NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Looking ahead to the top 2020 prospects

Scottie Barnes – Fort Lauderdale, FL

SF | 6-foot-8 | 210 lbs | No. 4 overall

With excellent size and playmaking vision, it is easy to see why Scottie Barnes is one of the elite players in the class. He is a remarkable defender that can cover anyone on the court and also runs the break extremely well. Barnes boasts the size and athleticism needed to pull down rebounds with consistency and he has the “one-man fastbreak” badge in transition. He can sky above the rim when necessary and has very little trouble finishing through traffic.

His skills at this point in time already project as a top-5 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but he should be in the running for the top spot. In order for that to occur, he will need to improve as a 3-point threat. He has the ability to stretch the floor at this point but not with consistency. Barnes already has the ability to play a bit of point forward due to his playmaking but adding that extra range on his jump shot could take him to the next level.

While competing for Team Florida on the EYBL circuit last summer, Barnes flashed all of his skill. He averaged 14.5 points (.508/.364/.675), 8.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game in 17 contests. He has reportedly cut his list down to eight schools: Kentucky, Duke, Florida State, Kansas, Miami, Ohio State, California, and Oregon.