With Zion Williamson committing to Duke, there are now four 2018 McDonald’s High School All-Americans who have yet to pick an NCAA basketball school.
The 2018 list of names for the McDonald’s All-America game for the top high school prospects in the country has been released. Most of the names were expected, with Shareef O’Neal, the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, as the biggest “snub” of the group.
Once again, Duke will have the most representatives in the event with five players. This includes the top three prospects for 2018 in Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cameron Reddish. Other powerhouses like Kansas and Kentucky are represented while a few surprise teams appear as well.
With Williamson (Duke) and Moses Brown (UCLA) off the board, that leaves four players without an NCAA basketball school to call home for next season. Some of these recruits were linked to the FBI Investigation before the season that caused several de-commitments, hence why they are unsigned.
Here’s a look at which teams are involved in recruiting the following five players:
Romeo Langford – 6’5 191 lbs from New Albany, Indiana
247sports rankings: No. 5 overall prospect, No. 1 shooting guard
Teams involved: Vanderbilt, Indiana and Kansas
The Hoosiers would love to keep the top prospect in the state of Indiana. Langford would be the best scorer on the team since Yogi Ferrell a few years ago.
But Vanderbilt might have the edge, as the team already has two players ranked in the top-15 in Darius Garland and Simisola Shittu coming in for next year. They have been recruiting Langford hard to become a member of a “Big-3” for the Commodores. It might just work.
EJ Montgomery – 6’10, 200 lbs from Marietta, Georgia
247sports rankings: No. 15 prospect overall, No. 3 power forward
Teams involved: South Carolina, Duke and Auburn
This forward was originally at Auburn before he de-committed after Chuck Person was arrested as part of the FBI Investigation. His eligibility status is by no means guaranteed, but teams will still look to get him.
The Tigers could still be in position to get him, but South Carolina might be a more attractive option. The player most synonymous with the investigation was Brian Bowen, who most recently transferred to the Gamecocks while still waiting to hear whether he will be eligible to play college basketball.
Jahvon Quinerly – 6’0, 170 lbs from Jersey City, New Jersey
247sports rankings: No. 23 prospect overall No. 5 point guard
Teams involved: Arizona, Villanova and Oklahoma
Another player caught up in the scandal, the point guard left Arizona after his recruiter, Book Richardson, was arrested. He was supposed to be part of a backcourt for the Wildcats with another top recruit in Brandon Williams, but that now looks unlikely.
Villanova has emerged as the clear frontrunner, but look out for Oklahoma. What Trae Young is doing has to have the attention of any incoming point guard, so the Sooners could be a viable option as they’ll have a spot open for next year.
Jordan Brown – 6’10, 195 lbs from Napa California
247sports rankings: No. 17 prospect overall, No.5 power forward
Teams involved: UCLA, St. John’s, Cal, Gonzaga, Nevada and Louisiana-Lafayette
The Ragin’ Cajuns are on this list because Brown’s father went there, but they are likely at the bottom of the contenders. What makes this situation different from the others is that there really is no true favorite.
It was figured that the local schools in California had a leg up, but to some degree, neither are a great fit. With Moses Brown now at UCLA, there would be a logjam in the frontcourt. As for Cal, they are nowhere near competing for a tournament bid this year or next.
Next: What Zion Williamson going to Duke means
A couple of win-now teams in Gonzaga and Nevada could be a good fit for him and are still located on the west coast. He is still looking to take visits and won’t be signing anytime soon. But right now, he’s anyone’s target to gain, one of just a few great ones left.