So with the Class of 2012 moving on to their next phases of life and basketball, the world of basketball scouting and recruiting pushes relentlessly on, and that means the Class of 2013 is now front and center, the class of 2014 is moving into the prime time on deck and the classes of 2015 and 2016 are being scoured for the next wave of recruits.
Here’s our first ever Summer Short List, some of the players who are poised to become well known recruits over the next couple of years. While this is by no means all of the players colleges will want to track, these are just a few names that people should write down and pay attention to.
Isaac Copeland (PF, 6’9″, 2014) – Miller School, VA. Copeland reclassed this year to 2014 but is young and the reclassing, in his case, will probably serve him well. He needs to get stronger but Copeland has big bounce, elite length and will be a big time prospect.
Shelton Mitchell (PG, 6’3″, 2014) – Cuthbertson HS (Waxhaw, NC) Mitchell already has a ton of offers, and it’s warranted. Mitchell’s poise and ability to score the ball led his high school team all the way to the NC state championship game. While he team came up short, it cannot be overlooked that he was the primary force behind his team’s run while only a sophomore. In other words, don’t be surprised to see Mitchell end up in an all-star game on national television by the time he’s a senior.
Malik Massey (PG, 6’1″, 2015) – Vance HS (Charlotte, NC) Massey has the athleticism and smooth game that shows he has a high ceiling. Massey is currently one of the top players in his class for the state of NC and may end up being the top ranked guard.
Trevor Anderson (PG, 6’1″, 2015) – Kennedy Charter HS (Charlotte, NC) – Anderson holds an offer from Cal-Poly and is a point guard with a very high ceiling. Extremely good in a high octane transition game, he is fast enough to play at the elite level, has a great handle in traffic and is deadly with the look-ahead pass. A true point.
Marcus Derrickson (PF, 6’7″, 2015) – Paul VI HS (Frederickson, VA) Derrickson already holds a bevy of offers, including Georgetown, Indiana and NC State, and no doubt is a prospect poised to be one of the top players in his class and a candidate for the top accolades and all-star games. An agile, big bodied big forward, he already has better footwork than some collegiate players.
Diamond Stone (C, 6’10”, 2015) Dominican HS (Whitefish Bay, WI) Long and solidly built, Stone has great hands and body control to play in the post. A big time shot blocker, he will no doubt continue to add muscle, but with his deft hands and timing he will be a force on both ends of the floor in the paint.
V.J. King (SG, 6’5″, 2016) – undecided HS (Cleveland, OH) – King relocated to Ohio and will play there next season. He has a fluid game and is a prospect who should be able to find himself the target of several high major colleges and with continued work, may be able to play beyond college.
Darryck Thornton, Jr. (PG, 5’11”, 2016) Sierra Canyon HS (Chatsworth, CA) Thornton is a quick dribbling guard with an elite quickness and a solid ability to score the ball. Despite being undersized, he already has offers from New Mexico and USC.
Daryl Myers (PG, 5’7″, 2016) Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, VA) Myers will be returning to Oak Hill this season and brings with him a flashy, shifty game that reminds of Brandon Jennings. Myers is undersized but his talent is evident and he is poised to be one of the top guards in the class.
Harry Giles (SF, 6’7″, 2016) Wesleyan (High Point, NC) Giles already has high major interest and a mixtape following. While Giles will need to get stronger, the reality is that he has a fundamental understanding of the game that mixtapes won’t capture. He does things well that high school seniors haven’t learned, like entering the ball to the post.
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Basketball Elite tracks all of these players and hundreds more in the Basketball Elite Player Database. Colleges interested in subscribing to the database should drop us a line at contact@basketballelite.com.