The SEC Team Recruiting Rankings
SEC Basketball has taken a giant step forward in recent years and based on the early signing period, the talent will continue to flow through the SEC for years to come.
Kentucky (1). So far the Wildcats have a pair of five star commits plus a commitment from one of the best prospects in the state of Kentucky. Kahlil Whitney is a five star wing ranked in the top five in the country while Tyrese Maxey is the 8th ranked player in the nation. Add in four star Dontaie Allen from Falmouth, Kentucky and the result is wing talent that will rank with the best in the college basketball next year. UK hopes to add at least one more big name this spring.
Florida (2). The Gator class of 2019 could be a major game changer for the program. Five star top ten rated guard Scottie Lewis is one of the toughest, hardest working players in the nation. He will be the perfect piece to help take Florida forward. Tre Mann also signed with Florida meaning the Gators have the 7th ranked point guard prospect in the class of 2019 to go with Lewis. Add in four star power forward Omar Payne and you have one of the best classes in the nation.
Auburn (3). Bruce Pearl took another step towards bringing in the type of talent that can compete at a very high level. The biggest name is Georgia shooting guard Isaac Okoro, a 4.5-star talent that had offers from Florida, FSU, Texas, Oregon, and others. Also from Georgia, Coach Pearl picked up 4-star power forward Jaylin Williams, another top 100 level talent. Point guard Tyrell Jones and big man Babatunde Akingbola (also from Georgia) give Pearl’s five man class four top 150 players overall . Talent and depth were added to one of the nation’s top up and coming teams.
Tennessee (4). The Vols are a top five team in the nation at the moment and it’s helped their recruiting in the 2019 class. The prize is six-foot-6 versatile Josiah James, a South Carolina product listed as a small forward but really he can play a number of different positions. Local big Drew Pember and New York wing Davonte Gaines also signed on with the Vols and both are players that are just outside the national ranked top 200.
Alabama (5). Avery Johnson went to South Carolina to get 6-foot-7 4 star wing Juwan Gray pushing this class into the top 20 nationally. Gray is the big name and the addition of 6-foot-5 two-guard Jaylen Forbes means the Crimson Tide have a pair of players that can earn multiple all conference honors. If one of those two don’t become all league players then maybe 6-foot-3 shooting guard Jaden Shackelford will (ranked 113th overall nationally). Alabama is also still working to get local elite talent Trendon Watford.
Texas A&M (6). The Aggies have some excellent young guards in their program at the moment but they need some size and depth. With four guys signed that are ranked between 117 and 201 in the Prep Hoops top 500, size and depth is on its way. Six-foot-7 forward Kobe Brown and 6-foot-8 Tyreek Smith (ranked 124th in the country) are the talented size added in this class. Chris Harris can play either wing position and then the highest ranked commit to this group of Sahvir Wheeler out of Houston, a 5-foot-6 bolt of lightning. A&M’s group is ranked 24th nationally.
Ole Miss (7). The biggest impact player for the Rebels class is junior college shooting guard Bryce Williams, a player that Ole Miss beat out Iowa State and Oklahoma State for. Williams is the 11th ranked junior college prospect in the nation and a guy they hope can produce in bulk next season. When it comes to high school talent Antavion Collum is a local guard (ranked 156th in the nation) who committed to the program. The Rebels also pulled 6-foot-9 big Rodney Howard from South Carolina (ranked 216th nationally).
LSU (8). Even though LSU only has a two player class it’s ranked 35th overall because of the quality. Six-foot-5 shooting guard Charles Manning Jr was a key addition to the Tigers program as he is the 3rd ranked junior college prospect in America. Manning Jr and top 100 level shooting guard James Bishop from Baltimore have the Tiger fans once again satisfied with recruiting, now Will Wade hopes to add one more this winter.
Missouri (9). The Tigers were able to get a good commitment from Mario McKinney out of St. Louis (ranked 123rd overall) but they really helped their future when Coach Cuonzo Martin was able to steal away Tray Jackson from his commitment to the University Minnesota. Getting basketball recruits to flip a commitment is a rare thing but Martin found a way to get it done.
Georgia (10). Georgia Head Coach Tom Crean has actively been recruiting a lot of talent for the past year and his efforts paid off in Alabama when he signed 6-foot-6 wing Jaykwon Walton out of Huntsville. Walton is a four star player who will make for yet another very impressive wing combo when he takes the court with Toumani Camara signed out of Belgium (ranked 137th nationally, goes to school in Miami). Two strong recruits for Crean giving them a national rank of 43.
Mississippi State (11). The Bulldogs staff hit Georgia hard bringing in Elias King (a 3.5 star small forward ranked 121st in the country) as well as shooting guard Devin Butts (260th in the country) from the Peach State. Iverson Molinar also signed with Mississippi State meaning Ben Howland brought in a full new backcourt.
Vanderbilt (12). The depth of SEC recruiting? Vandy is 12th in the league and still 53rd in the country overall. Not to mention the Vandals still have a scholarship to give and are on the trails of some impressive players. Bryce Drew inked a pair of top 150 players: Mississippi guard Austin Crowley and Texas forward Dylan Disu.
South Carolina (13). Frank Martin also signed two players this fall: 182nd ranked South Carolina guard Trae Hannibal and 291st ranked frontcourt player Wildens Leveque from Massachusetts. The final addition for Martin was Trey Anderson, a 6-foot-7 small forward who earned late fall offers from South Carolina and Georgia Tech.
Arkansas. Arkansas has no spots available at the moment meaning they obviously have no commitments at this point. Transfers could leave the program later but for now the Arkansas roster is full.