The early signing period is just over two months away in November. But, already, word is out that more than 100 of the top high school rising seniors have already made verbal commitments to colleges. At this point, and it's obviously early, Memphis, Mississippi State, California and Louisville appear to have received the most significant verbals.

Here's a look at who's said what to who and what it means on Aug. 29.

1. Memphis
Sean Banks | 6-7 | SF | Bergen Catholic H.S. (Oradell, N.J.)
Michael Ford | 6-7 | SF | Notre Dame H.S. (Fitchburg, Mass.)
Kendrick Perkins | 6-10 | C | Ozen H.S. (Beaumont, Texas)

	Kendrick Perkins

The Skinny: Perkins is an NBA-sized center with a skills package to match. He will certainly contemplate an early entry into the NBA Draft next June. But, that's the norm for the top ranked center in every class, and has been so since Eddy Curry in 2001. Coupled with the Banks' commitment, Memphis has the top 1-2 pickup thus far in the Class of 2003. Banks is an underrated athlete with a very smooth game, which will translate into a great college scorer. Perkins should be a starter from Day One if he goes to college. Ford is that long, skinny drink of water (154 pounds), who knows how to knock down the mid- and long-range jumper. He looks like the only four-year player of this trio.

2. Mississippi State
Jackie Butler | 6-10 | C | McComb H.S. (McComb, Miss.)
Gary Ervin | 5-11 | PG | Notre Dame H.S. (Fitchburg, Mass.)
Travis Outlaw | 6-9 | SF | Starkville H.S. (Starkville, Miss.)

	Gary Ervin

The Skinny: Outlaw is the hometown superstar. He's spent the past year making a transition to the small forward game, but he's a Kevin Garnett-type athlete. Think Jonathan Bender frame with more physical and athletic explosiveness. He's kept quite, but you heard it here first: Outlaw is a possible threat to make the Kobe Bryant-jump to the NBA next June. Regardless, he's a tremendous pickup for Mississippi State. Ervin, whose verbal is as shaky as today's stock market, is a very talented NYC point, who has really come on over the past year. A very good athlete with even better skills, Ervin can score when necessary and he's become quite at running a team. History tells us that MSU head man Rick Stansbury usually does get his man, so don't be surprised if Ervin keeps his word come November and winds up in Starksville. Butler, who has also talked extensively about making an early entry to the draft, is the big-body center who needs to spend a few years on the college circuit. He's talented, but he needs to improve his consistency and get more production out of all that potential. All in all, for this stage of the recruiting game, these are three very impressive pickups for the Bulldogs. If they can get 2 of the 3 to sign on the dotted line and suit up for the 2003-04 season, they'll be sitting pretty in the SEC.

3. California
Marquise Kately | 6-6 | F | Maine Central Institute (Pittsfield, Maine)
Dominic McGuire | 6-5 | F | Lincoln Prep H.S. (San Diego, Calif.)
Leon Powe | 6-7 | PF | Oakland Tech H.S. (Oakland, Calif.)
Wesley Washington | 6-1 | SG | Mater Dei H.S. (Santa Ana, Calif.)

	Wesley Washington

The Skinny: Powe blew out his knee this past spring and has been AWOL on the summer circuit. But his rehab, by all accounts, has been progressing smoothly. (He was seen two-handed dunking in street clothes in July). All the injury layoff means is that he's definitely going to play some college basketball. That's great news for Cal. Powe is a true power forward, who lives to work the glass and still has plenty of bounce in those legs. Cal's perimeter game has been dominated by the jump shot, but in Kately, McGuire and Washington, Ben Braun and his staff recruited some very athletic wings. These youngsters can put the rock on the floor and get to the rim. Kately is a long-term verbal (he committed last year, during his senior campaign at Riordan H.S. in San Francisco), and he's making the trek to New England to get qualified. Kately is a strong and very explosive player who plays over the rim. McGuire and Washington are also above-the-rim athletes who thrive in transition. The only downside, thus far, is none of the four are, as of yet, fully qualified. Cal fans only need to remember the Julian Sensley saga to know what this could lead to when it comes to top 10 talent who go the distance with Cal, but never get the test scores. If Powe, and just one of the three wings, suit up for the 2003-04 campaign, it'll still be a breakthrough class for the Golden Bears.

4. Louisville
Nouha Diakite | 6-10 | PF | Barton County CC (Great Bend, Kan.)
Brandon Jenkins | 6-3 | SG |Southeastern H.S. (Detroit, Mich.)
James Lang | 6-11 | C | Central Park Christian H.S. (Birmingham, Ala.)
The Skinny: Lang is the major pickup of this trio, touted as another "Baby Shaq," who will have an entourage of NBA scouts tailing him at each of his games this season. While Lang is probably talented enough to be drafted next June -- think DeSagana Diop with more skills, mobility and explosiveness down on the block -- one or two years under Rick Pitino's tutelage (and conditioning program) will make Lang countless millions more in the long run. Getting two-and-out from Lang could spell a Final Four run for the Cardinals by 2004. Jenkins, meanwhile, is a four-year player, a combo guard who loves to penetrate. He's got plenty of speed and his penetrate-and-kick game should complement current Louisville freshmen Taquan Dean and Francisco Garcia, two excellent perimeter shooters, quite nicely. Diakite was the JUCO flavor of the month this summer, a very athletic, but raw player. Diakite averaged single-digits last season at Barton, but then again, he does play alongside the very talented Robert Whaley -- arguably, the best community college player in the land. Diakite will be coming in a year behind Kendall Dartez, which should make the transition easier. With Pitino's reputation and track record for teaching, expect to see considerable improvement from Diakite. If the 'Ville can afford to redshirt Diakite, he might be a two-year starter over the course of his stay in the Bluegrass State. Lang, however, remains the key for this year's haul of blue-chippers. If Pitino can get him to suit up for at least one season, this could wind up being the major breakthrough Louisville fans expected when the Pitino era started last season.

5. Michigan State
Shannon Brown | 6-1 | SG | Proviso East H.S. (Maywood, Ill.)
Brandon Cotton | 5-11 | PG | DePorres H.S. (Detroit, Mich.)
Drew Naymick | 6-10 | C | North Muskegon H.S. (North Muskegon, Mich.)

	Drew Naymick

The Skinny: Just another solid class for the Spartans with Brown being the big prize. Tom Izzo and company already were deep at the wing with sophomores Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert coming back this season. But there will be minutes for Brown, who is just as talented as Torbert and Hill. His arrival will come after a season of Hill playing the point. So, it should be a smooth transition for Brown in 2003-04. After getting blindsided by Marcus Taylor's decision to leave after just two seasons, and being forced to move Hill to the point, a priority for Michigan State was getting a point guard. MSU picked up a future starter in Cotton. Naymick is a skilled big man, who should challenge for a starting job by his sophomore year in East Lansing.

6. Charlotte
Martin Iti | 6-11 | C | Mount Zion Academy (Durham, N.C.)
The Skinny: While there are some who subscribe to the theory that you need quantity to rank among the top 10 classes, we don't think along that vein. Don't forget the impact a single player can have on a program. Iti is this type of player. After all, how many newcomers actually impact in their first year of NCAA ball? And while Charlotte head coach Bobby Lutz has been considered among the top recruiters in the game, the verbal from the talented center Iti is a major breakthrough for the 49ers. Iti is good enough to be one of the top centers in collegiate basketball. He's long, strong, shoots it, blocks shots and dunks on people. His presence in the key would be a major impact for the 49ers, who would finally have a true center to compete with the other top talents in Conference USA. But, there is a catch. There always seems to be with this level of player. Iti, a native of Australia, has led a rather nomadic lifestyle, changing teams/schools nearly as often as Hugh Hefner rotates his girlfriends. And there is the NBA option. NBA teams have been scouting Iti since last season and he's made considerable improvement over the past year. But, on paper -- well, there actually is "no paper" since we're talking verbal commitments -- if Charlotte can get Iti on campus, the 49ers' class of 2003 ranks among the 10 best in the country.

7. Florida
Ryan Appleby | 6-2 | PG | Stanwood H.S. (Standwood, Wash.)
Lee Humphrey | 6-1 | G | Maryville H.S. (Maryville, Tenn.)
Chris Richard | 6-7 | PF | Kathleen H.S. (Lakeland, Fla.)
The Skinny: A solid trio of recruits for the Gators, led by Appleby, whose style of play will remind some of current Florida starter Brett Nelson. Appleby can push tempo (a must for a Donovan point guard), shoots the J and makes good decisions. And most importantly, he distributes the ball and makes his teammates better. Humphrey is a solid guard, whose best asset for the future is his ability to knock down the open and deep jumper. Richard might get the most immediate playing time of these incoming freshmen, as history tells us how much Donovan appreciates rebounders (see: Donnell Harvey, Udonis Haslem). Richard has a penchant for hitting the boards.

8. Syracuse
Louie McCroskey | 6-3 | SG | St. Raymond's H.S. (Bronx, N.Y.)
Demetris Nichols | 6-6 | SF | St. Andrew's H.S. (Barrington, R.I.)
The Skinny: The Orangemen pick up two Top 100 talents in McCroskey and Nichols, not to mention two athletic wings who can shoot the ball and also put it on the floor. Not the most hyped players, McCroskey and Nichols are both unselfish players who just add greater depth to the Syracuse program. Last year, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim picked up the likely one-and-done Carmelo Anthony; adding two four-year players in McCroskey and Nichols should add stability to the program. Both players have significant upside and each could average double-digits after their sophomore years.

9. Illinois
Warren Carter | 6-8 | PF | Lake Highlands H.S. (Dallas, Texas)
Richard McBride | 6-3 | SG | Lanphier H.S. (Springfield, Ill.)
Brian Randle | 6-7 | F | Notre Dame H.S. (Peoria, Ill.)
The Skinny: When you're trying to establish a program in a highly competitive atmosphere, a coach best better take care of business at home first. The local waters were loaded with an abundance of talent, allowing Bill Self and his Illini coaching staff to scoop up the two best local players from nearby Peoria -- McBride and combo forward Randle. McBride, who is already built like a college ballplayer, can stroke his jumper from deep, while Randle is a wing forward with a finesse game. They were the two top upperclassmen on the strong Ft. Sooy-No Limit club team out of neighboring Urbana and it was key for Self to keep these stars home. Undoubtedly, Self and company hope that 6-6 junior point guard Shaun Livingston (Central H.S./Peoria, Ill.), one of the country's top 10 in the Class of 2004 and another star from Ft. Sooy-No Limit, feels the same way next year about staying close to home. Carter is the project, but a promising one, of this trio. And it's always good to have four-year players. Carter's upside is that he's long, athletic and has some skills. He just needs to muscle up and get some experience.

10. Cincinnati
Nick Williams | 6-5 | G | Chipola C.C. (Marianna, Fla.)
The Skinny: Another single verbal worthy of the top 10. But, unlike the possible situation facing Charlotte in trying to get Iti on campus, Williams has already made his way to a D-I school and is likely to be in a Bearcat uniform come 2003-04. Williams nearly averaged double-digits last season as a true freshman at Kansas State and he's been very impressive this summer. He doesn't have the pure talent of an Iti, but Williams will be one of the nation's best JUCO players. He is a multi-position guy who can run the point or play the wing. He's the quality of JUCO talent that has paid big dividends for Bob Huggins' Bearcats in years past.

11. USC
Lodrick Stewart | 6-4 | SG | Rainier Beach H.S. (Seattle, Wash.)
Rodrick Stewart | 6-3 | PG | Rainier Beach H.S. (Seattle, Wash.)
The Skinny: Reaching a two-for-one deal with the Stewart twins lands the Trojans on this list. And the word is obviously out: If you have twins, USC is the place. Like the Craven twins, the Stewarts are very athletic. Add 6-8 power forward Jeff McMillan, the bruising transfer from Fordham, who is already on campus and sitting out the coming season, and it's already been a good harvest for the Trojans.

12. Marquette
James Matthews | 6-7 | PF | Denby H.S. (Detroit, Mich.)
Dameon Mason | 6-3 | SG | Aurora West H.S. (Aurora, Ill.)
The Skinny: Mason is one of the top sleepers in the country. He's a major scorer, who should have no trouble doing the same at the next level. Each of the past two years, Marquette head coach Tom Crean has garnered a player who had the goods to impact right away. A year ago it was Dwayne Wade, this year's posh frosh should be 6-9 small forward Steve Novak. Mason has the talent to get 20-plus minutes as a true freshman (if not start). Matthews is an inside player, someone who will stay close to the paint and rebound.

13. Wake Forest
Todd Hendley | 6-9 | PF | Lee County H.S. (Sanford, N.C.)
Jeremy Ingram | 6-3 | SG | Kinston H.S. (Kinston, N.C.)
Chris Paul | 5-11 | PG | West Forsyth H.S. (Clemmons, N.C.)

	Chris Paul

The Skinny: Paul is the reason this Wake class is ranked this high. He's a very quick point guard, who knows how to run the show. Paul is a point the likes usually seen running the show at Duke or UNC. Wake fans will enjoy watching him run through those teams starting in 2003-04. Ingram, meanwhile, is very athletic and has a shot at getting minutes as a freshman. Hendley is a skilled player with good height, who should (at the least) be a solid role player for the Demon Deacons.

14. Valparaiso
Kenneth Harris | 6-9 | C | Bishop Noll H.S. (Hammond, Ind.)
Jimmy Miles | 6-3 | SG | Homewood Christian H.S. (Homewood, Ill.)
The Skinny: Valpo is proof a mid-major program can bring in top-level talent. Scott Drew has developed quite a reputation as an international recruiter, but this might be the Crusaders' best domestic class ever. Harris is a local kid, a huge physical presence (351 pounds) with good skills. If Harris improves his conditioning, he's got the size and tools to be a three-year all-conference player for the Crusaders. Miles is a talented guard, whose early verbal to Valpo disappointed high-major programs who were impressed with his play this summer.

15. Kansas
Jeremy Case | 5-11 | G | McAlester H.S. (McAlester, Okla.)
J.R. Giddens | 6-5 | SF | John Marshall H.S. (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
The Skinny: While neither Case or Giddens is a top 20 name nationally, both of these regional recruits are solid pickups for the Jayhawks. Giddens is a very athletic slasher, who's also shown the ability to knock down the jumper. And Case, who will be working overtime in the weight room, makes solid decisions and drains the jumper. The Jayhawks are also the favorite for 6-7 wing forward Marcus Dove, an athlete out of Long Beach, Calif. (Millikan H.S.), who is expected to verbal during his September visit.

16. Alabama
Akini Adkins | 6-8 | C/F | Leon H.S. (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Jermareo Davidson | 6-9 | PF | Stone Mountain H.S. (Stone Mountain, Ga.)
Shawn Taylor | 6-9 | C/F | Dooley County H.S. (Vienna, Ga.)
The Skinny: Alabama has verbals from three long, athletic types with plenty of upside. Oh, and all three will likely be four-year players in Tuscaloosa. Bottom line: This is a nice trio of forwards to help stabilize the Tide's future. Once on campus, Davidson (202), Adkins (186) and Taylor (178) will have to spend plenty of time in the weight room and training table during their freshman years. If one of these three dramatically develops and become a three-year starter, it will be a bonus, and make a good class for 'Bama head coach Mark Gottfried into a great one.

17. Maryland
Will Bowers | 6-11 | C | Archbishop Spaulding H.S. (Severn, Md.)
Mike Jones | 6-4 | SG | Thayer Academy (Braintree, Mass.)
The Skinny: Winning the national championship has its advantages. And Jones, who is the star recruit of this class, is one of those perks. A well-built athlete who can excel in transition or score in the halfcourt offense, Jones can shoot the ball, but is more dangerous off the dribble, creating closer scoring opportunities. Jones is athletic enough to finish strong inside, but better with his pull-up jumper. Bowers is a big-man project. But big men seems to develop quite nicely at College Park. Bowers has a good frame, mobility and can catch the ball. As with all high school big men, patience will be the key word to consider for Bowers. Most big men take significantly longer to develop.

18. Duke
Kris Humphries | 6-8 | F | Hopkins H.S. (Hopkins, Minn.)
The Skinny: After bringing in six players listed on most of 2002's top 100 lists (five on scholarship), Duke is obviously looking for quality as opposed to numbers in 2003. Humphries is up to Duke's high standards. A well-built (226 pounds) skilled forward with good athleticism, Humphries plays with power and should be able to contribute as a freshman with what should be plenty of super sophs around him in 2003-04.

19. Villanova
Michael Nardi | 6-0 | PG | St. Patrick H.S. (Elizabeth, N.J.)
Will Sheridan 6-8 | PF | Sanford H.S. (Hockessin, Del.)
The Skinny: Head coach Jay Wright had a great recruiting class last year. He follows up his debut class in Philly with two solid additions in Nardi and Sheridan. Both players should be four-year players for the Wildcats. Nardi is a true point guard, who looks to distribute, while Sheridan is a blue-collar banger in the paint. Both recruits should be good complements to the talent that Wright amassed in Year One.

20. Georgia
Mohamed Abukar | 6-8 | F | Rancho Bernardo H.S. (San Diego, Calif.)
Corey Gibbs | 6-6 | PF | Redan H.S. (Stone Mountain, Ga.)
Jordan Howell | 6-3 | SG | Bob Jones H.S. (Madison, Ala.)

	Corey Gibbs

The Skinny: Ranking the Bulldogs among the top 20 is tricky, considering what happened to this year's class. But in-state pickup Gibbs is the big prize here. He's a physical and active inside player, who should get decent minutes as a freshman. Abukar is a big man with a fine shooting touch. If he gets a good look, he's deadly out to 15-feet. Howell should develop into a good role player, who is already known for his outside shooting ability. Now all Jim Harrick has to do is hope eligibility issues don't get in the way -- again.

David Benezra and Mark Mayemura cover the national college basketball recruiting scene. E-mail at: hoopsusa@mindspring.com or call (818) 783-2244 or (818) 783-2212 for subscription information.