It's Bagley again for the No. 1 spot – ESPN
While it’s way too early to tell how the Class of 2018 will be in terms of overall star power, one thing is for sure: Marvin Bagley III is the name to know.
He might boast the greatest upside of all recruits regardless of class.
Bagley plays like Chris Bosh did at the same stage. Bagley is extremely long, active and skilled with face-up skills on the perimeter. His scoring prowess comes in different ways from different spots on the floor — at times it’s beyond the 3-point line, but he is most dominant near the paint. With his length, bounce and timing, Bagley averages double-digit rebounds, and when he grabs a defensive rebound, he does a great job of pushing the ball to execute a faster transition break.
Bagley can create fouls, but he needs to better convert on foul shots. Besides overall body strength, Bagley needs to be a more consistent threat behind the arc without forfeiting his inside game.
Romeo Langford is the other big name to know. He has been on a tear in the spring circuit and has made the biggest surge in the 2018 player rankings. Langford’s dynamic scoring ability separates him from his peers. He is very dangerous from all three levels on the floor and almost unstoppable in the conversion game. His sheer athletic ability overwhelms opponents and his step-back jumper is his go-to move.
The forward position dominates the top 20 spots. This class could be special, judging by the progress of the power and small forwards. There are nine power forwards and six small forwards, all ranked inside the top 20, that are just oozing with potential that will need to be developed. With three years of high school still in front of them, this class has plenty of talent to work with and plenty of work to still do.
— Paul Biancardi
The top two
The ESPN 60 (Class of 2018) is loaded with immediate impact players, two prospects have already separated themselves from the pack and will not only be difference-makers at the major-college level but also have special talent that could lead to them becoming NBA Lottery picks.
PF Marvin Bagley III | Phoenix/Sierra Canyon
ESPN 60: 1
Bagley is a combination of length, athleticism and skill. He can rebound and lead the break, where he provides highlight finishes. In the half-court set, Bagley has the ability to score inside with either hand and tremendous footwork. He has range to the arc, where he is able to shoot over smaller defenders. Bagley rebounds with two hands at rim level as well. He is a matchup nightmare with off-the-charts potential — he could eventually be a combination of Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony.
Offers: Arizona, Arizona State, Duke, Kentucky, Oregon, UCLA. Bagley has told ESPN.com he will update his school list this summer.
SG Romeo Langford | New Albany, Indiana
ESPN 60: 2
Langford’s ability to score from all three levels on the court makes him special. He simply has a knack for putting the ball in the basket. Langford can get to the rim or knock down a high-arcing floater with great touch and body control. He will also bounce into a stop-and-pop mid-range, pull-up jumper or knock down the open 3. Langford is smooth and efficient and does a great job of moving without the ball. He makes difficult shots in heavy traffic look easy. He is poised, steady and consistent with his production, and an excellent perimeter rebounder as well. Langford plays much like Monta Ellis of the Indiana Pacers.
Offers: Indiana, Louisville, Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Purdue, UCLA, Vanderbilt.
— Reggie Rankin
How top recruitments are shaping up
It’s very early for the 2018 class in terms of recruiting, with only a handful of ESPN 60 prospects currently committed. But we can still turn an eye toward the top of the rankings to see how the future recruiting class rankings could take shape.
Bagley, the clear-cut No. 1 player in the 2018 class, is arguably the best prospect in all of high school basketball. And his recruitment has reflected that, with nearly every big school in the country showing interest in him at one point or another. It didn’t matter that Bagley had a tumultuous past, bouncing between three high schools so far in his high school career. He left Corona Del Sol (Arizona) after his freshman season and enrolled at Hillcrest Hoops prep academy in Arizona for a couple months. He then enrolled at Sierra Canyon (California), but was ruled ineligible to play this past season.
Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Kentucky’s John Calipari, North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Arizona’s Sean Miller all watched him in person last summer, and he took unofficial visits to Duke and UCLA during his sophomore season. Last week, Bagley took the first step in his recruitment, trimming his list to six schools: Arizona, Arizona State, Duke, Kentucky, Oregon and UCLA.
Langford shot up the 2018 rankings this spring, cementing himself as the No. 2 player behind Bagley — with a sizeable gap between Langford and the rest of the class. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard is the leading scorer on the Adidas Uprising circuit, averaging 23.6 points while also ranking fifth in rebounds at 8.9 per game. His performance during the first live weekend of the April recruiting period brought a surge in offers. Duke and Kansas extended offers on April 18, with Kentucky following suit on April 20. Those schools joined the likes of UCLA, Louisville, Indiana, Purdue, Vanderbilt and others — while NC State and LSU have since joined the sweepstakes.
Like Bagley, this one is too early to call. This could end up as another elite Duke vs. Kentucky recruiting battle, but in-state Indiana won’t give up without a fight and Louisville has been involved longer than most. UCLA, with the Indiana connection of Steve Alford, is also squarely in the mix.
One main takeaway from this brief look? As has been the case with the past few classes, Duke and Kentucky will not be dethroned from the top of the recruiting world very easily.
— Jeff Borzello
