This edition of the NCAA Basketball Recruiting Notebook will look at two of the top-3 ranked prospects in the 2020 class in Jalen Green and Cade Cunningham. Both players have set upcoming visit dates, and Green has disclosed that he will make his college decision on Dec. 25.
Top-3 2020 guard Jalen Green announced that he will make his college choice on Christmas Day, according to Eric Bossi of Rivals. While Green has not officially cut his list down from the 19 or so offers that he holds, he has scheduled all five of his allotted official visits.
Green is slated to start his official visits on Sept.13 in Oregon. He will also take official visits to Auburn ( Sept.26), Memphis (Oct. 2), and Kentucky (Oct.16). Before the 6-5 wing starts his official trips, he will be at USC ( Sept. 6-8) for an unofficial visit.
The Fresno (CA) native is a good athlete who thrives with the basketball in his hands. He has the capability to create his own shot and make plays for others. Green can score from all three levels and possesses a soft touch while having the ability to knock down a shot equally as well off the dribble as off of the catch from mid-range and long-distance. However, the 17-year-old still needs to develop physically and improve his left hand.
Green has not revealed a favorite for his services. However, Kentucky and Memphis are thought to have the edge in the process. Although Jason Marcum of SBNation is reporting that UCLA is also a major player. There is also a chance that Green bypasses college altogether and head overseas.
Green is rated as the number three prospect in the class by all four major recruiting services.
Cade Cunningham sets visits
Top-2 2020 prospect Cade Cunningham recently set up appointments to each one of the schools on his final-five lists. The 6-7 combo guard will begin his slate of visits at Oklahoma State (Sept.7) where his brother, Cannen Cunningham, was recently named an assistant coach.
Cunningham will then take a few weeks off before heading to North Carolina (Sept. 27) for the Tar Heels’ Late Night with Roy festivities. Florida will receive a visit from the Arlington (TX) native on Oct. 5. Following the trip to Florida, Cunningham will travel to Lexington and his visit will coincide with Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness (Oct. 13). Washington will receive the final visit on Oct. 20.
The Montverde Academy (FL) product is rated as the second-best prospect by all the top recruiting services. Oklahoma State is the prohibitive favorite to land Cunningham.
Top-Juco prospect reveals top-10 list
2020 top junior college prospect Jay Scrubb announced his top-10 college list on Sept. 1. Scrubb is now considering Texas, Missouri, Oregon, Cincinnati, Oregon, Xavier, Kentucky, Memphis, Alabama, and Texas Tech.
The 6-6 wing had a strong first season at John A. Logan College last season, compiling 19.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game and 1.5 blocks. He also shot 54.6 percent from the field, 46.4 percent from 3-point range and 79.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Scrubb is expected to land at Louisville, but Alabama may have a legitimate shot at the Louisville (KY) native. That is if he doesn’t go straight to the NBA after next season.
Ohio State hosts a pair of four-star prospects
The Ohio State Buckeyes hosted four-star prospects Lance Ware (Burlington, NJ) and Moses Moody (Little Rock, AR) on Aug. 30. Ware cut his list down to five at the beginning of August and is slated to visit Michigan (Sept 6), Providence (Sept. 13), and Miami (Sept.27). Kentucky and Michigan are the frontrunners for his services.
Meanwhile, Moody recently trimmed his list down to seven schools. His seven finalists are Arkansas, USC, Kansas, Michigan, Florida, Oregon, and Ohio State. Oregon and Arkansas are reportedly the favorites for his services.
Both players are major priorities for Ohio State. But the Buckeyes are only expected to have one scholarship for the 2020 season. The good news for coach Chris Holtmann and staff is that they were each of the player’s first visit.
Other recruiting tidbits
2020 four-star shooting guard Demarr Langford (Wolfeboro, NH) took an official visit to Boston College on Aug. 30. Langford, who is a consensus top 115 player, holds 16 total offers. But the Eagles have made him a priority and are prohibited favorites to land him.
Top-50 2020 center Maddy Sissoko (Bali) recently took an official visit to Kansas (Aug. 30). The 6-10 big man has two more upcoming visits, he is slated to make officials to Memphis (Sept. 3) and Michigan State (Sept. 5). Sissoko is a strong rebounder and runs the floor extremely well. The Wasatch Academy (Wasatch, UT) product also finishes well at the rim and is an excellent defender.
5-star 2020 guard Jaden Springer (Charlotte, NC) is down to Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Memphis, and UNC. Springer, a consensus top-16 prospect, took an official visit to Michigan on Aug. 30. He is slated to visit Memphis (Sept. 14), Florida (Sept. 21), and UNC (Sept. 28), and Tennessee (Oct. 5). UNC, Tennessee, and Memphis appear to be the front runners for his services.
2020 five-star center Walker Kessler (Fairburn, GA) took an official visit to Michigan on Aug. 30. He is slated to officially visit Duke on Sept. 6. The Blue Devils are the favorites to land his services.
Four-star 2020 shooting guard Caleb Murphy (Loganville, GA) committed to USF on Sept. 1. A consensus top-120 prospect, Murphy chose USF over Missouri, Florida, Kansas State, Georgia, Clemson, and a host of other programs.