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ESPN.com: Dave Telep Blog

Friday, February 15, 2013
Cleaning out the notebook

By Dave Telep

This week’s Friday notebook includes a continuation of the Aaron Gordon/Blake Griffin comparison, how Kentucky’s recruiting class made history again, which underclassmen visited Duke and Michigan State and much more recruiting news.

More Gordon vs. Griffin comparisons

We’ve hit on this topic before, but in doing research for ESPNU’s Recruiting Nation show I had a chance to speak with Duke assistant Jeff Capel. Capel was the head coach at Oklahoma when the Sooners signed Blake Griffin and he shared an interesting nugget.

Though Blake Griffin was rated only in the No. 16-18 range as a high school recruit, he had a chip on his shoulder. Driving Griffin was what Capel referred to as “second-brother syndrome.” Blake’s older brother, Taylor, received his share of attention and Blake was motivated to prove his value.


	ESPN 100 power forward Aaron Gordon has been compared to Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin.

Class of 2013 stud Aaron Gordon, like Blake Griffin, is also a No. 2 child. Older brother Drew Gordon (who played at UCLA and New Mexico) went through the recruiting process and you can speculate that his success is a motivator for Aaron just as it was for Blake a few years back.

Aaron Gordon is now ranked No. 4 in the 2013 class after our latest rankings update this week. Blake Griffin, meanwhile, finished No. 18 in the exceptionally strong 2007 group. But check out some of the Class of 2007 players ranked ahead of Griffin who also were draft picks: Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, O.J. Mayo, Kyle Singler, Derrick Rose, Nolan Smith, Michael Beasley, Patrick Patterson, Kosta Koufos, Cole Aldrich, James Hickson and Donte Greene.

Wow. Now that’s a big-time senior class.

Kentucky’s recruiting class makes history ... again

For the first time in McDonald’s All American Game history, a college program has five recruits in a single game. Kentucky’s quintet of Andrew Harrison, Aaron Harrison, James Young, Marcus Lee and Dakari Johnson trumps the four from Michigan in 1991 (Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard and Jimmy King), Duke in 1999 (Jay Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy and Casey Sanders) and Kentucky in 2011 (Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague and Kyle Wiltjer).

The Wildcats are also still on the final lists of No. 1 recruit Andrew Wiggins, No. 3 Julius Randle and No. 4 Gordon. However, they’re in a position they rarely occupy in recruiting battles these days: At the present moment, Kentucky is not the favorite for any of the three, and it’s plausible they miss on all three targets.

ESPN 100 breakdown

Here are some interesting facts and figures related to the updated ESPN 100 player rankings released earlier this week. (Thanks to ESPNU researchers Jonathan McDonald and Mackenzie Kraemer for tracking these down.)

• There are only five undecided players left: Wiggins, Randle, Gordon, Rysheed Jordan and Keith Frazier.

• Eight of the top 14 prospects are headed to SEC schools, with four to Kentucky, two to Florida, one to LSU and one to Arkansas.

• 25 teams have multiple ESPN 100 commits.

• 10 teams have at least three ESPN 100 commits.

• Eight teams from non-Power Six conferences have commits: UTEP, BYU, UNLV, UC Irvine, San Diego State, Xavier, St. Joseph’s and Rhode Island.


	Freshman power forward Harry Giles is an elite talent and already attracting plenty of interest from coaches.

North Carolina underclassmen visit Duke

Even though these guys are pure national-level recruits, living on Tobacco Road will force them to make big decisions. Can small forward Theo Pinson (2014) and power forward Harry Giles (2016) pass up the opportunity to play for Duke, North Carolina or NC State?

On Wednesday night, Giles and Pinson were in the crowd as North Carolina visited Duke. They’ve both been to NC State as well.

The recruiting analyst in me always wonders who these guys are secretly pulling for. In this case, they’re guests of Duke, which for a teenager to be front and center for this rivalry has to be amazing. But what goes through the mind of a kid in this situation? I’m sure many are in the moment, excited for the opportunity.

However, for every player who feels that way, I’m willing to be there’s another who has a favorite he keeps close to his vest. Wouldn’t it be cool to know?

Underclassmen watch Spartans hammer Wolverines

One of the forgotten parts of Rivalry Week is the impact it can have on recruiting.

During the Michigan-Michigan State game earlier this week, Sparty invited a handful of key recruits and potential underclass prospects. The centerpiece invitee was 2014 top 10 recruit Cliff Alexander. Sophomore Eric Davis was there, too, and other 2015 prospects included point guard Hyron Edwards, guard Davon Dillard and power forward Trevor Manuel. Junior wing A.J. Turner and in-state freshman guard Cassius Winston were also in the crowd.

Senior notes

• Georgia Tech nabbed New Hampton School (N.H.) point guard Travis Jorgenson earlier this week. The Yellow Jackets sought leadership and direction from this position. Jorgenson, a one-time Missouri pledge, made big strides this season. “His passing ability makes others around him better,” said L.J. Goolsby, Jorgenson’s AAU coach. “Very creative for his size. I love his competitive fire.”

• Last Sunday, during the Chester (Pa.) vs. Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) game on ESPN2, I interviewed Vaux Roberts (Pa.) point guard Rysheed Jordan. Despite having been around him before, for whatever reason it was the first time I was taken by his height. This kid is a legit 6-foot-4. Regarding his rise in the rankings from outside the top 50 to No. 22, he’s made strides with the command of his position and his senior year has trumped what I’d term a subpar summer.

• Last Friday I got a chance to watch UNC-bound All-American power forward Isaiah Hicks, who had 17 points, seven rebounds and six blocks in the game. In terms of power forwards in the senior class, you could argue he has one of the highest ceilings. Hicks owns a smooth perimeter stroke, but he needs a college strength program to empower him in the lane and unlock that facet of his game.

• To quote Frank Sinatra, “Regrets, I have a few.” If given the chance to do it over, the last guy omitted from our ESPN 100, Syracuse-bound small forward B.J. Johnson, would have a spot. He’s had a good year, is young for his class and is a late bloomer. He was a tough final cut and, in retrospect, I wish we’d have been able to find a spot for him.

Junior notes

• Junior guard Anton Beard took to Twitter to announce he’s no longer committed to Missouri. I’ll give you a sleeper school: UMass.

• We slid shot blocker Goodluck Okonoboh into the top 20 of the 2014 class for one reason: defense. He’s not a good shot blocker, he’s a great shot blocker, and Okonoboh has the talent to be a game-changing swatter. Next up: He needs to develop one go-to post move before arriving in college. Missouri, Syracuse and Maryland are reportedly all over the kid.

• Devin Booker’s season ended prematurely in the state playoffs. Booker is the object of a nationwide recruitment at the highest level; Hall of Famers want him. Duke, Florida, Missouri (his dad played there), Michigan State, North Carolina, Stanford, Michigan and LSU are coming strong. “Most have been here multiple times,” Booker said. As far as head coaches working him the hardest, Booker texted: “Tough one. (Tom) Izzo has been putting in work lately and been down. (John) Beilein brought all three (coaches) to one game. (Frank) Haith’s been down. Communicate with Coach K everyday.” Booker’s mom lives in Michigan and his father lives in Mississippi.