Bama recruiting review...

The Tide enjoys top five class...

     When any team has the success that Alabama has had signing great players expectations are going to be sky high. Let's all take a deep breath and think about Grant's recruits and put them into perspective.  Let's talk about them as individuals and then speculate how coach can plug them into his team for next season. We should all remember that all the recruits have never played Divison 1 basketball.

1. I cannot provide you any information about our latest recruit. I've tried. I even called a couple of my clients who play ball in Europe. Sorry to not be able to tell you more.

Trevor Lacey: This is the public bell cow of the class. The 6-3 combo guard out of Butler High School garnered his fifth star in Rivals, but stayed a four in Scout. It is hard to think of a shooting guard that is better than Trevor anywhere in the Country. He is two-time Mr. Basketball. Last player to do that? Ronald Steele was the man, and Trevor is certainly in his category. So what does he do best? He can knock down more three pointers than the entire Alabama team made last season. The implies he can learn to play defense so he has a chance to shoot them under Grant's strict system. He will. He has a good work ethic, and has outstanding character. Jack Doss who is the best high school coach I've ever seen calls him the best player he has ever coached. Imagine a 55% three point shooter playing with Releford. That is going to be drive and dish marathon this upcoming season for Alabama. He will play early, might start, and could be one of the most memorable scorers to ever be recruited. He is strong. He has court sense. Great court sense.  I'd score him a 10/10 and not blink an eye. Strong point - Great shooter with unlimited range. Great offensive talent who can also drive to the basket. Question to be answered:  This is a new offensive scheme for Lacey. It will be interesting to see if Grant tries to install more outside picks to free him up. Bama's motion offense is based on getting the outside shooter open with ball movement.

Levi Randolph: Here is the question of the year in Huntsville? Who's better - Lacey or Randolph.  I don't know. They are that close. Randolph is a better all around player than Lacey and that says a lot. Whether he can have an instant impact like I expect Lacey to do is a good question. He's 6-5 and is long. He does everything very well. He has no weak points in his game. He can jump over the rim. He can knock down threes, and slash to the basket. Honestly, he has no apparent problems other than where to play him? I think he'll be a two, but can also play the small forward as well. Yes, he can play the point as well. I rate him 10/10 and believe he has more upside than Lacey. If he were a golfer I'd compare him with Nicklaus. He isn't the greatest player at anything, but he does everything so well, the sum of his game is outstanding. He has court sense, and is very intelligent.  His work ethic is good. He and Lacey are good friends. They will give one another an instant support group. He is as impressive as an all around player we will see.  If you were playing half court and got first pick you'd probably take Randolph over Lacey.  That is a lot to say: Strenght: Has no  real weakness. Is a winner. He's go to guy, and he is going to be a great defensive basketball player.  Question to be answered: His all around talent may keep him out of the starting lineup. What a great problem for Grant to have.

Rodney Cooper:  The Rodney Dangerfield of the Class. Rodney may very well get the last laugh. He is 6-6 and plays long. He is the best outside shooter I've ever seen. He has no conscious in shooting.  Any shot he takes is a good one. He is also going to be a great defensive player. You have to man up with him on the perimeter, and then he'll beat you to the basket. He probably improved more in one season than any player I have ever personally seen. He is the absolute steal of the nation. Finally got some recognition at the very end of the season. He is calm and collected. Would be a great player to take a final shot to win a game. Like Randolph,  he deserved to ranked higher. If he weighed a little more he'd be a five. If he was stronger he'd weigh more. The weight room might make him an All-American. I can't imagein he won't be an All-SEC player. Plug him and Lacey into the same line up and JayMicheal Green is going to shoot a lot of layups and Releford will get 10 assists a game. When Cooper is on the floor there will never be any defensive balance. That is quite a compliment for a kid that started out with three stars. I'm telling you this kid is going to bloom. 9/10. Strenghts:  He's a deadly shooter with unlimited range. Question to be answered: How quickly can he gain weight and bulk up?

Part two latet this week.