Tennessee is a must see.
Tennessee continues to pump out talent and the 2015 class is no exception with Skal Labissiere, Dedric and KJ Lawson, LaGerald Vick, and Donte Fitzpatrick locking up the top 5 spots in the state.
Labissiere is the most talented player in the state and viewed by many scouts as a future Lottery pick after one year at Kentucky. The Lawson brothers and future Memphis Tigers are known for their versatility and productivity on the court with both being able to impact the game on the glass and scoring the ball.
Vick (SMU) and Fitzpatrick (Ole Miss) are both talented wings that blend tremendous athletic ability with a knack for scoring the ball. All five of these young men will make immediate impacts on the college hardwood next year as freshmen.
On the mid-major level, Western Kentucky has made the most noise in the state signing talented PG Chris McNeal and wing Marlon Hunter with both players poised to play as freshmen for the Hill Toppers. The biggest steal in the state may be big man Dakota Quinn who is heading to Samford. The young man from Davidson Academy had practically every MM program in the south and Midwest vying for his services before committing to the Bulldogs.
CLASS OF 2015 RANKINGS
The 2016 class in Tennessee may be one of the most talented the state has ever seen. One can make an argument for 4 different players (Abdulhakim Ado, Nick Marshall, Braxton Blackwell, and Jaylen Fisher) being the best player in the state.
Ado is a special talent that blends a unique combination of size, length, and athleticism to control the paint on both ends of the court. Marshall is another talented big man whose future is extremely bright. The future Memphis Tiger uses his HM length and athleticism to intimidate opponents defensively by blocking shots and controlling the defensive glass.
Blackwell from CPA in Nashville is one of the most sought-after wings in the 2016 class. The young man is a winner and has the versatility to make an impact in multiple ways on the court. Fisher may end up being the most heavily recruited player in the state. Good point guards are hard to find but critical for building a championship caliber team. Fisher has a unique blend of size and speed at the point guard position that will cause a recruiting war for his services next year.
