The Vanswers

A trip in the time machine looking back on the high school days of today's stars

May 24, 2007

By Van Coleman

CSTV & Hoopmasters.com


	Van Coleman Van is one of the nation's premier recruiting experts. E-mail here!

CSTV.com Recruiting Expert and Generation Next's Van Coleman offers his opinions on five recruiting-related topics that dominate the talk of the week. In this week's case, Van takes a look back at today's stars and their days of high school.

What's the best recruiting class ever?

Michigan's Fab Five and Ohio State's Thad Five are the top two and it's funny that they both finished No. 2 nationally. Another similar front is they both moved on quickly, with Chris Webber leaving and then the other four following a year later, and Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook leaving now.

Duke's 1997 class was a good one with Shane Battier, Chris Burgess, Elton Brand and William Avery.

North Carolina had probably the best three-man class of the last two decades with Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff McInnis.

Duke's 1999 class was another good one with Jay Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy leading the way to a national title in 2001.

One standout class that sticks out in my mind is DePaul's 1998 class. With Quentin Richardson, Bobby Simmons, Lance Williams and Antonio Latimer, NBA was dripping off that class. That was the one that was going to put DePaul basketball and the Pat Kennedy regime back on the map. Once Quentin left, the class never recovered. He was the glue and he and Simmons have gone on to have nice NBA careers while the others didn't and should have.

Who made first impressions on you that still hold up?

Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) - No big I've ever watched has played that hard in every game he played in, whether it was a pick-up game or national title game. His matchup with Shawn Kemp at Nike Camp was one for the ages and Alonzo loved to snuff highlight-reel guys like Kemp.

Jason Kidd (California) - Nobody could dominate the game with the ball in his hands like him. He could pass, create and pick-pocket you every time. He just did the right things.

LeBron James - The second time I saw him he was a man among boys that destroyed anybody that got in front of him. By ABCD Camp his junior year, he was holding a press conference behind us while everyone else was out there playing for scholarships.

Kevin Garnett - Another second-timer. The first time I saw him was at the Beach Ball Classic where he put up about 40 points and was shooting it. He had to get stronger though, and when he put on 20 pounds he absolutely dominated the game. That second time I saw him he was doing all the same things, but was stronger and passing the way I hadn't seen from a big man since Danny Manning. I said to myself, `This is what the game's coming to and he's the prototype.'

Penny Hardaway (Memphis State) - A tremendous open court player. Right away I saw a little George Gervin, a little Magic Johnson, a little Dominque Wilkins. He made it look effortless, like he was dancing with the basketball.

Dennis Scott (Georgia Tech) - Had range beyond range. His rising sophomore and junior years he dominated the summer circuit so much that he took it off his rising senior year. When somebody does that now, they get the D-Scott Memorial Award.

Shaquille O'Neal (LSU) - The biggest second-look of all time. At the BCI in Phoenix, he was a 6-foot-7, 220-pound sophomore who looked like a mid-major power forward. Then he became 6-foot-11, 240-pound Shaquille O'Neal and we all said "look out." Nobody could touch him and he dominated the inside paint as much as any player in any era. He was right there with Mourning and they were both scratching the surface, then Shaq added three more inches and 75 pounds. I saw Wilt, Russell and Kareem, and he became the guy that rivaled them. However, had Wilt had the same training, I still think he would have been the best.

When you look back, who are some of the top players that came out of nowhere to be what they've become?

I just talked about Shaquille O'Neal and his Miami Heat teammate Dwayne Wade (Marquette) is another that comes to mind.

Michael Jordan (UNC), though, the first time I saw him I thought he was a tremendous athlete that was going to be a really good player. Obviously he exceeded my expectations and went way beyond just a really good player. He kept getting better, and better, and better. And he wasn't done by the time he left college. He was just scratching the surface after two years in the league.

For some players who really come out of nowhere though, I'll cite Dan Majerle (Central Michigan) first. He was a big old strong forward, fairly athletic, but he didn't show any of what you saw later on from him. You never knew he'd be "Thunder" Dan, running the floor and dunking all over guys while popping threes from deep.

B.J. Armstrong (Iowa) was a pudgy little junior who became a pro hitting big shots in the NBA Finals.

Luther Head was a borderline recruit for Illinois. There were questions if he could play there and now he's looking like a solid pro.

Andre Iguodala (Arizona) was this gangly kid who could dunk but didn't have the skills to do anything against quick defenders. He made unbelievable advancements in three to four years to be the future NBA All-Star he is now.

Morris Peterson (Michigan State) was the best sixth man in college basketball and was questioned if he was ready to play in the Big Ten. He was 6-foot-6, 185 pounds, and Tom Izzo saw some competitive spirit and heart in that body of his.

Finally, don't be surprised if Glen Davis (LSU) is picked in the lottery. He asked me what it was going to take. I grabbed a roll on him and said, `Get rid of this.' He said, "I'll do it," and now you can't grab anything on him. He's just a wall with feet that moves. He's improved his physical presence to the point where I think he has a shot. Don't think being an All-American was a fluke because he will work hard enough to make a difference.

Who did you think would be make the quickest impact in the NBA after jumping from high school?

LeBron James was the most ready, nobody argues that. He was a guy with the maturity, charisma and physical skills. But Kevin Garnett was right behind him and I thought it would take him a year to adjust physically. After him I'd say Kobe Bryant, the guys in the 70s (Moses Malone, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby), then Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard. Howard shot through quicker than expected.

Amare Stoudemire is left off that list because everybody said he lacked offensive skills and was a dunk machine. It helps that he got put with the right ball club to complement him. They also brought in some guy named Nash at the same time. He had some physical prowess in high school, but that's improved tremendously.

For guys that I thought could have gone straight out of high school but didn't, I'd say Alonzo Mourning and Shawn Kemp. And maybe John Williams should have gone because it may have helped him keep the weight off had he not gone to college.

Who were the top five players you enjoyed watching most at the high school level?

One became somewhat forgotten about and that's Lloyd Daniels. There was never a player before him like him. He could've have been one of the greats and Howard Garfinkel of Five Star Camp still says he's one of the best to ever have come through there, and everybody has gone through his camp.

Jason Kidd would have to be another, his passing was uncanny. No player I've ever seen has given the effort each trip down the floor like Alonzo Mourning. LeBron James was so physically advanced for his position that it made the things he did look so nice.

And not to be indecisive, but I'll list a 10-way tie for the fifth spot.

Magic Johnson (Michigan State) was my first year doing this and he put on an amazing performance in his first Roundball game. Raymond Felton (UNC) made it "Felton Time" when the clock was ticking down and his team needed a comeback. Greg Oden is progressing but he was something else in high school, absolutely owning the paint. Nobody flew higher than Dwight Howard. Kobe Bryant was a great offensive talent who I wish would have gone to school a year because I think it would have made a difference in his overall game. Kevin Garnett, because he's Kevin Garnett. He was a whole new ball player - when you saw this 6-foot-10 kid doing all these things facing the hoop, it made you say, `This is where the game is going - wow." Chris Webber was a mini-Mourning, always playing at a high level. Shawn Kemp on the same court with `Zo at Nike Camp - that's one to remember. Kemp was the flashy dunker and Mourning loved to punch those type of player's shots. And then there's always room for highlights - that's where Vince Carter (UNC) comes in. Finally, our No. 1 player in the Class of 2007 Kevin Love (UCLA) exemplifies what every player should be. He learns all the little things and continues to work at being the best player he can be. It's good we have a recent example for the younger guys to be able to see how hard work pays off.