TENNESSEE PREP REPORT
by Jim Rothman, Mid-South Editor of the HOOP SCOOP, &
Andre Whitehead Tennessee Correspondent for the HOOP SCOOP
Published March 22, 2005

Editor's Note:  The list of the top players in Tennessee compiled by Jim Rothman and Andre Whitehead, which includes their ranking of the top 340 seniors, 218 juniors, 120 sophomores, and 82 freshmen, eight 8th Graders, 14 7th Graders, one 6th Grader, and one 5th Grader, can be found by clicking below on Whitehead & Rothman Rank 'Em:  The Top High School Players in Tennessee.

JUNIOR CLASS BULLISH IN TENNESSEE
by Jim Rothman, Mid-South Editor of the HOOP SCOOP

                    If you are looking for a bull market, forget the New York Stock exchange.  For a basketball talent boom, just take a look at what Tennessee has to offer.  It isn't like recent Tennessee products haven't paid dividends, as Corey Brewer (Florida), Ernest Shelton (Alabama), Scooter McFagdon (Tennessee), and Jeremy Hunt (Memphis) will attest.  All these guys are integral parts of their respective programs.  And, at press time, no fewer than 25 Tennessee preps have already inked with Division I schools, with the Spring Signing Period still weeks away.  
                    But, if you are looking for a real return, check no further than the 2006 class, which is the best in Tennessee since 1996, which featured Tony Harris (Tennessee), Robert O'Kelley (Wake Forest), Jimmie Hunter (Memphis), Marcus Moody (Memphis), Cory Bradford (Illinois), and Kenny Dye (UNLV), among others.  For schools willing to take risk in order to get quick results, there's Brentwood Academy's 6'9 Jr Brandon Wright, a long-armed multi-skilled post/wing with nearly unlimited upside.  However, Wright's immediate future may lie with the pros, where scouts feel that the words "lottery" and "Wright" might become interchangeable.  Risk-takers like Memphis and Mississippi State, each of which has been burned by near-misses and NBA gotta-be's, could be involved.   No doubt, however, that Wright may go down as one of the state's all-time best despite playing in a weaker division.
                    For fortune-hunters seeking a long-term investment, Memphis Mitchell's 6'8 Jr Thaddeus Young might be the answer.  Just recently Young, an exceptional student, as well as a top 10 nationally ranked prospect, announced he would forgo his NBA career in order to attend college and "stay four years."  This statement immediately drew the attention of long-haul investors North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, and Georgia Tech, to go along with the early suitors like Memphis, Arkansas, and Tennessee.  The talented lefty, who reminds many locals of former Memphis star Cedric Henderson due to his balanced all-around play, can post, operate the baseline, and drop the three when needed.  If there is one Memphis prep that we have seen over the years that can literally pick his school, it would have to be Thaddeus Young. 
                    Another rock-solid investment in the Memphis area would be Ridgeway's 6'8 Jr Pierre Niles.  And when we say rock-solid, we aren't kidding.  While others dream of what the weight room might do for them, Niles, at a chiseled 250-lbs., just has to look in the mirror.  But Niles is not all brawn, of course, as his mid-range jumper, deft passing skills, and able off-hand will attest.  Unlike Young, however, Niles may possess some classroom issues, which may initially deter some of those long-term investors in favor of the risk-takers.  But a talent like Niles must certainly be monitored. 
                    Looking for a break-through chart-busting performance.  Thaddeus Young's backcourt mate at Mitchell could be the sleeper in the Tennessee class.  Brandon Powell, nearing 6'5 on the wing, is making a climb toward elite status.  No longer a marginal Division I prospect, Powell has added a nice floor game to his already-deadly 3-point jumper.  In addition, Powell is a prime athlete and should become the lock-down defender that most schools covet.  Like Young, Powell is also an academic standout. 
                    Researchers seeking a "hold" or a "keeper" would leap at the chance to corral Bolivar Central's point Willie Kemp, who any coach would love to count on to run the show.  As steady as they come, the 6'2, 170 lbs. Kemp is almost unselfish to a fault, but seems to score when needed, whether with the smooth jumper or after a slither into the paint.  He seems to get into the lane at will, but will dish as often as shoot, keeping defenders off balance.  Kemp's imperturbable demeanor seems to keep his entire team in focus, as Bolivar's second straight state title should confirm. 
                    Kemp, Niles, and Wright were all MVP of this year's Tennessee State Tournament in their respective classes, while Wright and Young were voted Mr. Basketball within their own divisions. 
                    With all these high flying juniors on the scene, you see why we are so bullish on Tennessee basketball.