Just for discussion's sake, I am wondering people's opinion on which class is better, 2015 or 2016.

 

From my view it's a quantity vs quality question. 2015 has more overall D1 players and kids who will play at the college level. 2016 has more star power with Wright and Goodin as high major players. Also have Williams, Dow and Beverley in the 2016 class.

 

What's your opinion?

This is a very compelling thread. Can't wait to see what people think.

 

Who are the current D1s from the 2015 class besides Justice and Bolden who have actually committed D1?

 

I will say this... It seems like this 2016 class has been more heralded for a longer time. With Gooden, Dow, Williams, Beverly, and Wright (more recently) and multiple others, I feel like I've heard about them forever. Although, is Dow currently projected as a D1. I know he is really gifted athletically and strong, but does he have legitimate D1 interest and offers? I haven't heard lately. Others include, Ayers, Snapp, Hager, Weyer, McClendon, Stearns, etc.

 

The 2015 class seems like it has really come on strong within the last year or 2. I think about guys like Bolden and Justice, but then McDonald, Tyler, Levitch, Hall, Stafford, Miller, Tisdale, Cowherd and yes even NKY kids like Jackson, Schreck, Pangallo amongst many others.

 

Whereas I don't think all these kids will end up D1, I do think 2015 has a lot of kids that will play at the next level.

Other 2015s to add are:

 

Holman

Spalding

Rose

Johnson

Jenkins

Collier

Hunter

Pepper

Conway

 

And, I'm obviously missing some others. I haven't seen all of these kids, but have multiple "sources" who have vouched for their high quality and talent.

The one kid in 2016 no one talks about is Will Hager from Mercer County. I expect him to end up with a D-1 scholarship and he is another who doesn't get enough credit for how good he is. I guarantee at some point he'll be mentioned amongst the best in the state in his class. He's that good.

 

That being said I give 2015 the nod but that class has the luxury of growing now while 2016 has more time and room to grow.

Hager is good! And, has a motor. Also, pretty tough from what I've seen. This doesn't include his basketball skill....

Remember your 2016 class still has 2 years of playing time to prefect their games. NKy has not even started on the kids of 2016 that will play at the next level. One things for sure Basketball in the Bluegrass will be exciting the next few years.

If they are playing head to head, I like the 2016 class. Give me Goodin and Wright and you are probably talking the two most talented kids in the whole thing. Throw in Dow, Beverley, some bigs, and at least one kid who is just a shooter and I like what I have.

 

2015's guards of Bolden and Justice would struggle to contain Goodin and Wright. The latter two kids are just too big, strong, and quick for those two. Biggest difficulty for 2016 would be matching up with Spalding inside.

^^I'm pretty sure with a lineup of Beverly, Gooden and Wright, the 2015 guards would be matched up against Beverly and Gooden - Wright wouldn't play guard in that lineup. He's always listed as a guard (who isn't these days?) but, in reality, he's a wing. Your player preferences seem to generally favor athleticism over all else.

 

I think a Bolden-Tyler backcourt matches up fine with Beverly-Gooden. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, but the 2015 backcourt would put up more points. Now, Justice against Wright at SF presents serious match-up issues for the older class. Wright is likely the best player in either class.

Edited June 8, 201412 yr by First

^^I'm pretty sure with a lineup of Beverly, Gooden and Wright, the 2015 guards would be matched up against Beverly and Gooden - Wright wouldn't play guard in that lineup. He's always listed as a guard (who isn't these days?) but, in reality, he's a wing. Your player preferences seem to generally favor athleticism over all else.

 

I think a Bolden-Tyler backcourt matches up fine with Beverly-Gooden. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, but the 2015 backcourt would put up more points. Now, Justice against Wright at SF presents serious match-up issues for the older class. Wright is likely the best player in either class.

 

 

Most definitely. If I'm a coach, I'm fine with "out-athleting" you.

Most definitely. If I'm a coach, I'm fine with "out-athleting" you.

 

I prefer a team consisting of the best "players." Athleticism is an advantage, for sure - but it's only one factor. Other areas where advantages can he gained are size, skill, motor, defensive ability and basketball IQ. So, when I'm looking at a player, athleticism is only 1 of about 6 key factors I consider. None of those factors, individually, are enough - including athleticism!

^^I'm pretty sure with a lineup of Beverly, Gooden and Wright, the 2015 guards would be matched up against Beverly and Gooden - Wright wouldn't play guard in that lineup. He's always listed as a guard (who isn't these days?) but, in reality, he's a wing. Your player preferences seem to generally favor athleticism over all else.

 

I think a Bolden-Tyler backcourt matches up fine with Beverly-Gooden. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, but the 2015 backcourt would put up more points. Now, Justice against Wright at SF presents serious match-up issues for the older class. Wright is likely the best player in either class.

 

 

I think Beverley and Bolden may be closer to a wash than any of the other match ups. Definitely an awkward matchup for either, but Beverley is a kid who has played up in the EYBL and can handle himself. Of course, Bolden is the better athlete, more dynamic, and even better player, but I think Beverley is savvy enough to hold his own and not get entirely abused.

 

I think people underestimate how badly Goodin or (as you said Wright) might tear up Justice. I haven't seen Tyler play so I can't really comment too much on his game, but Goodin is big, strong, and quick enough to tear up Justice if you try to put him there and is a kid who is Top 50 in his class. I think Tyler would really struggle with him without knowing more... Not much better for his chances on Wright. According to who the '4' is, you might even look at putting Justice there if the 2016's try to go really small.

 

If you look at it 1-3, I could see Beverley setting up Goodin and Wright for a lot of points. They take whoever Justice matches up, try beating him off penetration, then hopefully even getting Spalding in foul trouble or at least making him step up and dumping down.

 

If I'm the 2016 coach, I take a hard look at letting Dow be my 4 and playing smaller. I think he's strong and athletic enough to guard McDonald, especially given McDonald's tendency to drift out. Dow seems like a kid who has a good enough post game to be serviceable in that situation, and if the 2015's want to make their offense posting McDonald on him in isolations, I'll live with that because I don't think Beetle's game is as suited for that as it is running in the open court with Spalding flanking him. Even if McDonald starts hurting you in the post, you have some really long wings in Goodin and Wright that you can use to find ways to make post entry passes difficult. If you put Matlock in the lineup instead of McDonald, I still like my chances with Dow guarding him and not giving up more than Matlock would trying to chase him all over.

 

Biggest question mark is Center. If you take Long from Scott County (assuming he's still at Scott County), then you've got some size to just leave at the rim and be a safety net on defense. If he stays out of foul trouble, I think he could play Spalding well enough to still give an advantage to the 2016's given their match ups at the guards/wings.

 

If Long isn't a part of the equation, it gets murkier. I'd have to know more about some of the 2016's in general, but Beverley, Goodin, Wright, Dow, and Long are the only kids in the class on the national radar for that class.

I prefer a team consisting of the best "players." Athleticism is an advantage, for sure - but it's only one factor. Other areas where advantages can he gained are size, skill, motor, defensive ability and basketball IQ. So, when I'm looking at a player, athleticism is only 1 of about 6 key factors I consider. None of those factors, individually, are enough - including athleticism!

 

Definitely agree. I was just meaning that as a coach, I'm fine with people saying I "can't coach" because I turn a LeBron loose and let him play bullyball.

I think Beverley and Bolden may be closer to a wash than any of the other match ups. Definitely an awkward matchup for either, but Beverley is a kid who has played up in the EYBL and can handle himself. Of course, Bolden is the better athlete, more dynamic, and even better player, but I think Beverley is savvy enough to hold his own and not get entirely abused.

 

I think people underestimate how badly Goodin or (as you said Wright) might tear up Justice. I haven't seen Tyler play so I can't really comment too much on his game, but Goodin is big, strong, and quick enough to tear up Justice if you try to put him there and is a kid who is Top 50 in his class. I think Tyler would really struggle with him without knowing more... Not much better for his chances on Wright. According to who the '4' is, you might even look at putting Justice there if the 2016's try to go really small.

 

If you look at it 1-3, I could see Beverley setting up Goodin and Wright for a lot of points. They take whoever Justice matches up, try beating him off penetration, then hopefully even getting Spalding in foul trouble or at least making him step up and dumping down.

 

If I'm the 2016 coach, I take a hard look at letting Dow be my 4 and playing smaller. I think he's strong and athletic enough to guard McDonald, especially given McDonald's tendency to drift out. Dow seems like a kid who has a good enough post game to be serviceable in that situation, and if the 2015's want to make their offense posting McDonald on him in isolations, I'll live with that because I don't think Beetle's game is as suited for that as it is running in the open court with Spalding flanking him. Even if McDonald starts hurting you in the post, you have some really long wings in Goodin and Wright that you can use to find ways to make post entry passes difficult. If you put Matlock in the lineup instead of McDonald, I still like my chances with Dow guarding him and not giving up more than Matlock would trying to chase him all over.

 

Biggest question mark is Center. If you take Long from Scott County (assuming he's still at Scott County), then you've got some size to just leave at the rim and be a safety net on defense. If he stays out of foul trouble, I think he could play Spalding well enough to still give an advantage to the 2016's given their match ups at the guards/wings.

 

If Long isn't a part of the equation, it gets murkier. I'd have to know more about some of the 2016's in general, but Beverley, Goodin, Wright, Dow, and Long are the only kids in the class on the national radar for that class.

 

Wow, pretty thorough analysis. But just go head and remove Long - he's out!! Couple of things I'd point out. I have seen both Gooden and Tyler play multiple times. Gooden has received a lot of hype for years, and Tyler is just now getting some. That said, defense isn't one of Gooden's strengths and Tyler can put up points in bunches. In that regard, that could actually be exploited by the 2015's IMO.

 

Also, although I agree that those are the 2016's that are the most on the national radar (I think there's one of those that isn't really so much but one in Carson Williams that you are forgetting that really is), there are another 3-5 in that class that are getting a fair amount of D1 interest, especially given their age. And those kids add things to the mix that would compliment these 5 very well.

Wow, pretty thorough analysis. But just go head and remove Long - he's out!! Couple of things I'd point out. I have seen both Gooden and Tyler play multiple times. Gooden has received a lot of hype for years, and Tyler is just now getting some. That said, defense isn't one of Gooden's strengths and Tyler can put up points in bunches. In that regard, that could actually be exploited by the 2015's IMO.

 

Also, although I agree that those are the 2016's that are the most on the national radar (I think there's one of those that isn't really so much but one in Carson Williams that you are forgetting that really is), there are another 3-5 in that class that are getting a fair amount of D1 interest, especially given their age. And those kids add things to the mix that would compliment these 5 very well.

 

 

Thanks. Can't believe I forgot about Williams. He's my starting small-4 or ultra-small 5 (ultra small 5 just being a way to get the most talented 5 on the floor together).

 

I am really drawing a blank on the names of bigs in the 2016 class outside of Long. Anyone able to help me out with some names on a pure big?

 

I know the Weyer kid from Newport Central Catholic is a kid with some height, but I see him as a wing before I see him as a post.

 

As for Goodin on defense, I can understand, but think he has the ability to be a good defender, especially at the high school level. Much of what we see from him may be a function of his value to his team as a scorer and offensive threat that you don't want to see getting fatigued or in foul trouble by chasing around the opposition's best player. I've seen him have some impressive blocks if nothing else.

Something to think about regarding defense. I was talking to a D1 coach a couple of months ago. He said that he views defense as a skill just like shooting or ball handling. It's something that has to be learned, understood and "mastered." I asked if it wasn't something that he could easily or quickly teach if a kid had the athleticism and/or size and he said no. He said a couple of his most athletic perimeter players were his worst defenders.