When we look at the outrageous size and skill inside the top 10 of the Class of 2018, we see some very intriguing and exciting prospects who could emerge down the road if they develop. "If" is the operative word at this young age.
When it comes to the top spot in the class Marvin Bagley, III, a 6-foot-11 power forward, will remain No. 1. His natural talent is undeniable. Bagley continues to separate himself not only based on his potential and projection in the game, but with his daily improvement. He is a game-changer who continues to show a willingness to work on becoming a more alert defender and rebounder. He owns ultra-athletic ability, including excellent speed at his size along with an impressive vertical jump and second jump to go along with good mobility and fluidity.
Zion Williamson, a 6-foot-7 power forward who was previously ranked No. 3, moved to No. 2 because of his consistent high-end production. His box scores repeatedly show double-doubles and often come close to triple-doubles. With a power forward's college-ready body, Williamson is the ultimate mismatch. He can be a finisher, rebounder or a facilitator.
Romeo Langford, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, goes to No. 3 through no fault of his own. The young scoring guard plays with supreme offensive confidence and is as good as it gets from a triple-threat position on the perimeter. It should be mentioned that small forward Cameron Reddish (No. 4) and center Jordan Brown (No. 5) have been outstanding and will challenge to move up as time goes on.
Big jumps inside the top 10 belong to center Moses Brown (No. 19 to No. 6) and power forward Emmitt Williams (No. 22 to No. 7). Brown is still growing as he recently went from 6-foot-10 to 7-foot and runs with mobility. Offensively he is a work in progress, but he has displayed the ability to use both hands around rim. He is at his best as a defender, rebounding and blocking shots. Williams continues to be one of the most intense prospects for his all-around game. His explosive, ability to finish over defenders and stay active on the glass stands out. Both prospects give it their all.
New faces to the ESPN 60 are Emmanuel Akot and Jaylen Hoard. Akot (No. 21) has the multidimensional skill and defensive tools to influence the outcome of the game on both ends of the floor. His unselfishness is contagious.
Landing at No. 35 is Hoard, who played for France in the FIBA U17 World Championships where he averaged over 20 points per game. With the combination of length, explosiveness and passing vision along with advanced scoring instincts, Hoard is making his mark in this class.
-- Paul Biancardi
On the cusp
One of the biggest challenges in the Class of 2018 was limiting the list to just 60 names, but with the ESPN 60 set to give way to the ESPN 100 a few months down the road, here's a look at some additional prospects we have been very impressed with.
David Singleton III
Bishop Montgomery (California)
Even a fall foot injury hasn't been able to slow Singleton down as his junior campaign has been a very impressive one to date, including a strong performance at the recent Hoophall Classic. Singleton has good size in the backcourt at 6-foot-4 and is a developing weapon behind the 3-point line with a quick and compact release. He's not just a one-dimensional player though and boasts a balanced floor game. Gonzaga and Oregon were the first schools to extend offers while just last week Arizona joined the likes of UConn, Washington, Arizona State, and USC who have all followed suit in recent months.
Jacobi Gordon
Chris Walker Academy (Texas)
Most recently the No. 46 prospect in the ESPN 60, Gordon is a player with high-level tools and a chance to climb back up this list before it is all said and done. He is a big wing at 6-foot-6 who can score in bunches. He has historically done his best work going to the rim but is now extending his game onto the perimeter on a more consistent basis. With continued work on his conditioning and skill set, Gordon has a chance to prove he is one of the more versatile scoring wings in the class.
A.J. Reeves
Brimmer & May (Massachusetts)
Reeves played behind a pair of ESPN 100 guards over the summer and helped his team to four separate championships, including a clean sweep of Adidas' triple crown, albeit in a supporting role. This winter he's returned to his high school team and proven his ability to score in bunches, with eight 30-point plus games to date. The key will be finding a balance between the two. He needs to prove he can play a leading role on a successful team. Reeves is a big guard at 6-foot-5 with good ballhandling ability and a shooting stroke that is coming on strong, both off the catch and the dribble.
Kendric Davis
Sam Houston High School (Texas)
Committed to TCU
TCU coach Jamie Dixon earned an early pledge from the young point guard shortly after the coach's arrival last June, and the commitment is looking better and better all the time. Davis may be a little undersized at 5-foot-10, but what he lacks in height he compensates for with toughness and fearlessness. Davis is quick, aggressive, able to create tempo and make plays for himself and those around him. He defends, has become a more willing distributor and is capable of knocking down open shots when left unchecked on the perimeter.
Luguentz Dort
Conrad Academy (Florida)
A native of Canada who plays his high school basketball in Florida, Dort is one of the most physically dominant wings in the 2018 class. He is powerful and athletic, and has the motor to match his physical tools. He scores going to the rim, finishes through contact, provides a rebounder on the perimeter and is someone who will be able to defend multiple positions at the next level. His challenges are continuing to develop his perimeter skill set, proving efficiency with less volume, and showing he can sustain his level of productivity when others in the class begin to catch up physically.
Jalen Carey
Immaculate Conception High School (New Jersey)
Carey is a scoring guard who puts points on the board in bunches and in various ways. Traditionally a drive-first player, he owns both a quick first step as well as an assortment of finishes around the rim. His jumper is a work in progress but has made definite strides as of late, and when he's knocking down the 3-ball he is really capable of making the defender pick their poison. It is a similar story with the ball, as he isn't truly a point guard, yet needs it in his hands to be effective.
-- Adam Finkelstein
Top recruiting storylines to watch
1. Bluebloods battle for Bagley
Bagley might be the best player in high school basketball, regardless of class -- and his recruitment is reflective of that fact. Bagley is actually already further along in his recruitment than most players in 2018, as he trimmed his list to Arizona, Arizona State, Duke, Kentucky, Oregon and UCLA.
It's about that time❗️#final6 pic.twitter.com/RFcpnmo3IP
— Marvin Bagley III (@MB3FIVE) June 3, 2016
Some of the best programs in the country are in the mix, but hometown school Arizona State will also make a push. Expect Duke and Kentucky to have their say before it's all over, but Arizona and UCLA are making strong early pushes. By the way, there's also a chance he could reclassify to 2017, although that talk has quieted down in recent months.
2. Duke and Kentucky poised to go head-to-head again
As has been the case in the last several classes, Kentucky coach John Calipari and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will battle it out for several players. Bagley is obviously atop the list, but Williamson will also be someone to watch. He's had a huge junior season, and noted Kentucky fan Drake was spotted on Instagram with Williamson's jersey.
Langford and Reddish have both been to Big Blue Madness -- but are also priority Duke targets, with area schools Indiana and Louisville (Langford) and Villanova (Reddish) also heavily involved. Immanuel Quickley (No. 12) is also in that group, as Duke wants him at point guard, while Kentucky has hosted him on campus.
3. Can St. John's keep area prospects home for elite class?
St. John's hasn't had a locally-focused high school class in several years for a couple reasons. Under coach Chris Mullin, the Red Storm have tried to rebuild with international players and transfers -- as well as New York guard Shamorie Ponds. But in 2018, there are several talented prospects in the area that St. John's is very much pursuing. The top two are Moses Brown (No. 6) and Nazreon Reid (No. 11), both five-star frontcourt prospects. Brown is a Queens big man who has improved exponentially in the last couple years, while Reid has been touted since his early high school days. The Red Storm are also pursuing Luther Muhammad, a talented guard who played AAU ball with Reid.
4. North Carolina and Ohio State off to early starts
There are only two programs with multiple ESPN 60 prospects in the fold at this point: North Carolina and Ohio State. The Tar Heels did an excellent job keeping two of the best players in the state home for college, nabbing commitments from Coby White (No. 33) and Rechon Black (No. 39). Nate Britt, Joel Berry II, Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson will all be gone by the time White and Black get on campus, so coach Roy Williams was clearly prioritizing the perimeter. As for Ohio State, Thad Matta needed some momentum off the court and picked up a pair of in-state players: Darius Bazley (No. 47) and Dane Goodwin (No. 53). The Buckeyes also have a third 2018 pledge in Ohio native Justin Ahrens, giving Matta a very strong start in the junior class.
5. Only two top-20 prospects off the board
Things are moving slowly at this point in 2018, and that's not much of a surprise. What might come as a something of an eye-opener, though, are the two schools with top-20 commitments in the bag. One is Saint Louis, where coach Travis Ford made a major statement in his first year with the Billikens by beating out Kansas and Missouri for five-star big man Carte'Are Gordon (No. 10). The only other top-20 player committed is E.J. Montgomery (No. 15), who has rebounded after a down season with a solid junior campaign. Montgomery is heading to Auburn to play for coach Bruce Pearl. Pearl has completely revitalized the Tigers' recruiting efforts since taking over, and Montgomery is an excellent start in 2018.
-- Jeff Borzello