Blake Smith kid from Clay Co. should work his way onto this list this coming season.

Ethan Snapp is going to end up being top 10-15 when it's all said and done...I know of multiple D1 coaches who have reached out and shown legit interest.

 

Best scorer in the state for his class, IMO.

 

I've seen most of that list and I'd take him over atleast 8 kids ahead of him.

 

Several who are overrated and simply ranked where they are because of exposure when they were younger.

 

 

 

Thats a little far fetched IMO. Ive seen him play many of times on the AAU circuuit and granted wih a stronger frame I believe he can play d1. At best he is a high level d2 kid because he would need to transition to a point guard. I believe he is a nice player but i would like to see him play in the belly of the beast in a tough region like 11th,6th or 7th and put up the same numbers. Not taking anything from the young man but i dont think he is best scorer in the class by any means. But, is still a very nice player. Why did he leave hoop dreams?

Thats a little far fetched IMO. Ive seen him play many of times on the AAU circuuit and granted wih a stronger frame I believe he can play d1. At best he is a high level d2 kid because he would need to transition to a point guard. I believe he is a nice player but i would like to see him play in the belly of the beast in a tough region like 11th,6th or 7th and put up the same numbers. Not taking anything from the young man but i dont think he is best scorer in the class by any means. But, is still a very nice player. Why did he leave hoop dreams?

 

You mean like G-MAC Freshman of the Year Ken-Jah Bosley? A high level D2 player is a very good player. There's no shame in being a Division 2 player.

You mean like G-MAC Freshman of the Year Ken-Jah Bosley? A high level D2 player is a very good player. There's no shame in being a Division 2 player.

 

 

OH no sir no shame at all. Yes, I believe he could be a standout on the d2 level because of his ability to shoot the ball and etc.. I just dont fully believe he is the best scorer in that class because that 2016 class is loaded with talent.

Blake Smith kid from Clay Co. should work his way onto this list this coming season.

 

I'm hearing a lot of good things about how he's improved over the summer. Blake is the son of a former Tiger great, Mark Smith, and I don't think he's hit his ceiling yet. Definitely a kid whose development people should follow.

I'll also add, it seems that this list is made with a deference to collegiate potential above all else (for instance, the kids who have collegiate size for their positions are listed higher). The website itself seems to be based on high school athletes as college prospects. Does evaluating it in that regard change anything?

 

Great observation. The entity that did the rankings makes their money by, in essence, "scouting" for college coaches. Looks like they have almost 13k flowers on Twitter as well, so they must be doing something right.

 

To that point, their could be a 6'4" high school center who puts up 25 & 10. Then there may be a 6'4" guard who puts up lesser, but still strong, numbers. While one might argue that the center is the better (high school) player, given their respective sizes, which would be more likely to replicate that at the D1 (or even D2) college level? That's just one example but I think it supports the point.

Great observation. The entity that did the rankings makes their money by, in essence, "scouting" for college coaches. Looks like they have almost 13k flowers on Twitter as well, so they must be doing something right.

 

To that point, their could be a 6'4" high school center who puts up 25 & 10. Then there may be a 6'4" guard who puts up lesser, but still strong, numbers. While one might argue that the center is the better (high school) player, given their respective sizes, which would be more likely to replicate that at the D1 (or even D2) college level? That's just one example but I think it supports the point.

 

Great point. So does the scouting angle explain the "height inflation" that seems to pervade these types of lists? If so, I wonder how effective the technique is. Once the kid shows up for a workout it's pretty easy to tell whether he's actually 6'3" or more like 6'1", right?

Great point. So does the scouting angle explain the "height inflation" that seems to pervade these types of lists? If so, I wonder how effective the technique is. Once the kid shows up for a workout it's pretty easy to tell whether he's actually 6'3" or more like 6'1", right?

 

Inflating a player's height is a long-standing tradition at all levels of basketball. So well known, in fact, that I don't think anyone takes a player's stated height for a fact until they see the player in person.

This is the long standing practice known as "program height". Always add an inch or two.

This is the long standing practice known as "program height". Always add an inch or two.

 

Thanks for the clarification -- not being a college or high school coach I did not realize that this is S.O.P. Now I just need to revise my resume, since I have become six feet tall.

Like all ratings by recruiting services it depends on how much butt-kissing their AAU coach is willing to do.

Like all ratings by recruiting services it depends on how much butt-kissing their AAU coach is willing to do.

 

So, which players are you saying benefitted from that and, conversely, which ones were slighted because of it? In other words, what's wrong with these rankings and what changes would you make?

Disagree with that. If you look at national rankings, it's all based on performance on the AAU circuit. As far as state level rankings like these, I don't think this guy has seen most of these kids but is going based on reputation.

Believe thats what I said. If they've never seen them it must come from coaches. #6,11,14,21 are just a few. Wells kid from hazard being one.

26 is another