Favors, Henry remain atop 2009 player rankings
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By Bob Gibbons
Scouts Inc.
(Archive)
Updated: June 11, 2008
As we approach the summer evaluation period, it is time to update our Class of 2009 player rankings. Our last ratings list for this class was done in mid-March. Since then, players have participated with travel teams in numerous spring tournaments and showcases, so there have been significant changes.
At the very top, the rankings have remained relatively stable. There has been some significant movement in the top 10, however; Six-foot-3 2G Kenny Boynton (Plantation, Fla., American Heritage) elevated to No. 3 from No. 12, 6-6 G/F Dominic Cheek (Jersey City, N.J./St. Anthony) jumped from No. 5 to No. 9 and 6-3 PG John Wall (Raleigh, N.C./Word of God) went to No. 7 from his previous No. 16 ranking.
Other significant upward moves include: Six-foot-7 WF Christian Watford (Irondale, Ala./Shades Valley) going from No. 24 to No. 11; 6-9 P/WF Milton Jennings (Summerville, S.C./Pinewood Prep) jumping to No. 16 from No. 27; and 6-3 PG Abdul Gaddy (Tacoma, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) moving up to No. 17 from No. 26.
The following is our presummer top 10 player rankings for the Class of 2009:
Is Derrick Favors the next Alonzo Mourning?
Holding fast at No. 1 is 6-9 C/F Derrick Favors (Atlanta, Ga./South Atlanta). As a junior, Favors was both Gatorade's Georgia Player of the Year and the Class AAA Player of the Year, averaging 23.7 points, 17.1 rebounds, 9.5 blocks and 3.6 steals while leading South Atlanta to a 27-3 record. Favors has been the nation's most dominating player this spring. He earned Most Valuable Players honors and powered his Atlanta Celtics team to the championship of the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions on Memorial Day weekend. Favors is a B student in the classroom and a stellar young man. Many compare him to Alonzo Mourning as a rising senior. He is a member of the adidas Nation team that will travel to Africa this month.
Maintaining the No. 2 rating is versatile 6-6 G/F Xavier Henry (Oklahoma City/Putnam City). Henry is a gifted outside shooter and an explosive athlete slashing to the hoop. He reminds us somewhat of Kobe Bryant as a high schooler. His father played basketball at Kansas and the Jayhawks are considered the favorites to land Henry's services, though he also is interested in other schools, including Texas, UCLA and
Memphis. Henry is the mainstay of the talented Athlete's First traveling team. This month he is expected to attend the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va., and the Nike Paul Pierce Academy in Los Angeles.
The No. 3 prospect is prolific scoring 6-3 combo guard Kenny Boynton. He had a superlative spring, scoring points in bunches; he is one of the true shooting stars of this class. He is much better qualified to be a shooting guard -- with his phenomenal shooting touch -- than a point guard, although he has the skills to play both positions. Boynton will attend the NBPA Top 100 Camp in June then travel with his Team Breakdown to the adidas "It Takes 5ive Classic" on July 6-8. Boynton's list of schools includes Florida, Duke, Texas, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami, Louisville, Connecticut, Wake Forest and Villanova.
Now rated No. 4 is the Pride of the Big Apple, 6-5 G/F Lance Stephenson (New York/Lincoln). Stephenson now has an NBA body and is a gifted scorer from all shooting ranges. He most definitely has the talent and will get all of the New York City hype to push him toward being the top player in this class. However, he is somewhat of an enigma to us. We have seen him lose his composure on and off the court, and he has participated in a limited number of events outside the New York area this spring.
He is this year's Tyreke Evans, meaning he can light up the scoreboard whenever he wants. Reportedly, his father has stated his top colleges now are
Memphis, UCLA, Arkansas, Kansas, West Virginia and North Carolina.
Our No. 5 prospect is G/F Dominic Cheek (Jersey City, N.J./St. Anthony), the top returning player from No. 1 St. Anthony. Cheek is one of the premier outside shooters in this class; he has been well-schooled in the basics by Bob Hurley, one of the nation's best high school coaches. He likely will play the second guard position in college. He needs to add strength and weight to play at the next level. The current favorites from his long list of schools appear to be: Villanova, Tennessee, Texas, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Kansas and North Carolina.
At No. 6, but with the size, talent and potential to become the ultimate dominator of this class is 6-foot-10, 260-pound center/forward Renardo Sidney (Los Angeles/Fairfax). As with Lance Stephenson, Sidney is somewhat of an unsolved riddle. His abilities are obvious, but he has a tendency to disappear in some games. Perhaps Sidney is one of those guys who plays whenever he feels like it. He has been missing in action from most of the top spring events. Reportedly Sidney will attend the Reebok All-American Camp in Philadelphia from July 8-10.
Rated No. 7 is the nation's top point guard prospect, 6-3 John Wall (Raleigh, N.C.). Wall has the explosive quickness of Brandon Jennings and is three inches taller. Few defenders can stay with him when he rockets down the court. Wall's primary weakness is inconsistent outside shooting. His strengths are his awesome speed and quickness and his innate ability to finish around the hoop. Wall has yet to narrow his list of colleges that includes:
Memphis, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, N.C. State, Indiana, Kansas, Baylor, Ohio State, Miami and others. He will attend the NBPA Top 100 Camp this month.
The No. 8 player is another versatile backcourt prospect, 6-4 combo guard Leslie McDonald (Eads, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian). McDonald, who committed to North Carolina this week, has outstanding athleticism, and is exceptionally strong and well built for a guard. We were impressed with his ability to score in a variety of ways and his all-around backcourt skills playing for his Memphis YOMCA team at the Boo Williams Tournament in Hampton, Va., in early April. McDonald will attend the NBPA Top 100 Camp this month and will be at the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio, in July.
At No. 9 is another up-and-down player with the potential to rank as the best in this class, versatile big man, 6-11 C/F DeMarcus Cousins (Mobile, Ala./LeFlore). This early commit to UAB relocated to LeFlore after he was ruled ineligible to attend other high schools in Alabama. He has exceptional shooting range for his size and when he is on his game difficult to contain in the low post.
Rounding out our 2009 top 10 is North Carolina commitment, 6-3 1/2G Dexter Strickland (Elizabeth, N.J./St. Patrick). Strickland has the quickness and skills to play either guard position at the next level. He is a tenacious defender and performed well in an ESPN nationally televised game against O.J. Mayo during his sophomore year. During a Sunday press conference at Madison Square Garden, Strickland announced he had chosen the Tar Heels over Florida. He should be a high school All-American this coming season and is a member of the adidas Nation team that will travel to Africa this month.
Our presummer Class of 2009 player rankings, undoubtedly, could change significantly after we evaluate player performances during the upcoming summer events. To see our complete list of the 2009 Top 100 players click here.
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruitin...%26set%3d0
Bob Gibbons is a national recruiting director for ESPN.com. Also the editor and publisher of the All Star Sports Report, he is widely regarded as the recruiting guru of college basketball. Drop Bob a line in his mailbag.
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Favors, Henry remain atop 2009 player rankings
