LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA – OK, time to put the official wrap, of sorts, on the 2012-13 high school hoops season.
And, thanks to assorted viewings through 2012 summer camps (Pangos, NBA Players Association and adidas Nations) and tournaments, as well as regular-season venues (including many high school tournaments, as well as the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, MA) and all of the post-season events, including the McDonald’s All-American Game, the Jordan Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit, I feel comfortable in making slapping together my post-season honors squads.
My Player of the Year selection falls into the line with the consensus of thought from all other circles:
It’s Andrew Wiggins, the Toronto import for Huntington Prep in West Virginia who, in reality, has been the best high school player in the world for the past two years.
For all of his accomplishments for Rob Fulford’s Huntington Prep program, the signature accomplishments of Wiggins’ (on-court) stint in high school has to be his performances in leading the World Select squad (coached by another Canadian, Roy Rana) to consecutive victories over its United States counterpart during the past two Nike Hoop Summit games.
Wiggins, who signed with Kansas recently, is the center piece of my first-team All-American selections and was joined by Julius Randle, Jabari Parker, James Young and Andrew Harrison.
The three All-American teams were selected as if “real teams” were being assembled, hence the “two posts, two wings and one point” designations.
Also making taking their figurative bows are the members of my “All-Underrated Top 10” (non-McDonald’s All-American selections, some of which were barely Top 100 choices in a lot of other ratings) from the Class of 2013, as well as my choice for the 10 best players from the Class of 2014 (based upon performances when I watched them, not necessarily just “potential”).
The best of my “Underrated” selections if future Iowa State point guard Monte Morris while Tyus Jones, the best point guard in high school basketball, regardless of class, is my top junior choice.
CLASS OF 2013 ALL-AMERICA
FIRST TEAM
Julius Randle POST 6-8 240 Plano, TX/Prestonwood KENTUCKY
Jabari Parker POST 6-8 225 Chicago, IL/Simeon DUKE
Andrew Wiggins WING 6-7 205 Huntington, WV/Huntington Prep KANSAS
James Young WING 6-6 205 Rochester, MI/Rochester KENTUCKY
Andrew Harrison POINT 6-5 210 Richmond, TX/Travis KENTUCKY
SECOND TEAM
Aaron Gordon POST 6-8 220 San Jose, CA/Mitty ARIZONA
Austin Nichols POST 6-8 215 Eads, TN/Briarcrest Christian MEMPHIS
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson WING 6-7 205 Chester, PA/Chester ARIZONA
Wayne Selden WING 6-5 220 Tilton, NH/The Tilton School KANSAS
Nigel Williams-Goss POINT 6-2 185 Henderson, NV/Findlay Prep WASHINGTON
THIRD TEAM
Joel Embiid POST 6-11 230 Gainesville, FL/Rock School KANSAS
Noah Vonleh POST 6-8 220 New Hampton, NH/N.H. Prep INDIANA
Isaac Hamilton WING 6-4 175 Bellflower, CA/St. John Bosco UTEP
Tyler Roberson WING 6-7 200 Roselle, NJ/Roselle Catholic SYRACUSE
Tyler Ennis POINT 6-3 180 Newark, NJ/St. Benedict’s SYRACUSE
TOP 10 UNDERRATED
Wesley Clark POINT 5-10 180 Romulus, MI/Romulus MISSOURI
Markel Crawford WING 6-5 200 Memphis, TN/Melrose MEMPHIS
Nigel Hayes POST 6-7 225 Toledo, OH/Whitmer WISCONSIN
Zack Irvin WING 6-5 190 Fishers, IN/Hamilton SE MICHIGAN
Monte Morris POINT 6-3 185 Flint, MI/Beecher IOWA STATE
Kendrick Nunn POINT 6-2 170 Chicago, IL/Simeon ILLINOIS
London Perrantes POINT 6-1 165 Encino, CA/Crespi VIRGINIA
Matt Thomas WING 6-3 185 Onalaska, IA/Onalaska IOWA STATE
Kyle Washington POST 6-8 220 Wolfeboro, NH/Brewster NCSU
Kameron Williams WING 6-3 170 Baltimore, MD/St. Joseph’s OHIO ST.
TOP 10 JUNIORS
Cliff Alexander POST 6-8 230 Chicago, IL/Curie
Stanley Johnson WING 6-5 220 Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei
Tyus Jones POINT 6-1 170 Apple Valley, MN/Apple Valley
Kevon Looney WING 6-7 200 Milwaukee, WI/Hamilton
Trey Lyles POST 6-8 220 Indianapolis, IN/Tech
Chris McCullough POST 6-9 210 Wolfeboro, NH/Brewster
Jahlil Okafor POST 6-10 255 Chicago, IL/Whitney Young
Theo Pinson WING 6-5 175 Greensboro, NC/Wesleyan Christian
D’Angelo Russell WING 6-4 180 Montverde, FL/Montverde Academy
Karl Towns POST 6-11 230 Metuchen, NJ/St. Joseph
