Storylines to watch during Jordan Classic 

The 2012 Jordan Brand Classic is loaded. When I say loaded, I mean L-O-A-D-E-D. There isn’t another all-star game that can boast eight of the top 10 players in the ESPNU 100, highlighted by newly minted commitments Nerlens Noel (Everett, Mass./Tilton) and Shabazz Muhammad (Las Vegas/Bishop Gorman).

Noel wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American because of the timing of his reclassification. Neither was Kaleb Tarczewski (Claremont, N.H./St. Mark’s) or Steven Adams (New Zealand/Notre Dame Prep). Tarczewski was a fifth-year player and Adams was ineligible for the game. On Saturday, they’ll be on the same floor with their peer group and it should be a bumper car ride for bigs in the paint.

Here are some storylines to pay attention to Saturday (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET):

• Temper your expectations for the point guards. Marcus Paige (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Marr) is out with an injury and the 2012 group hasn’t shown well in all-star settings so far this season.
• Gary Harris (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton SE) is not an all-star guy. Having said that, he’s got more in his bag of tricks than what he showed at the McDonald’s game. I anticipate he comes out firing.

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