Reggie Rankin

  (2:32 PM)

Good Afternoon Basketball fans! The high school season is underway with a ton of holiday tournaments coming up. I look forward to all your questions. Let's get going!

Scott (Salem,IL)

How is UNC looking on 2010 star Harrison Barnes? Are we the favorites?

Reggie Rankin

  (2:34 PM)

Hi Scott. Shooting guard Reggie Bullock is already committed in the class of 2010 but if UNC goes after this kid hard they will certainly be in the mix. I don't know if they're a favorite but if they make a push Harrison will certainly listen to Roy Williams and his long list of success stories. It'll be interesting to keep an eye on his recruiting in the near future.

Rob (Fostoria, OH)

Reggie, Michigan appears to be on the rebound (no pun intended) and they have some decent recruits coming in. How do these guys fit, and whats your overall opinion of the state of the program? Thanks.

Reggie Rankin

  (2:38 PM)

Thanks Rob. The four UM signees have really addressed their needs. Darius Morris is a good athletic guard. Matt Vogrich is a terrific shooter. Blake McClimons has great size and is an excellent shooter. Jordan Morgan is a rebounder, defender and low-post presence. Coach Beilein has recruited to his style of play. These kids are great fits and this program is definitely on the rise as evidenced by their upsets of UCLA and Duke. They've really taken their recruiting nationally as evidenced by the fact that all four of those kids are from different states.

Mike (DC)

What do you think of Roscoe Smith? If he doesn't get an offer from UNC, do you think he'll come to Georgetown?

Reggie Rankin

  (2:41 PM)

Hi Mike, thanks for checking us out today. Roscoe Smith is a very skilled wing with excellent size. His biggest asset is scoring off the dribble. He has terrific body control as he can finish over and around guys. A true high-major wing player. I think any kid in the DC-Maryland area that when Georgetown has a sincere interest in, JT III will always have these kids ears. The Hoyas have a great shot but as we see alot in recruiting, nothing is a lock.

Paul (Overland Park, KS)

Who do you think Dominic Cheek is going to pick, Kansas or Villanova? I've read some reports that he might be picking Villanova on Friday

Reggie Rankin

  (2:44 PM)

Paul, Cheek wouldn't surprise any of us by picking the Wildcats. They've recruited him long and hard. Geographically, they've had an advantage as they've had numerous opportunities to see him and talk to him. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up there. But again, Bill Self has the National Championship pitch so you can't count them out because of their tradition and what that program offers.

ken

Are the Gators finished with this year's class, or are there any other big name prospects still on the radar?

Reggie Rankin

  (2:49 PM)

Ken, I think the Gators have pretty much locked up their 2009 class and are starting to focus on the '10 class. They've already landed power forward Patric Young for 2010 and may look to add another guard in the late period this year or next fall with the departure of Jai Lucas. Also, because of the possibility of Nick Calathes leaving early for the NBA.

Mark Orlando

Reggie, Crean looks to be off to a great start recruiting at Indiana. Who do you see as their top recruits for 2010? Can they compete for Barnes or J. Smith?

Reggie Rankin

  (2:55 PM)

Thanks Mark. You're right, Coach Crean is off to a great start with his '09 class. As far as Barnes is concerned, the Hoosiers seem to be a long shot as some other heavy hitters are already in the mix. Oak Hill guard Pe'Shon Howard, however, is definitely in the mix. He's strong, physical combo-guard who is tough and a good athlete. He be a great fit for the Hoosiers. Also, watch for Falvien Davis, who is a Milwaukee kid where Crean used to coach. He's a skilled forward who can play inside and out. Those two guys are possible impact recruits in the 2010 class for the Hoosiers.

Tommy(Memphis, TN)

Hey Reggie..Does Coach Cal and the Tigers get another top point guard in John Wall?

Reggie Rankin

  (2:58 PM)

Hey Tommy. Coach Cal is one of the most aggressive recruiters in the country. Wall could be sold on the success of Derrick Rose as well as the chance to play with Xavier Henry and possibly Tyreke Evans. Those factors make Memphis very interesting to him. The only drawback would be it's not as close to home as N.C. State and Duke. Baylor is also a factor with his Travel Team coach's brother running the basketball operations for the Bears.

Roger (FL)

Will Lance Stephenson go to Europe? if not which school has the best shot to get him?

Reggie Rankin

  (3:06 PM)

Great question Roger. I think Lance Stephenson will probably listen to the pro teams in Europe because of his aspirations to play professionally as soon as possible. I'm hesitant because of his young age living alone overseas. If he doesn't go, I see him possibly sticking around the NYC area, in particular St. John's. He would be an unbelievable get for them and someone who bring immediate attention to a program in dire need. Another possibility is USC, where he would follow the path of a similar player, O.J. Mayo. Kentucky is also a good choice, because he would be an immediate impact player in a hoop crazy area of the country where he could showcase his offensive talent right from the get go. It will certainly be interesting to see. Don't forget to watch Lance and Lincoln High battle Duncanville Thursday night at 9:30 on ESPN!

Mark (CA)

Where do you think Renardo Sidney ends up?

Reggie Rankin

  (3:11 PM)

Thanks Mark. I think Renardo will probably stay on the west coast. USC is the best bet because of his versatility makes him a great fit. Especially with coach Tim Floyd's NBA background. UCLA could also be a good choice because of what Kevin Love did in his one year there. Don't count out Arizona State as well. UNLV also provides a coach who has NBA background in addition to Floyd. One things fan should understand is that the schools that are closest to a kid get a chance to interact with a kid more and have a better chance of landing him. I think that will be the case with Sidney and we'll see him stay out west.

Jake: (KC, MO)

How does the Jayhawks recruiting class look for 2009?

Reggie Rankin

  (3:15 PM)

Well Jake, even though they missed on Xavier Henry and are still trying to persuade John Wall they've done well to land two ESPNU 100 recruits. Thomas Robinson's rebounding ability really excites head coach Bill Self. He is a very quick and athletic forward. Elijah Johnson is another quick and athletic lead guard who depends on his explosiveness around the basket. He can push the ball and finish around the rim. They're off to a good start but look for Self and his staff to land a heavy hitter come the late period.

Bob (Nashville)

What are your thoughts on Jon Jenkins at Vandy? Could he step in and play next year?

Reggie Rankin

  (3:20 PM)

Bob, I think John Jenkins is a terrific shooter and will fit perfectly in to Kevin Stallings' system. He has great size and can really stroke it. His ability to score will put him in position to play right away as long as he can learn the intricacies of the system and become better on defense. I think he'll be mentioned in the same breath as former SEC leading scorer and conference player of the year Shan Foster when it's all said and done.

Vern (SF)

Does Johnny Dawkins have any talent coming to Stanford? I'm gettng worried - the cupboard seems bare!

Reggie Rankin

  (3:27 PM)

Vern, the Cardinal are off to a good start with Andy Brown. He's a small forward with good size. I was really impressed with him over the summer. He can hit the mid-range shot. He has a good basketball I.Q. and has good touch around the basket. Dawkins will be able to develop Brown into a solid player. Coach Dawkins just needs to get himself established on the West Coast. Even though he has two west coast assistants, he needs to establish himself out there. Stanford has to identify kids with the academic standards as well so that must be considered. Come the spring I see Stanford pulling in a nice haul.

Nick (Kalamazoo, Mi)

How does Xavier Henry stack up against some of the other elite prospects in years past? Is he one of those "super elite" prospects?

Reggie Rankin

  (3:32 PM)

Good question Nick. He is most definitely a "super elite" prospect. He has all the tools and abilities to be an impact player. He's strong, he can score on drives and with his mid-range game. He can also stroke it from 3. Defensively, he's big enough to guard 2's, 3's and sometimes 4's. He's an excellent rebounder who can go coast to coast. He has a killer instinct on the court. I've personally never seen him get less than 20 points in a game and he always makes it look easy. He can have the same type of Freshman year as Kevin Love or Derrick Rose had, he's that good. If he adjusts to college like we anticipate him doing, he we will be all those things we talked about.

Reggie Rankin

  (3:40 PM)

Thanks for all your great questions, guys! Join me next week at the same time and we'll try to get to all your questions. Don't forget to watch our Old Spice High School Basketball Showcase which kicks off this Thursday with Putnam City (Oklahoma City) taking on Bishop McGuiness (Oklahoma City) on ESPNU at 7:30pm EDT followed by Lincoln (N.Y.) and star guard Lance Stephenson battling Duncanville (Texas) and Shawn Williams at 9:30pm EDT on ESPN. Thanks!