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http://www.cnn.com/si/2006/highschool/07/02/topfive.players/index.html?cnn=yes
The top five seniors in high school hoops next season
1. O.J. Mayo, PG, North College Hill (Cincinnati): Because he's the most exhilarating baller to come through the high school ranks since LeBron James, Mayo is constantly compared with King James. But truthfully, Mayo plays more like Dwyane Wade incarnate. Mayo can score as well as anybody in the nation, but it's his breathtaking passes, hoops IQ and athleticism that have college coaches across the country eyeing him as a potential program savior. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Mayo averaged 28.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and five assists a game as a junior to lead North College Hill to its second consecutive state title.
2. Michael Beasley, SF, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.): Beasley, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound beast who averaged 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and three blocks a game as a junior, has the talent to make an impact in The League right now. Quite possibly the most versatile prep baller in the country, he can play anywhere on the floor. Beasley has the size to dominate down low, the sweet left-handed jumper to score from outside and the explosiveness to take it to the hole. He was a likely candidate to skip college for the NBA before David Stern's age minimum came to be. Now Kansas State is the front-runner to land him.
3. Kevin Love, PF, Lake Oswego (Ore.): He's not there quite yet, but Love has the potential to go down as the best player from this high school class. Yeah, he's that good. Love has always had the size and skill to dominate his peers, but he recently grew into his massive 6-foot-9, 260-pound frame. Now he has become an absolute terror on both ends of the floor with his versatility and toughness inside. Love averaged 29 points and 17 rebounds last year, but he's also known for his ability to pass out of double teams in the post. He has pretty much narrowed his college choice to North Carolina or UCLA.
4. Bill Walker, SF, North College Hill (Cincinnati): Walker is talented enough to be higher on this list, but playing alongside a phenom like Mayo has caused the Dominique Wilkins clone to be a bit overshadowed. Still, Walker's insane athleticism is impossible to ignore. Walker, a 6-foot-6, 222-pound bundle of energy who's undoubtedly the illest dunker in high school hoops, averaged 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds as a junior. Though he is without a doubt a pure slasher, the rest of his game is developing rapidly and he's relying less and less on sheer athleticism. If he develops an outside shot, watch out.
5. Derrick Rose, PG, Simeon (Chicago): Rose's ascension into the top five of his class has been slow and steady. And now that he's arrived, he's not planning on going anywhere. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Rose is a legitimate pass-first point guard who runs an offense with aplomb. However, he has the instinct and skill to become a cold-blooded assassin who can score from anywhere when the time calls for it. He averaged 16 points, seven boards and seven assists as a junior. Rose gets the nod over Indiana guard Eric Gordon and Oregon forward Kyle Singler for the last spot in the top five.
The top five seniors in high school hoops next season
1. O.J. Mayo, PG, North College Hill (Cincinnati): Because he's the most exhilarating baller to come through the high school ranks since LeBron James, Mayo is constantly compared with King James. But truthfully, Mayo plays more like Dwyane Wade incarnate. Mayo can score as well as anybody in the nation, but it's his breathtaking passes, hoops IQ and athleticism that have college coaches across the country eyeing him as a potential program savior. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Mayo averaged 28.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and five assists a game as a junior to lead North College Hill to its second consecutive state title.
2. Michael Beasley, SF, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.): Beasley, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound beast who averaged 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and three blocks a game as a junior, has the talent to make an impact in The League right now. Quite possibly the most versatile prep baller in the country, he can play anywhere on the floor. Beasley has the size to dominate down low, the sweet left-handed jumper to score from outside and the explosiveness to take it to the hole. He was a likely candidate to skip college for the NBA before David Stern's age minimum came to be. Now Kansas State is the front-runner to land him.
3. Kevin Love, PF, Lake Oswego (Ore.): He's not there quite yet, but Love has the potential to go down as the best player from this high school class. Yeah, he's that good. Love has always had the size and skill to dominate his peers, but he recently grew into his massive 6-foot-9, 260-pound frame. Now he has become an absolute terror on both ends of the floor with his versatility and toughness inside. Love averaged 29 points and 17 rebounds last year, but he's also known for his ability to pass out of double teams in the post. He has pretty much narrowed his college choice to North Carolina or UCLA.
4. Bill Walker, SF, North College Hill (Cincinnati): Walker is talented enough to be higher on this list, but playing alongside a phenom like Mayo has caused the Dominique Wilkins clone to be a bit overshadowed. Still, Walker's insane athleticism is impossible to ignore. Walker, a 6-foot-6, 222-pound bundle of energy who's undoubtedly the illest dunker in high school hoops, averaged 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds as a junior. Though he is without a doubt a pure slasher, the rest of his game is developing rapidly and he's relying less and less on sheer athleticism. If he develops an outside shot, watch out.
5. Derrick Rose, PG, Simeon (Chicago): Rose's ascension into the top five of his class has been slow and steady. And now that he's arrived, he's not planning on going anywhere. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Rose is a legitimate pass-first point guard who runs an offense with aplomb. However, he has the instinct and skill to become a cold-blooded assassin who can score from anywhere when the time calls for it. He averaged 16 points, seven boards and seven assists as a junior. Rose gets the nod over Indiana guard Eric Gordon and Oregon forward Kyle Singler for the last spot in the top five.
