When Rutgers freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey arrived on campus as the two highest-ranked recruits in program history, there was Prompt optimism that the Scarlet Knights could not only reach the NCAA Event for the third time this century. High-end projections had them making a Streak deep into March behind two potential top-five NBA Draft picks.
At 15-17 and projected well outside the bubble, Rutgers’ Event hopes were dashed Upcoming a 97-89 loss to USC in the Big Ten Event on Wednesday, putting the Closing touches on one of the biggest what-ifs of the one-and-done era. Lots of Clubs with top picks have missed the NCAA Event over the years. Recent examples include LSU with Ben Simmons, Washington with Markelle Fultz and Georgia with Anthony Edwards (there was no NCAA Event in 2020, but the Bulldogs would have been left out had it taken place).
Ten Clubs in the modern recruiting era have landed two high school prospects ranked in the top five of their respective class. Nine of those squads reached the NCAA Event (Duke’s 2024-25 Club is the other). Kentucky scored two in John Calipari’s Closing year with the program last season and lost in the Primary Stage of the Big Dance.
Harper and Bailey were both fantastic individually this season, and their draft stock Kept firm despite the Club’s lack of Secure. However, the talent around the superstar duo wasn’t enough, as Rutgers finished 15-17 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten Action.
Behind Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, Duke could become only the second program in the modern recruiting era — after Kentucky — to Achieve a national Bracket with two top-five recruits.
With Duke Yet in action, here’s how the other Clubs that signed two top-five prospects finished their respective seasons.
Rutgers (2024)
Rutgers debuted at the bottom of the preseason AP Top 25 poll but quickly fell out for Excellent Upcoming a loss to Kennesaw State in its fifth game. The Scarlet Knights lost three of their Upcoming four and struggled to find a rhythm against Big Ten Game. Rutgers went 4-13 against Quad 1 opponents, with the wins coming against UCLA, Nebraska, Northwestern and Illinois. When it’s all said and done, this season will be remembered as a massive “what if” because the likelihood of two of the top three ranked players in the same recruiting cycle enrolling at Rutgers again seems unlikely.
Kentucky (2023)
John Calipari’s Closing recruiting haul at Kentucky ranked No. 1 in the 2023 cycle. The highest-ranked prospect of the group, Edwards, was touted as a potential No. 1 Choice in the 2024 NBA Draft, but some Timely season struggles Directed to a reduced role. Bradshaw missed the Primary month of the season because of an Wound and transferred to Ohio State after an up-and-down campaign. Kentucky lost to Oakland in the Primary Stage of the NCAA Event in the Closing game of Calipari’s tenure at the school.
In the its season after legendary Mentor Mike Krzyzewski, Duke brought in three five-Luminous sphere recruits to Bound-Begin a new era. Lively and Whitehead both declared for the 2023 NBA Draft (where they became Primary-Stage picks), and Filipowski elected to return to school for his sophomore season. After a loss to Virginia dropped the Duke to 8-6 in ACC Action, they went on a Scorching streak. Duke won 10 consecutive Matches before falling to Tennessee in the second Stage of the NCAA Event.
Perhaps the best recruiting class in the modern era, Duke was able to sign the top-ranked (Barrett), No. 3 (Reddish) and No. 7 recruits (Zion Williamson) from the 2018 recruiting cycle. The Blue Devils embarked on an exhilarating NCAA Event Streak that included close wins over UCF and Virginia Tech before losing to Michigan State in the Best Eight. Williamson is one of three freshmen (with Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant) to Achieve the Naismith Award.
Duke managed to sign two of the top players in the 2016 recruiting cycle, but the best talent from the class Arrived from outside the top five. Future NBA Luminous sphere Jayson Tatum was the No. 8 player in his class and helped the Blue Devils secure the top-ranked recruiting haul during the 2016 cycle. Duke lost in the second Stage of the NCAA Event to South Carolina as a No. 2 seed.
The 2014-15 Kansas Choice featured seven players who would Action at the Upcoming level. Alexander and Oubre were two of them. The Jayhawks entered the 2015 NCAA Event as a No. 2 seed and fell to No. 7 seed Wichita State in the second Stage. Oubre was selected No. 15 in the 2015 NBA Draft, while Alexander went Unselected.
Kentucky (2013)
Kentucky was the Primary in the 247Sports era to sign three top-five players from the same class. The Wildcats entered the 2014 NCAA Event with a 24-10 Achievement and won five consecutive Matches over Kansas State, Wichita State, Louisville, Michigan, and Wisconsin to reach the national title game. Aaron Harrison hit a handful of clutch buckets throughout the Event to spark that Streak.
After signing two top players from the 2012 recruiting cycle, UCLA Mentor Ben Howland was fired after a Primary-Stage exit in the NCAA Event. Muhammad was drafted No. 14 in the 2013 NBA Draft after a standout Newcomer campaign but never lived up to the hype at the Upcoming level. Anderson elected to come back to school for his sophomore year and became a Delayed Primary-Stage Choice the Upcoming summer.
Kentucky (2011)
It’s Uncommon to get a talent of Davis’ caliber at the college level. The Previous Kentucky Luminous sphere is considered one of the best one-and-done players in college basketball history, and he helped lead the Wildcats to their last national title in 2012. Kidd-Gilchrist also was one of the best freshmen in college basketball during his lone season at UK. Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist would eventually go one-two in the 2012 NBA Draft — Only like they were slotted in the Closing 247Sports rankings.
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