NCAA Basketball: 25 biggest team winners from 2021 recruiting classes

3. Gonzaga Bulldogs (No. 2 overall class)

All-American and star guard Jalen Suggs was originally the program’s highest-rated prospect a year ago. But Coach Mark Few doubled up on the five-stars, landing Hunter Sallis and No. 1 overall recruit Chet Holmgren. Add top-60 center Kaden Perry and top-30 guard and former Kentucky commit Nolan Hickman and you have the best recruiting class in Gonzaga history.

Whatever past concerns about players not wanting to play in the WCC appears to be all but dead and adding the No. 1 overall recruit solidifies the Bulldogs as a national powerhouse. Their ability to recruit at the highest of levels will make this past season not a fluke, but rather part of the norm. Maybe not going unbeaten but as a top-5 overall team.

2. Michigan Wolverines (No. 1 overall class)

Remember when there were some questions regarding how good former NBA player and coach Juwan Howard would be at the college level? A Big Ten title, No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and now the No. 1 overall recruiting class for 2021 later, and everything seems to be all good. The program has six newcomers, led by a pair of five-star forwards, Caleb Houston and Moussa Diabate. And with the assumption that All-American Hunter Dickinson is coming back, the Wolverines will have the best roster of frontcourt players in the country next season.

The fact that top-50 guards Kobe Bufkin and Frankie Collins are flying under the radar shows how good this recruiting class is. It’s the type that a Duke or Kentucky would normally get. And four-star wing Isaiah Barnes and top-150 forward Will Tschetter will be key future pieces as well. Coach Howard has proven himself on the floor and now on the recruiting trail and Michigan has now set itself up for a potential national title.

1. Creighton Bluejays (No. 5 overall class)

There was a time where now five-star point guard prospect TyTy Washington was committed to the Bluejays. Yet despite his de-commitment, Creighton pulled off literally a history class, landing the program’s four highest-rated recruits ever. Point guard Ryan Nembhard, shooting guard Trey Alexander, and forwards Arthur Kaluma and Mason Miller. All are ranked in the top-75 overall and after losing the entire starting lineup, each will have a major impact as soon as next year.

But what makes this recruiting class all the more incredible is what happened with head coach Greg McDermott just a couple of months ago. After making controversial racial comments in the lockerroom after a game, he was suspended by the University and there was a time where his job was potentially in jeopardy. And the long-term issue was how it would affect him on the recruiting trail, particularly with black families and opposing programs using it as a major negative recruiting tactic.

Yet with both Kaluma and Alexander and their families, it clearly didn’t work. Coach McDermott and the staff can fully move on from the situation and after making the Sweet 16 for the first time in decades, has a new core of talented recruits capable of going back there in the future. It may not be the greatest class in terms of raw numbers but in terms of the circumstances, Creighton was the biggest winner with the 2021 class.