NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top-30 forward Julian Phillips top 10 teams

Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks are deep just about everywhere but with so many seniors and likely pros in their projected rotation, they’ll need to have a strong 2022 recruiting class to make up for the future lost production. But the one position where Kansas is set going forward is at power forward. Even if redshirt sophomore Jalen Wilson departs after next season, they already have a pair of four-star freshmen forwards in K.J. Adams and Zachary Clemence, two players who certainly will have a sizeable role in 2022-23.

Phillips is viewed better on paper but those two will have a year in the system already. And with Gradey Dick and big man Zuby Ejiofor already part of the 2022 class, it’s hard to see why they’d need another frontcourt piece. The backcourt overall is a much bigger priority for the program and add the clog of forwards already there, I won’t be shocked to see this not be a realistic option going forward.

LSU Tigers

The Tigers lost four starters from last season but did bring back Darius Days for one more season. They’re going to need to replace him and while Cincy transfer forward Tari Eason is a quality defender and rebounder, he doesn’t provide much offense.

He and Phillips would be a nice combo at the four-spot and LSU is fairly covered throughout the roster. They had a pair of top-100 commits in the 2022 class already in Justice Williams and Devin Ree, a shooting guard and small forward. The Tigers is an intriguing option and also in SEC country and head coach Will Wade has already proven that he’s an elite recruiter capable of getting five-star caliber prospects.