In case you couldn't tell by now, it's summer time here at THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON. The regular season is still months away, but the second season of basketball is in full swing. That's right, I'm referring to recruiting! Wins and losses on the recruiting trail have a direct impact on wins and loses in the regular season, and this is the time of year when Georgetown's future successes can begin to be shaped. This week I will be breaking down the prospects for the 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes. I will break the lists down into who we're recruiting, what talents they may be taking to the Hilltop, and what our chances are of landing them are.
Note that recruiting is far from an exact science. Given the seedy nature of off the court influences that often muddle the on the court purity of the game, things that can be true about a recruit's interest one day can be wrong as early as just minutes later. Anything that is not a direct quote is mostly my opinion, and no matter how well informed that opinion may be it will be far from one hundred percent accurate. Bottom line: until someone signs his commitment letter, there's always a chance he's heading somewhere else.
Hoyas Recruiting targets for Guard positions in 2012 after The Jump:
Point Guards:
With Markel Starks as the only true point guard on the team and after losing Jason Clark to graduation, point guard is a huge priority in this class. As a note Scout and ESPN rankings go up to 100 while rivals ranks 150 players. The city and states are for where the player goes to school not necessarily where they're originally from. Here are our options:
- Kyle Anderson 6'8" PG Jersey City, NJ #4 Rivals, #17 Scout, #10 ESPN
Kyle is Georgetown's #1 Priority in the class of 2012. Whether you want to call him a point guard or a point forward he's a dream come true for Georgetown. He fits in great with Georgetown's offense. The Hoyas are in his final 5 along with Seton Hall, St. John's, UCLA, and Florida . We have a very good shot at landing him and of the final 5 only Florida would really surprise me. Georgetown likely finishes first or second in this recruitment.
Scout says:
Anderson is one of the most unique prospects in the 2012 class. At 6-foot-8, 215-pounds, Anderson often times plays on the ball because of his versatility and court vision. With that said, it's tough to project him at that spot in college. He is, however, a terrific passer and a guy with an impressive all around skill set. He's not the fastest or most athletic, but he's certainly a terrific player with an incredibly high basketball IQ.
ESPN says:
Anderson is a very unique talent. Anderson is a skilled small forward that can play all three perimeter positions. He is a great passer with excellent court vision and is a good decision maker and is probably best playing a 'point forward' position where he is a match up problem. He is a solid shooter with range to 17 feet. He is not the quickest or most athletic player but knows how to change speeds and play angles in order to be effective. He is a solid rebounder where his size is an asset. Anderson does a great job of finishing deep in the lane with his length. Kyle has added a post up game. He can post smaller defenders and shoot over them or score with power through contact.
- D'Vauntes Smith Rivera 6'3" PG Mouth of Wilson, VA #21 Rivals, #23 Scout, #32 ESPN
A decommit from Xavier. Georgetown reportedly finished second in the recruitment the first time around. A lot was made of Rivera's transfer to Oak Hill as an indication that the Hoyas would miss out on him again. Nevertheless he is still listing the Hoyas. I feel we may end up second again in this recruitment, but we're not out of it yet.
Scout says:
Smith-Rivera is one of the most productive guards in the entire class. He gets to the foul line as well as anyone, and does it because of his strength and willingness to attack off the dribble. Also his perimeter shot has come a long way, and now is reliable. The knock on Smith-Rivera has always been that he gets things done by being bigger and stronger, and lacks the athleticism and speed to be productive at the next level.
ESPN says:
D'Vauntes is an old school guard. He is versatile and can play any perimeter position. He has a strong body and can pretty much get any where he wants on the court versus anyone in his age group. He "big bodies" his opponent to get them in the paint and score. Smith-Rivera is a good rebounder and passer. He has an excellent basketball IQ (he knows how to play). He is a solid shooter with range to 20 feet.
- James Robinson 6'3" PG Hyattsville, MD #83 Rivals, NR Scout, #74 ESPN
Local guard from DeMatha. Lots of people question his athleticism and he's not a deadly shooter, but he is a good heady point guard. He's gotten a lot of praise this past weekend on the circuit. The main point people keep on saying is that the kid is a winner and praise his intangibles, so there's a lot of mixed reviews on Robinson. However people had some similar concerns about Kendall Marshall at UNC and he turned out pretty good in his freshman year. I'm not saying Robinson is that good, but locals tend to feast on their own and pick apart local products at times. I think JR would be a very solid guard for the Hoyas. Given the recent detente with DeMatha, I think it's a recruitment we can win as well if we make a push for him.
Scout says:
Robinson is one of the true floor generals in the class. Even though he isn't the most athletically gifted point guard, he is one of those kids who just helps your team win. He is a great passer and is adept at getting into the lane off the bounce. A true winner, Robinson does a great job of helping his team when it is needed most.
ESPN says:
In a lead guard, you look for a kid who has pace, patience and smarts to his game. Robinson doesn't make a lot of mistakes and sees the floor well. He's not a guy who is prone to forcing and will finish straight line drives. Jumper keeps defenders honest. You can trust him to run a team and he's coachable. Other players will be in scoring position when he's on the floor
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Semaj Christon 6'2" PG Cincinnati, OH NR Rivals, #73 Scout, NR ESPN
As a player who emerged late on the scene and then need to take a prep year Semaj is currently underrated by most sites and is a big time talent. He seems very high on the Hoyas. He is a very athletic and dynamic point guard. Again, with a strong push I think we can land him if we so choose. I think currently we're holding off on putting the full court press on one of Semaj, Robinson, or DSR in hopes of landing Anderson. Hopefully this will not come back to bite us.
ESPN says:
Christian is a high skilled point guard that has an excellent feel for the game. He is athletic and can score with range to the arc. Christian can handle and pass at high speeds in addition to running the offense. At times Christian will take chances with the ball but his talent and ability to take over games is undeniable.
- L.J. Rose 6'3" PG Houston, TX #52 Rivals, #42 Scout, #47 ESPN
You don't hear a lot of talk about the Hoyas and Rose, and I don't see us likely getting a commit. I think our point guard will come from one of these first four names, but you never know in recruiting.
Scout says:
Rose is a physical point guard in the mold of Deron Williams. His long range shot is arguably his best attribute, as his range extends well beyond the stripe and he has no problem getting his shot off. With that said, Rose is also a terrific passer with exceptional vision. He's still coming back from a foot injury that held him out his entire summer between his sophomore and junior seasons.
ESPN says:
Rose is a terrific true point guard that can handle and pass. His court vision is great as well. He can score when needed mostly off the bounce. Rose has the IQ and talent to be a special player to go along with his size and length. [Adding] Strength and verbal leadership and consistent shooting from behind the arc [would] take his game to the next level.
- Ray Lee 6'3" PG #134 Rivals, NR Scout, NR ESPN
A speedy score first point guard. Has some decent interest from middling major conference programs. He's solid and provides a change of pace. Don't see it as likely though with better options available.
ESPN says:
This young man is a talent. He's got high-major ability and its really about tightening his game up and putting roles on him. At the end of the day, Ray Lee can get a bucket and create havoc in transition or the half court.
Shooting Guards:
I don't think the shooting guard crop is very good or appealing. If we take two guards in this class I hope it's because Anderson is one of them and then I might go with one of the other guards since most are comboish guards who can play the two. The shooting guards available to Georgetown are strictly shooters with limited upside and athleticism. That being said we need shooting on the roster, so don't be surprised if we pick up one of these shooting guards. Hopefully they'll be content to be role players and stay in the program.
- Brian Bernardi 6'3" SG Long Island, NY NR Rivals, NR Scout, NR ESPN
You're going to be reading this description a lot in this section, but Brian is a role player. A three point specialist. This is by no means a bad thing. Teams need role players. The current roster doesn't have a lot of proven three point shooters after Clark who will be leaving and Hollis Thompson who very well may leave too. Right now he is regarded as a mid-major prospect, but Georgetown is showing interest
- Myles Davis 6'1" SG Fitchburg, MA #111 Rivals, NR Scout, NR ESPN
An excellent shooter but is limited athletically. A role player and three point specialist, but again this is a role we very well may need in 2012.
ESPN says:
The reality is his size and lack of defensive speed will need to be addressed, thus making his college decision very important. At the mid-major level, his jump shot will be a weapon.
- Archie Goodwin 6'4" SG Little Rock, AR #9 Rivals #10 Scout, #8 ESPN
If Georgetown was seriously on the radar we'd have heard a lot more about him by now. But the recruiting sites do list us as a school he's considering.
Scout says:
One of the better two-guards in the 2012 class, Goodwin, who stands 6-foot-4, possibly 6-foot-5, made his bones by attacking the basket and always playing an aggressive brand of basketball. Goodwin gets after it on both ends and plays with intensity of the defensive side of things. At this stage, Goodwin is a good shooter, but could still extend his range. Overall he's a talented scorer with some serious potential.
ESPN says:
The long athletic small forward has brought back comparisons of the last great player from the state in Joe Johnson because of the smooth way he plays the game. Goodwin is a multi-skilled forward who can put the ball on the floor to attack the rim or spot up for knock-down jump shots out to the 3-point arc. He has tremendous length on his side which he utilizes to rebound and defend. It looks as if all facets of the game come easy to him. Goodwin has a nice handle that gets him where he needs to go, and has improved his perimeter stroke from behind the arc.
- Anrio Adams 6'3" SG Seattle, WA #63 Rivals, #88 Scout, #82 ESPN
More athletic than other shooting guards we're looking at. Not sure how much mutual interest there is currently.
Scout says:
Adams is an absolute jet with the ball. He can really handle it in space, and knows how to push the tempo. Also he is more than capable of knocking down deep shots. Right now he is more of a small two guard than a point guard, and he doesn't put in undue effort on the defensive end, but there is a ton of natural talent to work with.
ESPN says:
Adams is one of the better scoring guards in the country. He can score in bunches and he's an intense competitor. However, his game needs to mature as he plays to fast far too often. In addition, he has allowed his emotions to get the best of him - thus causing him to lose focus at critical parts of the game.
Darrick Wood 6'5" SG #101 Rivals, NR Scout, NR ESPN
I think the ESPN quote sums it up pretty well. Good scorer who's physical limitations will probably limit him from being an impact player at a high major school. Georgetown has expressed some interest.
ESPN says:
An offensive threat from multiple spots on the floor, it'll be his physical development that will tell the entire story. Likely to be recruited hard as a fringe BCS level player.
So there you have it, a rundown of the 2012 recruiting prospects at the guard positions. Hopefully Georgetown will land one of the first four point guards listed and then will probably pluck a spot-up shooter from the shooting guards available to shore up our outside shooting.