Normally, I'd wait until after the NBA Draft to post this, but because the world has gone to actual Hell in the last few months, the draft isn't happening until October and frankly, I don't want to wait that long. And because this is my blog and I can do what I want, here we are. It's been ten years since the 2010 recruiting class graduated high school, committed to the colleges of their choices, and made the next step towards the NBA. These 10 players topped the rank of ESPN's top 100 recruits, and today, I'll look at how their professional basketball careers turned out. But before I start, here are some notable players who didn't crack the top 10.
- Tim Hardaway Jr. ranked 93rd. Hardaway Jr. would commit to Michigan, playing for three seasons before declaring for the 2013 NBA Draft. Hardaway Jr. was selected with the 24th pick in the draft by the New York Knicks. He has played for Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks, and (currently) the Dallas Mavericks over seven seasons and currently holds career averages of 13.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game with shooting percentages of 42% from the field and 35% from three-point range. Hardway Jr. was also selected for the All-Rookie 1st team in 2014
- Allen Crabbe ranked 57th. Crabbe committed to California, where he'd play for three years before declaring for the 2013 NBA Draft. Crabbe was selected with the 31st pick in the draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers before being traded on draft night to the Portland Trail Blazers. Crabbe has played seven seasons in the NBA with four different teams (currently on the Minnesota Timberwolves) and currently holds career averages of 9.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game with shooting percentages of 43% from the field and 39% from three-point range.
- Meyers Leonard ranked 47th. Leonard committed to Illinois, where he'd play for two seasons before declaring for the 2012 NBA Draft. Leonard was drafted 11th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. Leonard has played for eight seasons in the NBA with the Trail Blazers and (currently) the Miami Heat and currently holds averages of 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 48% from the field and 39% from three-point range.
- Dwight Powell ranked 40th. Powell attended Stanford where he played four seasons before declaring for the 2014 NBA Draft. Powell was selected 45th overall by the Charlotte Hornets but was traded twice following the draft and ended up on the Boston Celtics. Powell has played six seasons in the NBA with the Celtics and (currently) the Dallas Mavericks and has career averages of 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 56% from the field.
- Terrence Ross ranked 30th. Ross committed to Washington and played two seasons before declaring for the 2012 NBA Draft. Ross was drafted with the 8th pick by the Toronto Raptors. Ross has played eight seasons in the NBA with both the Raptors and (currently) the Orlando Magic and holds career averages of 11 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 37% from three-point range.
- Enes Kanter ranked 25th. Kanter committed to Kentucky, but wouldn't play for the school after being declared ineligible by the NCAA over benefits he received during his time playing Fenerbahçe. Kanter declared for the 2011 NBA Draft and was selected 3rd overall by the Utah Jazz. Kanter has played nine seasons in the NBA with five different teams, currently with the Boston Celtics, and has career averages of 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field.
- Cory Joseph ranked 16th. Joesph attended Texas, playing one season before declaring for the 2011 NBA Draft. Joesph was selected 29th by the San Antonio Spurs. Joesph has played nine seasons in the NBA with four different teams, currently on the Sacramento Kings, and has career averages of 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
- Dion Waiters ranked 15th. Waiters committed to Syracuse, where he played two seasons before declaring for the 2012 NBA Draft. Waiters was selected 4th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Waiters has played eight seasons in the NBA with fourth different teams, currently on the Los Angeles Lakers, and has career averages of 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 41% from the field and 35% from three-point range. Waiters was also named to the All-Rookie 1st Team in 2013.
10. Tristan Thompson
In 2009, then junior Tristan Thompson announced that he was departing Saint Benedict's Preparatory School following a mid-game incident with his coach and his subsequent removal for the team. At the time, Thompson was considered the top recruit in the country and was viewed as someone who could make an immediate impact on whatever school landed him. That lucky school would be the now-defunct Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, where Thompson would dominate and lead the school to two National Championships in his junior and senior year. Thompson was named a McDonald's All-American and the Parade All-American second-team in his senior year before attending the University of Texas, the school he had officially committed to earlier in the year.
Thompson would have a strong showing in his freshman year with the Longhorns, averaging 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 55% from the field, winning Big 12 Freshman of the Year in the process. Initially opting to return to Texas for his sophomore year, Thompson instead decided to forego his final three years of eligibility and declared for the 2011 NBA Draft. Thompson would be selected with the 4th overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, pairing him with another member of this recruiting class we'll be getting to shortly. So far, Thompson has played all eight years of his career with the Cavaliers, currently holding career averages of 9.4 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 52% from the field. Thompson was also named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2011 and became an NBA Champion in 2016.
9. Terrence Jones
Coming out of Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon, Terrence Jones had established himself as one of high school basketball's most dominant players. By his sophomore year saw him lead the school to the first of three consecutive Oregon class 5A state championships, while his final two years would see him average 32 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks per game as a junior and 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists per game as a senior. Jones would finish his high school career with selections as a McDonald's All-American and the Parade All-American first-team.
After initially committing to the University of Washington without signing a National Letter of Intent, Jones instead signed a financial aid agreement with the University of Kentucky. Jones would have a strong freshman year with the Wildcats, which included breaking the Kentucky freshman single-game scoring record against Auburn, being named to the All-SEC first team, and the SEC All-Rookie team, and winning the SEC Rookie of the Year. Jones would return for his sophomore season, winning the National Champion along the way. Jones would forego his final two years of eligibility and declared for the 2012 NBA Draft, ending his college career with averages of 14 points and 8 rebounds per game while shooting 47% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
Jones was selected with the 18th pick by the Houston Rockets. He'd play four seasons with the Rockets, averaging 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51% from the field and 31% from three-point range. During that time, Jones would also spend time in the D-League with the Rockets' affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Jones would sign with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2016, but was released midway through the season and finished the year playing three games for the Milwaukee Bucks. Jones would spend time playing for the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association before returning to the D-League (now the G-League), playing for both the Santa Cruz Warriors and the Erie Bayhawks between 2017 and 2019 before returning to the Houston Rockets for two games, also returning to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the process. Jones' most recent stint in professional basketball saw him play for TNT Katropa of the Philippine Basketball Association in 2019, where he averaged 30.7 points and 15.4 rebounds per game and was named the Best Import of the Conference during the Commissioner's Cup.
8. Will Barton
Having attended four different high schools in five years, Will Barton was already well-traveled by the time he graduated from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire in 2010. After playing in the Jordan Brand Classic, the best-ranked shooting guard in the class committed to the University of Memphis. Barton would attend the school between 2010 and 2012 and was a standout over those two years. During his freshman year, Barton was named to the All-Conference USA third-team and the all-freshman team as a freshman while being named to the All-C-USA first-team and taking home the C-USA Player of the Year as a sophomore after leading Memphis in scoring & rebounding with 18 points and 8 rebounds per game. Barton ended his college career with averages of 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field and 30% from three-point range.
Barton declared for the 2012 NBA Draft, forgoing his final two years of eligibility, and was selected 40th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round. Barton would spend the first two and a half seasons of his career with the Blazers, playing minimal minutes and averaging 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game while shooting 39% from the field and 20% from three-point range. Barton would also spend time with the Blazers' D-League affiliate Idaho Stampede during his stint in Portland. In 2015, a midseason five-player, one-pick trade sent Barton to the Denver Nuggets, where he has played ever since and has become a starting-caliber player. Over the five and half seasons Barton has played with the Nuggets, Barton has averaged 14 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from three-point range.
7. Perry Jones
Given how brief his NBA career was, you'd be forgiven if you weren't aware of the hype surrounding Perry Jones and how he was considered a legit top-five pick in 2012. Attending Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas, Jones carved out a solid high school career for himself, which included leading the school to the Texas 5A championship game as a junior and being named a McDonald's All-American and to the Parade All-American third team as a senior. Shortly after Jones' freshman year, he committed to Baylor University. As a freshman, Jones would have a solid season despite the Bears underwhelming season, averaging 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and shooting 55% from the field. However, Jones' season ended in controversy when the NCAA ruled him ineligible due to improper benefits he received from his AAU coach. Despite that, Jones returned to Baylor for his sophomore season, averaging 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field before declaring for the 2012 NBA draft.
Once considered a top pick in the draft, Jones was projected to be a lottery selection in 2012 but fell to the 28th pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jones would play three seasons with the Thunder, averaging 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field. Jones would also spend time with the Thunder's D-League affiliate the Tulsa 66ers during his rookie season. In 2015, Jones would be traded with cash and a second-round pick to the Boston Celtics for a second-round pick but was waived before the season started. A week later, Jones was selected with the 3rd overall pick in the 2015 D-League draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves' affiliate the Iowa Energy. After a season with the Energy, Jones went overseas for a season with BC Khimki in Russia before returning to Iowa. After being signed and released by the New Orleans Pelicans, Jones would play with Iowa (who rebranded to the Wolves in 2017) until 2018. As of 2019, Jones has taken his talents to Turkey, where he currently plays for Bursaspor of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.
6. Tobias Harris
By the eighth grade, Tobias Harris had already found his way onto the varsity basketball team of Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, New York. After transferring to the cross-town Long Island Lutheran in Brookville for his junior year, Harris would transfer back to Half Hollow Hills West for his senior year, where he was named a McDonald's All-American, a Parade All-American first team member, and Mr. New York Basketball. Harris committed to the University of Tennessee, where he would play just one season and averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 46% from the field and 30% from three-point range. Harris was also named to the All-SEC second-team by the coaches and to the SEC All-Freshman first team. Harris would forego the final three years of his eligibility to declare for the 2011 NBA draft.
Harris was selected with the 19th pick in the 2011 draft by the Charlotte Bobcats, only to be sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade also involving the Sacramento Kings. Harris would spend a season and a half with the Bucks before being traded in 2013 to the Orlando Magic in a six-player trade. Harris spent about three seasons with the Magic, averaging 15.6 points and seven rebounds per game while shooting 46% from the field and 32% from three-point range, before being traded again in 2016, this time to the Detroit Pistons for Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova. Harris would spend about two seasons in Detroit before being traded yet again in 2018 to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Blake Griffin trade. That stint would last around one season's worth of games, and you can probably guess what happens next. Harris was shipped to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 as part of a six-player, four-pick trade, and Harris has played with the Sixers ever since. In total, Harris has played for five teams in just nine years while averaging 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 47% from the field and 37% from three-point range.
5. Josh Selby
Much like Will Barton from earlier in the list, Josh Selby had also bounced around from school-to-school during his high school days, eventually playing out his senior year at Lake Clifton High School in Baltimore, Maryland. As a senior, Selby dominated the competition, averaging 32 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals per game on route to being named a McDonald's All-American and to the Parade All-American second-team. After originally committing to Tennessee, which would have paired him with previous entry Tobias Harris, Selby instead opted to attend the University of Kansas. However, his season would be delayed after being suspended for nine games by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits from Carmelo Anthony's manager Robert "Bay" Frazier. Selby would finish out his freshman year with averages of 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 37% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Selby would forego his remaining three years of eligibility to declare for the 2011 NBA draft.
Selby was selected with the 49th pick in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, who he'd play with for just 38 games over two seasons, while also spending time with the Grizzlies' D-League affiliate the Reno Bighorns. Selby would be traded in 2013 as part of a four-player, one-pick trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would waive him months later without him playing a game. Selby would spend the rest of 2013 in the D-League with both the Canton Charge and the Maine Red Claws before heading overseas. Since 2013, Selby has played in China, Croatia, Israel, Turkey, South Korea, Argentina, and North Macedonia. Selby's best success has come in the Israeli League, where he is a two-time all-star in 2015 and 2017. As of 2020, Selby is playing for KK Kumanovo in the Macedonian First League, while his current career averages in the NBA are 2.2 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game while shooting 33% from the field.
4. Brandon Knight
OK...
Brandon Knight kind of has a reputation nowadays. But before he was actually murdered on live TV by DeAndre Jordan, Brandon Knight was quite possibly the best high school basketball player in the nation, and one of the best high school athletes in general. Coming out of Pine Crest High School in Coral Spring, Florida, Knight was outstanding during his final two years at the school. As a junior, Knight averaged 31.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 3.2 steals per game, while as a senior he averaged 32.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and four assists per game. Both years would see him being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, joining a class of LeBron James and Greg Oden as the only players to win the award twice. By the end of his high school career, Knight would add the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year award, two-state championships, two Mr. Florida Basketball awards, two Parade All-American team selections (one first-team as a senior and one second-team as a junior), and a McDonald's All-American selection. Knight committed to the University of Kentucky, where he continued his streak of success with the Wildcats, averaging 17.3 points, four rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and 38% from three-point range, and being named to the All-SEC first-team and the SEC All-Freshman team.
Knight would forego the remainder of his eligibility to declare for the 2011 NBA Draft, where he'd be selected 8th overall by the Detroit Pistons. Knight would play two seasons with the Pistons, earning an All-Rookie 1st Team in his first season, before being traded in 2013 with two other players to the Milwaukee Bucks for Brandon Jennings. Knight would spend a season and a half with the Bucks before being traded again, this time in 2015 to the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-team trade also involving the Philadelphia 76ers. Knight would play three seasons with the Suns, averaging 15 points and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 40% from the field and 33% from three-point range. Knight was traded once again in 2018 to the Houston Rockets in a four-player trade. After splitting time between the Rockets and the G-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Knight was traded after half a season to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade also involving the Sacramento Kings. Knight played about a season in Cleveland before being traded back to the Pistons in the Andre Drummond trade in 2020. So far, Knight has played for five different teams over eight seasons and currently holds career averages 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and four assists per game while shooting 41% from the field and 35% from three-point range.
3. Kyrie Irving
And now, unarguably the best player from this recruiting class; Kyrie Irving. After two years at Montclair Kimberley Academy where he became the school's second 1000-point scorer in history and led them to its first New Jersey Prep "B" state championship, Irving transferred to St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey, pairing him with another top high school prospect in the 2011 class' Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (see you next year.) Irving would finish out his high school career with a senior year that saw him average 24 points, five rebounds, and seven assists per game on route to a Union County Tournament championship win. Irving would graduate with a Parade All-American first-team selection and a run on the United States team that won gold at the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship. Irving committed to Duke University, but his freshman season was cut short by a toe injury nine games in, keeping him out until the NCAA Tournament, where Duke would fall in the Sweet Sixteen. Irving opted to forego his remaining years of eligibility to declare for the 2011 NBA Draft,
Despite his brief college career, Irving was selected with the 1st overall pick in the draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, pairing him with 4th overall pick and #10 prospect from this class Tristan Thompson. Irving would spend the first six years of his career with the Cavaliers, averaging 21.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field and 38% from three-point range. During that time, Irving would also be named Rookie of the Year, an all-star four-times, an All-NBA third team member selection in 2015, an All-Rookie first-team selection, and an NBA Championship victory in 2016. In 2017, Irving would demand a trade away from Cleveland, wanting to become the focal point of a team, and would be sent to the Boston Celtics in a five-player, one-pick trade. Irving would play two seasons with the Celtics, adding two more all-star selections and an All-NBA second-team selection to his resume before departing in 2019, signing with the Brooklyn Nets and joining forces with Kevin Durant. As of now, Irving holds career averages of 22.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 47% from the field and 39% from three-point range, and is currently considered one of the top point guards and players in the league.
2. Jared Sullinger
Much like Brandon Knight around this time, you'd struggle to find a high school basketball player as dominant as Jared Sullinger in 2010. Coming out of Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio, Sullinger had turned the school into a legit powerhouse by the time he was senior, where he averaged 24.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game on route to Northland becoming the #1 ranked team in the nation. Already with an Ohio Mr. Basketball award under his belt, Sullinger earned a second one his senior year, joining a then-class of three players that included high school phenoms LeBron James and OJ Mayo as the only players to win the award multiple times. Sullinger would also add the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award as a senior, along with Parade All-American first-team selection (having already earned a second-team selection as a junior) and a McDonald's All-American selection.
Having committed following his freshman season, Sullinger attended THE Ohio State University (yes, I still have to do that), where he had a strong freshman year, averaging 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 54% from the field. Sullinger's freshman year would end with many accolades, including the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and subsequent Big Ten All-Freshman team selection, the USBWA National Freshman of the Year award, and All-Big Ten and consensus All-American first-team selections. Sullinger would return for his sophomore season with the Buckeyes, averaging 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field on route to leading OSU to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Sullinger would again be named to the All-Big Ten and consensus All-American first teams. Sullinger would forego his final two years of eligibility to declare for the 2012 NBA draft.
Despite being projected as a lottery pick, back issues caused Sullinger to drop to the 21st pick in the draft by the Boston Celtics. Sullinger would play four years with the Celtics, averaging 11.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field. The Celtics would withdraw a qualifying offer for Sullinger in 2016, allowing Sullinger to sign with the Toronto Raptors in free agency. Due to a foot injury, Sullinger would only play 11 games in The Six, also spending time with the team's D-League affiliate the Raptors 905, before being traded that season to the Phoenix Suns with two second-round picks for PJ Tucker. Sullinger would be waived a day later. His most recent stint in professional basketball saw him playing in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Shenzhen Aviators, where he led the league in rebounding in 2018
1. Harrison Barnes
Heavily considered the top high school player in the nation, Harrison Barnes was a force to be reckoned with. Attending Ames High School in Ames, Iowa, and teamed up with future NBA player Doug McDermott, Barnes led the school to two-straight undefeated seasons, earning two Iowa 4A state championships in the process. In his senior year, Barnes would average 27.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, four assists, and four assists per game, and was named Mr. Basketball USA, Iowa Mr. Basketball, a McDonald's All-American, and a Parade All-American first-team member (having already been named to the second-team as a junior.) Barnes committed to the University of North Carolina, averaging 15.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 34% from three-point range. Barnes would also be named ACC Rookie of the Year and was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and the All-ACC second-team. In his sophomore year, Barnes would continue to impress, averaging 17.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from three-point range and being named to the All-American second-team and the All-ACC first-team. Barnes declared for the 2012 NBA draft, forgoing his final two years of eligibility.
Barnes was selected with the 7th pick in the 2012 draft by the Golden State Warriors. Barnes would play four seasons with the Warriors, averaging 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range, earning an All-Rookie first-team selection in 2013 and an NBA Championship ring in 2015. Barnes departed the Warriors through free agency in 2016, signing with the Dallas Mavericks, where he'd begin to break out, averaging 18.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field and 37% from three-point range. Barnes would play two and a half seasons with the Mavericks until 2019 when he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph, and he has played there ever since. Barnes currently holds career averages of 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the field and 38% from three-point range.
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