Terps Basketball Recruits: Who to Watch

As the Terps basketball team looks to rebuild, fans are wondering who the team’s recruits are. Here’s a look at some of the top prospects

Top recruits

As the Terrapins look to the 2020-21 season, here are some of the top recruits they will be watching.

Josh Taylor
The 6-foot-7-inch small forward from Virginia is one of the top recruits in the country. He is a versatile player who can shoot from long range and put the ball on the floor. He has good size and strength and is an excellent rebounder.

Jason Gibson
The 6-foot-8-inch Power Forward from Maryland is a big body who can bang down low and score in the paint. He is a good rebounder and shot blocker, and he has the potential to develop into a very good player

Will Simms
The 6-foot-9-inch center from Virginia is a big, strong, physical player who can block shots and score in the post. He needs to improve his footwork and conditioning, but he has the potential to be a very good player.

Who to watch

As the Terps begin their 2019-20 Basketball Recruiting season, here are five recruits to keep an eye on.

1. Jalen Duren – The five-star center from Pennsylvania is ranked No. 9 in the ESPN 100 for the class of 2020 and is the highest-ranked player Maryland has ever signed. He’s a 6-foot-10, 245-pounder who can do it all on the court, and he’ll be a key piece in the Terps’ frontcourt for years to come.

2. Aaron Wiggins – Wiggins is a four-star wing from Baltimore who is ranked No. 46 in the ESPN 100 for 2020. He’s a 6-foot-6, 190-pounder who can shoot and score, and he’ll be a big part of Maryland’s offense next season.

3. Hakim Hart – Hart is a four-star point guard from Washington, D.C., who is ranked No. 64 in the ESPN 100 for 2020. He’s a 6-foot-3, 170-pounder who has great vision and passing ability, and he’ll be a solid ballhandler for the Terps next season.

4. Donta Scott – Scott is a four-star forward from Baltimore who is ranked No. 69 in the ESPN 100 for 2020. He’s a 6-foot-7, 210-pounder who can score inside and out, and he’ll be a key player in Maryland’s frontcourt next season.

5. Marcus Baber – Baber is a three star shooting guard from Virginia who is not ranked in the ESPN 100 but is still considered one of the top recruits in Maryland’s class. He’s a 6-foot-4, 185 pounder with great shooting range, and he’ll be an important piece of Maryland’s offense next season.

Under the radar

While most of the attention during the recruiting season is focused on the top-ranked players in the country, there are always a few diamonds in the rough who fly under the radar. Here are a few players who may not be household names yet, but who have a chance to make a big impact at the collegiate level.

[Player 1]
A 6’10” center from [hometown], [Player 1] was a key member of his team’s state championship run last year. He has a nice touch around the basket and is an excellent rebounder. With some work on his conditioning, he has a chance to be a very good college player.

[Player 2]
A 6’5″ wing from [hometown], [Player 2] is an explosive athlete with a high motor. He’s still raw offensively, but he has the potential to be a lockdown defender at the college level. If he can develop his outside shot, he could be a very good player.

[Player 3]
A 6’3″ point guard from [hometown], [Player 3] is a true floor general with excellent vision and court awareness. He’s not the biggest or strongest player but he uses his quickness and intelligence to compensate. He needs to work on his outside shot, but he has the potential to be a very good college point guard

Local talent

There is no shortage of local talent on the Terps Basketball team With players like Kevin Huerter Anthony Cowan Jr., and Bruno Fernando, the team is poised for a great season. But who are the other local recruits that fans should keep an eye on?

Darryl Morsell is a 6’5″ shooting guard from Baltimore, Maryland. Morsell played his High School basketball at Mount Saint Joseph high school where he was a four-star recruit. He was ranked as the No. 33 player in the class of 2017 by ESPN. Morsell chose to play his college basketball for the University of Maryland where he has been a key player for the team.

Jalen Smith is a 6’10” power forward from Baltimore, Maryland. Smith played his high school basketball at Mount Saint Joseph high school where he was also a four-star recruit. He was ranked as the No. 33 player in the class of 2018 by ESPN. Smith chose to play his college basketball for the University of Maryland where he has been a key player for the team.

Eric Ayala is a 6’5″ shooting guard from Wilmington, Delaware. Ayala played his high school basketball at St. Benedict’s Prep, where he was a four-star recruit. He was ranked as the No. 44 player in the class of 2017 by ESPN. Ayala chose to play his College Basketball for the University of Maryland where he has been a key player for the team.

Aaron Wiggins is a 6’6″ small forward from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Wiggins played his high school basketball at DeMatha Catholic high school where he was a four-star recruit. He was ranked as the No. 32 player in the class of 2018 by ESPN. Wiggins chose to play his College Basketball for the University of Maryland, where he has been a key player for the team

National standouts

In recent years the Terps have landed some of the top recruits in the country. Here are a few players to keep an eye on:

Jalen Smith
A 6-foot-10 forward from Baltimore, Smith is one of the top recruits in the country. He’s ranked No. 10 in the ESPN 100 and is considered a five-star recruit. Smith has narrowed his list of schools to Maryland, Notre Dame Ohio State and Villanova.

Ibi Watson
Watson is a 6-foot-5 guard from Pickerington, Ohio. He’s ranked No. 54 in the ESPN 100 and is considered a four-star recruit. Watson has already taken an official visit to Maryland and is also considering Butler, Georgetown, and Purdue.

Donta Scott
Scott is a 6-foot-7 forward from Philadelphia. He’s ranked No. 70 in the ESPN 100 and is considered a four-star recruit. Scott has already taken an official visit to Maryland and is also considering Temple and Xavier.

5-star prospects

5-star prospects
There are a handful of 5-Star Prospects in the Terps’ recruiting class including PG Josh Sharkey, C Vernon Carey Jr., and SF Jaden McDaniels. All three players are ranked in the top 10 of their respective positions by 247Sports.

4-star prospects

There are a lot of talented players in the class of 2019, but these four-star prospects stand out from the pack. All of them have the potential to make an immediate impact on the Terps basketball team

· FS De’Andre Hunter: A versatile player who can shoot and defend, Hunter is one of the most complete prospects in the class. He’s got a great understanding of the game and should be able to contribute right away.

· SG Aaron Wiggins: Wiggins is an explosive athlete with a high motor. He can score in a variety of ways and is also a very good defender. Wiggins has all the tools to be a star at the next level.

· PG Mark McLaughlin: McLaughlin is a true point guard who excels at running the show. He’s a gifted playmaker with great vision and should be able to help organize the Terps offense.

· PF Jalen Smith Smith is a physical post presence with a nice touch around the basket. He’s a good rebounder and shot-blocker who should give the Terps some much-needed frontcourt depth.

3-star prospects

As the Terps’ incoming class looks to be mostly set, we now turn our attention to next year’s potential class. Here are three 3-star prospects who have Maryland in their top ten that the Coaching Staff will be surely be watching closely over the next year.

ayo-Dosunmu, a 6’5″ guard from Chicago, is currently the No. 2 point guard in the country and the No. 9 player overall in the 247Sports Composite for the Class of 2019. He recently named Maryland in his top-10, alongside Illinois, Iowa State Kansas, Louisville, Miami, Stanford, UCLA and Xavier. Dosunmu is considered a strong all-around guard that can play both on and off the ball.

Another player to keep an eye on is 6’7″ small forward Jalen Lecque from Brewster Academy (NH). Lecque is currently rated as the No. 4 athlete and the No. 44 player overall in the 247Sports Composite for 2019. He recently named Maryland in his top-10 list of schools, which also includes Arizona State Duke, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma State TCU and UNC. Lecque is an explosive athlete that could be a difference maker on both ends of the floor at the next level.

The third player on this list is big man Hunter Dickinson from DeMatha Catholic (MD). The 7-footer is currently ranked as the No. 11 center and the No. 101 player overall in 2019 by 247Sports Composite Rankings He has yet to name a list of schools but has received interest from many high major programs including Maryland, Villanova and Virginia Tech among others. Dickinson has Good footwork and touch around the basket and has continued to improve each year he’s been at DeMatha.

2-star prospects

Most basketball recruits are rated on a 5-star scale, but there are always a few 2-star prospects who end up becoming key contributors for their team. Here are a few 2-star prospects who could make an impact for the Terps this season:

1. J.T. Toadvine – A 6’4″ guard from Baltimore, Toadvine is a strong perimeter shooter who has the ability to drive to the basket and finish in traffic. He’s not the quickest player, but he has good size and strength and should be able to contribute right away.

2. Mikey Dixon – A 6’0″ point guard from Philadelphia, Dixon is a quick and shifty player with good handles and vision. He lacks size, but he makes up for it with his high energy level and ability to make plays for others.

3. Kendell Smith – A 6’7″ forward from Washington, D.C., Smith is a versatile player who can play both inside and out. He’s not the most athletic player, but he has a High Basketball IQ and can shoot the ball well from beyond the arc.

1-star prospects

While 5-star recruits get most of the attention, 1-star prospects are often the ones that make the biggest impact on a team. Here are some 1-star recruits to keep an eye on for the upcoming season

-Raymond Johnson: A 6’8″ forward from Maryland, Johnson is a raw but gifted prospect with a lot of potential. He’s been compared to Kevin Durant and if he can develop his game, he has the chance to be a special player.

-Mario Kegler: A 6’7″ swingman from Mississippi, Kegler is an athletic freak who can play both ends of the floor. He’s a little raw offensively, but he has the potential to be a lockdown defender at the next level.

-Dwayne Bacon: A 6’6″ guard from Florida, Bacon is an explosive scorer who can get hot in a hurry. He’s been compared to Dwyane Wade and if he can develop his all-around game, he has the chance to be a star.