NCAA Basketball: 10 under-the-radar 2018 recruiting classes

Nevada Wolf Pack

National Rank: No. 51 overall

Nevada basketball has, deservedly, received a fair amount of press attention this offseason. After an excellent 2017-18 campaign, the Wolf Pack return a ton of talent and look poised to be a top-10 team during this upcoming season. However, what has been lost amidst all of the discussion surrounding the returns of Jordan Caroline and the Martin twins is the recruiting class that head coach Eric Musselman is bringing in.

Even though Nevada’s class as a whole is not “elite”, the addition of five-star recruit Jordan Brown is what makes this class. Ranked at No. 19 in the class, the 6-foot-11 forward will be one of the best newcomers not only in the Mountain West but in the entire country. He boasts a versatile skill set, excellent size, and could be the perfect piece to add to the rotation. The expectation is that Brown will be an impact player from Day 1 for a top-10 team in the country.

Coach Musselman has two more recruits coming in. Although not nearly on the same level as Brown, K.J. Hymes and Vincent Lee will at the least add depth to the frontcourt down the road if they do not crack the rotation this season. While programs like Gonzaga and Oregon might be fierce competition, Nevada could be the most talented team west of the Mississippi this year. With Brown and the other recruits coming in, the Wolf Pack will not only be talented but deep.

Regardless of this, though, the impact of Nevada’s recruiting class is not just in the three commits. For Coach Musselman, securing the addition of a five-star recruit like Brown might end up being the first in a long line. The Wolf Pack have emerged as the top Mountain West program very quickly under Musselman and this could be the start of something big if he keeps landing top-rated recruits.