Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Biggest winners and losers from 2019 classes

By Tristan Freeman

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 25: Penny Hardaway, head coach of the Memphis Tigers, watches the action during the game against the Charleston Cougars at HP Field House on November 25, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 25: Penny Hardaway, head coach of the Memphis Tigers, watches the action during the game against the Charleston Cougars at HP Field House on November 25, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 11
Next
DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 21: Head coach Mike White of the Florida Gators instructs his team against the Nevada Wolf Pack in the first half during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 21, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IOWA – MARCH 21: Head coach Mike White of the Florida Gators instructs his team against the Nevada Wolf Pack in the first half during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 21, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

No. 2 Winner – Florida Gators

When speaking about why I’m concerned about Missouri in the SEC, the Florida Gators and Mike White is a big reason why. They have a tremendous recruiting class, led by two five-star prospects in Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis. This follows up the impressive top-20 haul from a year prior, that featured Andrew Nembhard, Noah Locke and Keyontae Johnson. All three return after very good freshmen campaigns to create an underclassmen nucleus that rivals conference rival Kentucky.

99% of NCAA Basketball programs aren’t able to recruit like Duke and Kentucky, so the next best way is to bring very talented players who aren’t “one and dones” and will develop into outstanding college athletes in 3-4 years, while winning games and elevating the program. That’s what Coach White and Florida are doing, which is why they’re a consensus preseason top-10 team for next season. It also helps that they were able to land Kerry Blackshear, arguably the best grad transfer on the market this offseason.

There are plenty of advantages with being the University of Florida when it comes to both football and basketball players, including a nearby high school powerhouse in Montverde Academy, where top-50 center commit Omar Payne came from. Assuming the Gators continue to win, classes like this will become the start of a norm, rather than a one-off occasion. They won’t be as good as Kentucky but they don’t have to be to contend for an SEC title and March Madness runs.

Home/NCAA Basketball News