Shabazz Muhammad, Nerlens Noel, and Tony Parker are all set to commit this week. Here's what you need to know.
Nerlens Noel
Wait, 18-year-olds are going to change basketball?
Three, precisely. Nerlens Noel is a 6'10" big man in the mold of Anthony Davis — he's a space-eating shot blocker with a developing offensive game.
Shabazz Muhammad is your prototypical wing scorer, athletic and decently sized at 6'6". He can get to the hoop at will and spread the floor with his jumper. At the college level, there isn't really anything he can't do.
Tony Parker is, uh, big, but aside from that, he's a skilled post player who can rebound and score in the paint. At 6'9", he doesn't have elite height for a center, making up for it in width and ability with the ball.
How good are these guys, really?
Their rankings, as per three major evaluators:
Noel — ESPN: #1, Scout: #1 Center, Rivals: #3 for 2013 (actually going this year, though)
Muhammad — ESPN: #2, Scout: #1 Small Forward, Rivals #1
Parker — ESPN: #26, Scout: #9 Center, Rivals: #33
Shabazz Muhammad
So, what do you mean by saying they're going to change basketball?
They're going to change the Division I basketball landscape based on where they decide to go.
Haven't all these young whippersnappers pretty much decided where they're headed by now?
For the most part — out of ESPN's top 100 prospects, only 10 have yet to choose a college. Other notable undecideds include Anthony Bennett, Amile Jefferson, and Devonta Pollard, but none of the others have quite the buzz that Noel, Parker, and Muhammad do.
So are they all just gonna go to Kentucky?
Maybe! All three have the University of Kentucky in their final options.
Noel's considering Kentucky, Georgetown, and Syracuse.
Muhammad's considering Kentucky, Duke, and UCLA.
Parker's considering basically everywhere: Kentucky, of course, and then also UConn, Duke, Georgetown, Georgia, Kansas, Memphis, Ohio State, and UCLA.