With Jalen Wilson committing to Kansas today, every player in the 2019 recruiting class has committed to a school (or a professional team in New Zealand). Some teams had great classes, with Memphis, Kentucky, and Arizona leading the way, while other teams took a step back with poor recruiting class. Read below to see the biggest winner and loser from each Power 5 conference.
ACC:
Winner- Louisville
Following a year filled with sanctions and getting no recruits last year, the future didn’t look very bright for Louisville. Chris Mack had something to say about that, bringing in 5 star Samuel Williamson (no relation to Zion) and 4 four stars, good enough for third best class in a stacked ACC.
Loser- Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech had a great season, making the Sweet 16 and missing the Elite 8 by a last second miss. That’s going to be very hard to replicate, especially with the recruiting class they’ve brought in. Only being able to get one four star and one three star, Virginia Tech sits in 13th in the ACC, below bottom feeders like Boston College and Pittsburgh.
Big 12:
Winner- Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State has struggled to have a strong recruiting class since 2015, when they signed future NBA player Juwan Evans. This year, they are back, bringing in 4 four stars and a three star, good for fourth best in the conference. Oklahoma State has a chance to be a threat this year in the Big 12
Loser- Iowa State
Iowa State really swung and missed this year. They didn’t get any five stars, which is fine, but they also couldn’t convince a single four star. They did get four 3 stars, but after losing a ton of talent to the draft and not having a single player above a three star, it will be hard to see Iowa State having much success next season.
Big 10:
Winner- Ohio State
Ohio State hasn’t been a threat in college basketball since the days of Aaron Craft, Evan Turner, and Jared Sullinger. This year, that might change after putting together the top recruiting class in the Big 10. 3 four stars and a 3 star will all be helpful to this team, and coach Chris Holtmann is proving why he is one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball.
Loser- Michigan
Michigan might be the biggest loser in all of college basketball. First, they only managed to recruit two four stars, which is extremely disappointing for a top program. Then, after losing their coach to the NBA, they were left with only one commit after Jalen Wilson decommitted, leaving Michigan with one of their worst recruiting classes of all time. They are bringing back tons of talent, but the future isn’t looking bright if they can’t bring in big class next year.
Pac 12:
Winner- Arizona
Similar to Louisville, a scandal hurt them last year, and it was unsure if they would be able to get recruits with all the controversy. Those denials were quickly erased after Arizona brought in a monster class, top in the Pac 12 and top three in the nation. Led by 2 five stars, 2 four stars, and a three star. Arizona goes from middle of the pack in the Pac 12 last year to a top team and a serious tournament threat.
Loser- UCLA
One of the most successful franchises of all time had a less than successful recruiting class. Getting a commitment from only 1 four star and 1 three star is not up to UCLA standards, and they will have to look at next season in hopes of finding more players.
SEC:
Winner- Georgia
Georgia has been a middle to bottom team when it’s came to recruiting the last decade, never finishing better than 5th highest in the SEC. This year, that is different, especially after getting 5 star and arguably the top player in this year’s class in Anthony Edwards. Pair him with 4 four stars and a 3 star and Georgia put together a top 3 team in the SEC. This is a big win for a Georgia team looking to finally be a competitor in this conference.
Loser- LSU
To be honest, there aren’t really any big losers in the SEC, all the top teams all finished at the top in recruiting, while the bottom teams all struggled once again. LSU, dealing with issues of their own, only managed to get the 7th best recruiting class in the conference. They did get a 5 star in Trendon Watford, but 1 four star and a three star isn’t great. With the Will Wade controversy dying down, LSU should be back and strong next year.
Honorable Mentions
Winners- Memphis, Duke, Kentucky, Florida, USC, Texas Tech, Duke, UNC, Villanova, Gonzaga.
Losers- Kansas State, Baylor, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Wisconsin, Purdue, Texas A&M
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