ESPN Announces 2017 Rankings
ESPN announced their updated rankings in the class of 2017 on Tuesday, expanding from the ESPN 60 to the ESPN 100 heading into the summer months.
New England was well represented on the list as usual.
Putnam Science Academy guard Hamidou Diallo, who runs with the New York Rens on the EYBL circuit, was the first local name to come up on the list as 12th overall prospect in the country. One of the truly elite athletes in the country, Diallo has had some moments of sheer brilliance this spring for the Rens and will lead them into the EYBL Finals next month at the Peach Jam.
Tremont Waters and Makai Ashton-Langford continue to battle it out for the title of New England's best point guard and currently sit 31st and 32nd overall in the national rankings. Waters had a tremendous first session of the EYBL season and ended up scoring offers from the likes of Duke, Kentucky and Kansas in the process while leading Expressions to a spot in the Peach Jam field as well. Ashton-Langford has been arguably the best point guard on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit this summer and led the Rivals to a spot in the Gauntlet Finals during the first week of the July evaluation period.
Jermaine Samuels and Kimani Lawrence, longtime teammates with Expressions Elite, sit side-by-side at 59 and 60. Samuels has evolved into the emotional leader of this year's Expressions' team in many regards while the progression of Lawrence's skill set has him playing the best basketball of his career. Both hold numerous high-major offers at this point.
Vermont Academy forward Christian David checks in at 82nd on the list. The Canadian native has been out of the line-up all spring since tearing his ACL in the Class AA finals but was already an early high-major target with his perimeter size, I.Q. and three-point range.
ESPN is expected to release their ESPN 60 in the class of 2018 on Wednesday and their ESPN 25 in the class of 2019 on Thursday.
Click here to see the entire ESPN 100.
Makai Ashton-Langford
Jermaine Samuels
Kimani Lawrence
Tremont Waters
Hamidou Diallo
Christian David