No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers
Nate Ament – 5 star - # 4 nationally
Amari Evans – 4 star- # 68 nationally
DeWayne Brown – 4 star - # 96 nationally
Troy Henderson – 3 star - # 255 nationally
Clarence Massamba – 3 star - # 256 nationally
Tennessee, under head coach Rick Barnes, has turned into a powerhouse basketball program in the SEC. They win a lot, play smothering defense, and have now picked it up in a big way on the recruiting trail. Coach Barnes ensures that the best players are always the ones out on the floor, regardless of whether they are seniors or freshmen. This year, the five-man class is one of the larger ones in the country and features a number of impactful SEC players, as well as a lottery pick.
Ament is going to be a lottery pick and likely an all-conference SEC player. He is a fantastic shooter and premier defender. He can easily get to his spots and will be the best player on the floor most nights. Evans is another premier shooter and defender. Brown is a big man who can protect the rim and stretch the floor. Henderson and Massamba are likely depth pieces this year.
No. 6 Arkansas Razorbacks
Darius Acuff- 5 star- #9 nationally
Meleek Thomas- 5 star- #11 nationally
Isaiah Sealy- 4 star- #81 nationally
Karim Rtail- a 4-star international prospect
Is anyone surprised that Arkansas, a team coached by John Calipari, is on this list? Say what you want about Cal as a coach, but he has always been able to recruit at a high level. He does it with the promise of getting to the NBA, and his track record speaks for itself. His players get to the NBA.
Acuff is a pure alpha on offense, and his game reminds me a lot of Mark Sears. He gets to his spots and has a crazy range from deep. He is a volume shooter but can also carry your offense for long stretches. Thomas is an elite bucket-getter. He also has an unlimited range from deep. Sealy is a dynamic athlete who excels on defense and above the rim. Those three players fit in perfectly with the SEC and will make a significant impact in the league.