This article is part of our Recruiting Recap series.
The 2019 recruiting class is loaded with frontcourt talent, and it's given coaches a great opportunity to revamp their rosters with talented big men and swingmen. As previously noted, Memphis and Duke elected to take a lot of the best frontcourt talent for themselves, but there was still plenty of long, athletic talent to go around.
The deep class, as you will see below, has given some programs who are attempting to break through into the level of legitimate title contender a chance to stock their rosters with legitimate pro prospects.
Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels - Washington
Following the departure of reliable big man Noah Dickerson from last year's team, head coach Mike Hopkins retooled his frontcourt in a big way with the additions of Stewart and McDaniels. Stewart brings an element of flash and thrill that Washington has been missing with the center position in recent years, while McDaniels brings the length and athleticism required to thrive in Hopkins' 2-3 zone.
Stewart boasts a 6-foot-9, 245-pound frame with a 7-4 wingspan already is built like a grown man, making him a dominant force at the high school level, and already has a fairly polished game. Stewart is a terrific athlete both vertically and laterally, as he can run the floor with ease and jump out of the gym. His finishing ability is top notch, both with a soft touch and thundering jam, and he plays with a high motor, making him constantly active on the glass and as
The 2019 recruiting class is loaded with frontcourt talent, and it's given coaches a great opportunity to revamp their rosters with talented big men and swingmen. As previously noted, Memphis and Duke elected to take a lot of the best frontcourt talent for themselves, but there was still plenty of long, athletic talent to go around.
The deep class, as you will see below, has given some programs who are attempting to break through into the level of legitimate title contender a chance to stock their rosters with legitimate pro prospects.
Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels - Washington
Following the departure of reliable big man Noah Dickerson from last year's team, head coach Mike Hopkins retooled his frontcourt in a big way with the additions of Stewart and McDaniels. Stewart brings an element of flash and thrill that Washington has been missing with the center position in recent years, while McDaniels brings the length and athleticism required to thrive in Hopkins' 2-3 zone.
Stewart boasts a 6-foot-9, 245-pound frame with a 7-4 wingspan already is built like a grown man, making him a dominant force at the high school level, and already has a fairly polished game. Stewart is a terrific athlete both vertically and laterally, as he can run the floor with ease and jump out of the gym. His finishing ability is top notch, both with a soft touch and thundering jam, and he plays with a high motor, making him constantly active on the glass and as a rim protector. His offensive capabilities, however, are fairly limited outside the paint, so he has a lot of room to grow in that regard, but he should still be able to bully opponents in the paint for easy buckets, hoard rebounds on both ends and rack up blocked shots in the zone.
Meanwhile, McDaniels is a bit more raw but should be a perfect fit for Washington on both ends this season. He's a late bloomer in terms of his size but now boasts a 6-10, 185-pound frame and an incredible 8-11 standing reach. His offensive game has a long way to go, but scouts say McDaniels has shown drastic improvement in his ability to both shoot and score close to the basket, as he does have a decent shooting stroke. McDaniels should make an immediate impact defensively however, as he boasts terrific versatility with his length and athleticism. He could serve the role that Matisse Thybulle played in the Washington zone, racking up deflections, steals and blocked shots as one of the more viable defenders in the halfcourt.
Scottie Lewis - F - Florida
For Florida head coach Mike White, he lost two of his best, most reliable wings after last season in KeVaughn Allen and Jalen Hudson, so he'll be looking to replace a ton of production that had been part of the Florida program for a while. Enter Scottie Lewis, an explosive wing who will carry the burden of replacing that production next season.
While he does have some bulking up to do, Lewis boasts a prototypical small forward body with a 6-5, 185-pound frame and a 6-10 wingspan. He is one of the most explosive athletes in the entire class, and most of his damage on offense is done in the open floor and above the rim. He has good mechanics on his jump shot, but scouts say his overall offensive game is still a work in progress. He should still, at the absolute least, be able to do a ton of damage in transition whether it be via catching lops from teammates or leading a one-man fastbreak. He will, however, carve out a role in an offensive attack with a lot of potential with the company of Noah Locke, Keyontae Johnson and graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr..
Defensively, Lewis' length and athleticism give him all the physical tools needed to be an elite, versatile defender. Scouts have also raved about Lewis' motor, which can only help in that regard. For his position, he is a terrific shot-blocker both at the rim and on the perimeter due to his long reach and strong intensity on the defensive end. Lewis should have no issues racking up a few help-side blocks on a nightly basis during his freshman campaign.
Isaiah Mobley - F - USC
The graduation of USC star Bennie Boatwright, who averaged 18.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game during his senior season last year, has opened the door for Mobley to be an immediate contributor for Andy Bennett and the Trojans this season.
While Mobley is obviously not as polished as the four-year player, he does boast a similar skill set that should help fill the void left in the frontcourt by his departure. Mobley boasts a solid 6-9, 210-pound frame with long arms and is very skilled for someone his size. Scouts are most impressed by Mobley's passing ability, as he shows flashes of being a point forward with a great handle and excellent vision. He's proven that he can facilitate off the dribble and out of the high and low posts. Mobley also has the foundation of a solid all-around scoring game, as he has good awareness down low and solid touch around the basket but can also stretch the floor to behind the three-point line.
Athletically, Mobley has decent bounce for his size, but it's nothing too overwhelming. He doesn't, however, rely on any elite athleticism to get where he needs to be on the floor. Given the makeup of USC's roster heading into the 2019-20 season, Mobley could end up being the focal point of the team's offensive game plan at some point this season, which should help him excel as both a passer and scorer. Additionally, his size and length alone should help him rack up some blocks, especially against weaker opponents.
Trayce Jackson-Davis - F - Indiana
This will be the first time since the start of the 2014 season that Juwan Morgan isn't on the Indiana basketball roster, as the four-year star played out his final year of eligibility last season and averaged at least 15 points per game in each of his last two years with the program. The Hoosiers will now look to Jackson-Davis to help make up for the loss of Morgan's production in the frontcourt, and the Indiana-native is certainly capable of doing so.
Jackson-Davis is 6-9, weighs 231 pounds and boasts a 7-foot wingspan. He's still a bit raw and needs to fill in his upper body, but he is very long and a good athlete. On the high school level, Jackson-Davis did most of his work on the inside with solid footwork and good touch close to the basket, but scouts do say he has the makings of a solid face-up game from the midrange. Overall, Jackson-Davis' outside game does appear to need some work, but he should enter the college level as a great inside scorer who has the ability to finish above the rim. And with the Hoosiers' offensive options in the frontcourt looking shaky following the loss of Morgan, Jackson-Davis could be stepping into a great situation in his first season.
In addition to his scoring ability, Jackson-Davis' length and size alone should allow for him to immediately be a strong rebounder and rim protector when needed in the Indiana frontcourt. So while the transition from Morgan to Jackson-Davis may not exactly be seamless given that the All-Big-Ten talent was a four-year player, Jackson-Davis' has the physical tools and skill set to immediately help fill the void and take Indiana's frontcourt to another level on both ends of the floor.
