College basketball recruiting roundup: Jayson Tatum, Brandon Ingram and Diamond Stone trim their lists

One of the best prospects in the loaded class of 2016 gave the first hint at where he might be playing college basketball two years from now. Jayson Tatum, a 6’8 ball-handling wing out of St. Louis, released his top 10 on Monday. It included the typical mix of blue-blood programs, a few schools close to home and, somewhat surprisingly, Wake Forest.

Tatum was the United States’ third-leading scorer (11.3 points per game) on the U17 team that just went 7-0 on its way to gold at the FIBA World Championship. He’s currently ranked No. 4 in his class by Rivals, but he’s also over a year younger than some of his peers at the top of the rankings. While Josh Jackson, a wing from Detroit, and 7-footer Thon Maker will turn 18 years old in February, Tatum won’t turn 17 years old until March.

Tatum’s resume is even more impressive when compared to his relatively young age against the rest of the class’ elite talent. Every scouting report notes Tatum’s remarkable feel for the game and passing ability, traits that often allow him to handle the ball even if he’s already blessed with prototypical size for an NBA wing. That sort of versatility on both sides of the ball has some thinking Tatum could be the best prospect in high school basketball. Of course, it all depends on who you ask.

Why did Wake Forest make the cut? For one, the Demon Deacons have been in on him for a while. Tatum would likely only go there in the event that North Carolina native Harry Giles, another top player in 2016, does too, and the pair decides they want to play together.

Few incoming high school seniors did more this summer to solidify their place among the class’ very best players than Brandon Ingram. How good was he? The 6’8 wing even had NBA scouts comparing him to Kevin Durant.

Ingram is tall, skinny and can make it rain from three-point territory, but that’s about where the comparisons to Durant (who was a monster high school prospect in his own right) end. Still, there aren’t many shooters on the board in the class of 2015, which makes Ingram’s skill set even more appealing.

Ingram has already visited UCLA, Duke and UNC, and will be at Kansas and Kentucky in October. Because he’s from North Carolina, most have posited Ingram will stay in-state, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him eventually land at Kentucky. The Wildcats have just one commitment so far in the class of 2015 (from Chicago shooting guard Charles Matthews), and you know John Calipari is only getting started.

The big man from Milwaukee has already said he’ll be announcing his college decision on Nov. 12. Now we know the five schools he’ll be choosing between:

You’ll see that list doesn’t include Kentucky, a school that has been after Stone for a while. The other interesting bit here: only UConn would leave open the possibility of a packaged deal with another top player in the class of 2015, guard Malik Newman.

Newman and Stone were the top two leading scorers for the United States’ U17 team in the FIBA World Championship. There’s plenty on the line here.

Diamond Stone isn’t the only talented big man in the state of Wisconsin. Ellenson is a top-10 prospect in the class of 2015, and over the weekend he announced he’ll choose between Marquette, Kentucky and Michigan State. That means Wisconsin, Duke, North Carolina and plenty of others are officially out of the mix.

Ellenson has dropped 30 pounds over the last two years, but still displays good strength on the interior at 6’10, 231 pounds. His shooting touch from the outside, which extends to three-point range, is what sets him apart. Each of the three schools left would offer him something different.

At Marquette, he’d be the first big-time pickup for new coach Steve Wojciechowski, and a great way for the Golden Eagles to transition out of the Buzz Williams era. Marquette has to be considered the favorite after picking up his older brother Wally as a transfer from Minnesota this summer.

Michigan State is interesting because Tom Izzo’s team is about to enter the season without many big men. Ellenson could conceivably start from day one next to fellow class of 2015 commit Deyonta Davis. Kentucky is Kentucky, and therefore can never be counted out.

Bragg is an athletic 6’9, 220-pound power forward out of Cleveland who’s had just about every school in the country after him (his ESPN page lists 26 offers). He’s arguably the best athlete out of any big man in the class of 2015. Whether he’s putting an exclamation mark after an offensive rebound or running the floor in transition for a dunk, Bragg has a flashy game that routinely sees him finishing above the rim.

Arizona is thought to be a long shot here and Kentucky is considered the favorite, but Illinois and UCLA have to feel good about outlasting so many schools to crack the top five.