Top 5 Freshman Power Forwards in Big 12

[thebigabd]

1.) Perry Jones (6'11'' 235-BU)
Highest-rated recruit in program history and fourth consensus top-50 recruit under head coach Scott Drew • Both Rivals.com and Scout.com list Jones as five-star recruit • Second signee in program history -- joining departed point guard Tweety Carter -- named to Parade, McDonald's and Jordan Brand All-America teams • Played in 33rd McDonald's All-American Game in April 2010 • Only second Baylor player (Carter) to play in McDonald's All-American Game • Overall Rankings -- No. 2 (Sporting News), No. 4 (Scout.com), No. 6 (Rivals.com), No. 7 (MaxPreps.com), No. 9 (ESPNU Top 100) • Position Rankings -- No. 2 PF (Rivals.com), No. 2 Center (Scout.com), No. 4 PF (ESPNU Top 100).

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quxsxSe1YTo[/ame]

2.) Tristan Thompson (6'9'' 240-UT)
Mcdonalds All-American. #6 power forward in country. #17 overall player. A 6-9 forward from Findlay College Prep (Henderson, Nev.) who plays under coach Michael Peck, Thompson is originally from Brampton, Ontario. He has helped Findlay Prep post a 29-2 record during the regular season, averaging 16.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while converting over 60 percent from the field. He also has recorded 15 double-doubles in his 31 contests this year.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHjRO5IJ0js&p=90A251B5261AA348&playnext=1&index=2[/ame]

3.) Royce White (6'8'' 240-ISU)
Originally chose to play at Minnesota over offers from Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan State, USC and Wisconsin...enrolled at Minnesota, but left the team in December before competing in any contests. One of the top players in the Class of 2009...ranked No. 19 and No. 2 small forward in the final Rivals.com ratings of 2009...Scout.com ranked him as the 10th-best power forward...was one of 20 preps invited to play in the prestigious Jordan Brand All-Star game in 2009, scoring 10 points...named Mr. Basketball in the state of Minnesota in 2009...led his Hopkins squad to an undefeated 31-0 mark and Class 4A State Championship in 2009...averaged 16.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and shot 60 percent from the field as a senior en route to First-Team All-State honors by the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCS6R_Pc_M8[/ame]

4.) Michael Cobbins (6'8'' 220-OSU)
Michael Cobbins, a 6-8, 215-pound forward out of Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, Texas. He is a consensus four-star and top-50 recruit, ranked as high as 38th nationally by Rivals.com. Scout.com lists him as the 12th-best power forward in the country. As a junior last season, he averaged 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, leading the Dons to the Region I-4A finals. He was also named the Player of the Year of the 5A-4A Golden Spread Super Team by the Amarillo Globe-News.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSSK6C7AJGc&feature=related[/ame]

5.) Tyler Neal (6'7'' 209-OU)
Earned Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year honors as a senior for a Putnam City West squad that won a school-record 22 games ... Also named state player of the year by the Oklahoma Coaches Association and The Oklahoman ... Helped lead Patriots to Class 6A state tournament semifinals (first state tournament appearance since 1977) ... Averaged 18.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game his senior season ... Shot .557 from the field, .421 (45-for-107) from 3-point range and .785 (95-for-121) from the free throw line.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz5U7vgQDx8[/ame]

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/2010-11_blog.html

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Honest question, but do you really think Neal is being looked at as a PF still?

 

[NickZepp]

Honest question, but do you really think Neal is being looked at as a PF still?

For right now I would say he will probably be a little more of a 4 because we don't really have a lot of players there.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

You are probably right, still captivated (probably too strong of a word) by how natural he looked working with the wings.

 

[DFWHoopster]

I hate to pass up an opportunity to bash Barnes/Texas... I played pick up basketball yesterday with a former player for Texas who was a very good college player. He had played against Thompson and Joseph and observed them a lot. His comments:

Thompson- soft; offensively suspect; overrated in high school

The comments on Thompson have been echoed by another guy I played hoops with this summer that played against Thompson in an AAU tournament.

Joseph- great shooter; physically weak; immature- not a leader type like everyone thinks.

I have a lot more I would love to say. But out of respect for the player, I won't post it on a public forum.

Texas may be looking at a 6th place big 12 South finish. The wheels are coming off... You look at their roster and you see holes all over place:

Lucas- should have stayed at Florida
Balbay- offensive liability
Brown- a complete headcase
Hamilton- good kid off the court; on the court a disaster chemistry wise
Joseph- see above
Johnson- a potential beast; off the court issues
Chapman- decent but there are reasons he hasn't seen the court much
Hill- see Chapman- guys that don't play before seniors are usually busts
Wangmene- very raw; probably becomes a key player for them
Williams- great kid; similar to Hamilton on the court; selfish gene kicks in
Thompson- see above

I guess they can float Jeffcoat out there at 6'4" and see what he can do... This player I spoke to said Varez Ward was the best guard they had left and he is now at Auburn. This could end badly for Barnes...

 

[thebigabd]

Honest question, but do you really think Neal is being looked at as a PF still?

In college basketball the "small forward" spot is usually filled by a big guard or a third guard. I would worry about Neal defending that spot, while at the same time being able to get his own shot off.

He is a tweener, but in college basketball tweeners tend to find themselves playing the power forward spot. He can be used EXACTLY like Brian Boddicker was for Texas. Shoot threes, set picks, shoot more threes, hit jumpers, etc.

 

[gracefor24]

DFW, you are cracking me up with how much you are enjoying these things about UT. It's gotta feel good to have your program on the rise and on the cusp of being a really top notch program and watch big brother struggling to hold it together.

I don't think things are that bad with UT but he has definitely not recruited well in terms of chemistry.

I hate to pass up an opportunity to bash Barnes/Texas... I played pick up basketball yesterday with a former player for Texas who was a very good college player. He had played against Thompson and Joseph and observed them a lot. His comments:

Thompson- soft; offensively suspect; overrated in high school

The comments on Thompson have been echoed by another guy I played hoops with this summer that played against Thompson in an AAU tournament.

Joseph- great shooter; physically weak; immature- not a leader type like everyone thinks.

I have a lot more I would love to say. But out of respect for the player, I won't post it on a public forum.

Texas may be looking at a 6th place big 12 South finish. The wheels are coming off... You look at their roster and you see holes all over place:

Lucas- should have stayed at Florida
Balbay- offensive liability
Brown- a complete headcase
Hamilton- good kid off the court; on the court a disaster chemistry wise
Joseph- see above
Johnson- a potential beast; off the court issues
Chapman- decent but there are reasons he hasn't seen the court much
Hill- see Chapman- guys that don't play before seniors are usually busts
Wangmene- very raw; probably becomes a key player for them
Williams- great kid; similar to Hamilton on the court; selfish gene kicks in
Thompson- see above

I guess they can float Jeffcoat out there at 6'4" and see what he can do... This player I spoke to said Varez Ward was the best guard they had left and he is now at Auburn. This could end badly for Barnes...

 

[thebigabd]

PG: Cory Joseph (MCDAA, great shooter)
SG: J'Covan Brown (Top 50 player out of high school, averaged 10 ppg last year as a freshman)
SF: Jordan Hamilton (#8 player out of high school, averaged 10 ppg last year as a freshman)
PF: Gary Johnson (probably a 15 and 8 guy now that James and Pittman are gone. Very good player)
C: Tristan Thompson (MCDAA)

3 Mcdonalds All-Americans, 3 returning starters, a great recruiting class, and some younger guys who have to step up return.

I don't think ANYONE would call that having the wheels fall off. I bet Brown, Hamilton, and Johnson form one of the better trios in the nation next season.

 

[NickZepp]

If OU proved anything last year it's that MCDs AAs aren't all they cracked up to be. I don't really care what a burger place ranks players. But Texas will be really good like they almost every year because Barnes is good enough to get his teams to win. It doesn't always equate to postseason success. But regular season they are always solid.

 

[Sam]

I don't think anyone on here thought the wheels were falling off before last season but we saw what happened here.

Also gotta love it when DFW brings the pain on Texas and Rick Barnes.

 

[MVPx2]

Cobbins is now a legit 6'9.

 

[DFWHoopster]

bigabd- Johnson and Brown hang around with each other too much. Won't shock me to see either/both suspended for a portion of the year if rules matter to Texas (not saying they do or don't).

I agree that Gary Johnson is a potential beast. J'Covan Brown is a complete tool. Yes he has offensive talent but the guy is wild and I doubt he will ever become a good defender.

Jordan Hamilton- extremely talented; terrible defender; shot selection is amazing. See chart below:

 

[sys]

white isn't going to play.

like alexander at a&m better than neal. don't know much about the other a&m bigs, but i'd be surprised if they can't play a little.

 

[BanjoCharley]

bigabd- Johnson and Brown hang around with each other too much. Won't shock me to see either/both suspended for a portion of the year if rules matter to Texas (not saying they do or don't).

I agree that Gary Johnson is a potential beast. J'Covan Brown is a complete tool. Yes he has offensive talent but the guy is wild and I doubt he will ever become a good defender.

Jordan Hamilton- extremely talented; terrible defender; shot selection is amazing. See chart below:

Great chart!!!

 

[seniorsooner]

If OU proved anything last year it's that MCDs AAs aren't all they cracked up to be. I don't really care what a burger place ranks players. But Texas will be really good like they almost every year because Barnes is good enough to get his teams to win. It doesn't always equate to postseason success. But regular season they are always solid.

Last year they were in no way "really good", either in the regular OR post season.

 

[NickZepp]

Last year they were in no way "really good", either in the regular OR post season.

Still pretty solid. I would rather we were like them last year instead of what we were.

 

[DFWHoopster]

Cobbins is now a legit 6'9.

I am going to have to see him on a scale to believe the 220. I give 185-190. Looks like a great prospect nonetheless. Length is hard to teach and it does make a big difference- especially on defense.

 

[OKhoops]

I am going to have to see him on a scale to believe the 220. I give 185-190. Looks like a great prospect nonetheless. Length is hard to teach and it does make a big difference- especially on defense.

Im a very skinny 6' 3" and weigh 185. If he is 6'9" he would have to weigh that much.

 

[blankenship4]

I am going to have to see him on a scale to believe the 220. I give 185-190. Looks like a great prospect nonetheless. Length is hard to teach and it does make a big difference- especially on defense.

He's listed at 200 on the okstate official site

 

[Sawyer]

Last year they were in no way "really good", either in the regular OR post season.

UT was one of the most overrated teams in the country the year before. It's pretty much an annual thing that they won't suck and will also be overrated significantly at one point or another during the season (unless they have Durant or TJ Ford).