As the season has closed, the main happening in Louisville Cardinals sports is the ever important, tedious, anger-inducing, fulfilling, and creepy basketball recruiting. Obviously, it's a bit early in the process, but things will begin heating up in about a month or month and a half. Here's your guide to the ever changing happenings in the offseason. Note: we're going with Scout.com rankings here, because ESPN plain out is awful for recruiting and Rivals updates their rankings about 4 times a year, April, June, Early July, Post-Eval July, and late August. I will show two boards- the Scout.com board and my personal board. The personal board will take into account player ability, mutual interest, how they fit into the system, and who is recruiting them.

The Basics
Before we get started, there's a few things that you need to know about this year's class.

Louisville will sign four players.-Unless this class totally falls apart like last year's class, Louisville will sign four players.

This year's needs are SG, PF, and C.-Adding a PG or SF is a very good thing- because it means that our needs are filled and that it was a successful class.

The class is very, very deep on PFs

The Class is not thin at any position

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Point Guard

Nat'l Rank	Nat'l Rating	Name School, Hometown	Video	HT/ WT/ PPG	Interest Level	Offer?	Schools of Interest
3		Kasey Hill (Montverde Academy) Montverde, FL		6-0/160	None	Yes	Committed to Florida
4		Tyler Ennis (St. Benedict Prep) Newark, NJ		6-2/175	Med	Yes	Arizona, Florida, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Rice, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, Virginia, Wake Forest, West Virginia
NR		Darryl Baker (Jeffersonville HS) Jeffersonville, IN		6-2/170	Med	No	Butler, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan State, Xavier

Point guard is basically where Pitino will be looking to add a player at if the conditions are right. The original plan here was to make a a major, major push to bring in Kasey Hill, but he committed to Florida a few months ago. We were in his top three along with (you guesed it) UK. The only PG I see us taking in is Ennis. He is like a taller Peyton Siva. The guy has great eyesand blazing speed. He isn't really a scorer, as indecated by his scout page, but who wouldn't love to have a Kendall Marshall type player here?

TO be honest, I'm not suere where we stand with Ennis, but thre is one roadblock. \He lives in the northeast and has about every big time NE school on his list. Syracuse is after him big time. He could very well commit here, but don't bet on it. I think we'll just leave this position vacant after Ennis commits elsewhere. Do not rule him out though as the crown jewel of the class.

Shooting Guard

4		Matt Jones (De Soto HS) Desoto, TX		6-4/170	None	Yes	Committed to Duke
5		Isaac Hamilton (St. John Bosco HS) Bellflower, CA		6-4/175	Med	Yes	Arizona, Baylor, Colorado, Connecticut, Fresno State, Houston, Louisville, Oklahoma State, USC, Washington, UCLA
6		Sindarius Thornwell (Lancaster HS) Lancaster, SC		6-3/160	Med	No	Charlotte, Clemson, Louisville, Miami (Fl), North Carolina State, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech
7		Anton Gill (Ravenscroft School) Raleigh, NC		6-2/165	Verbal	Yes	Committed to Louisville

My board

Anton Gill, ****, Committed to LOUISVILLE
Isaac Hamilton, *****
Sindarius Thornwell, ****
Matt Jones, *****, Committed to DUKE

At this point, this need is filled. But, Pitino may pull something from his sleeve and go and get Hamilton. Now, I do not believe that we are recruting him, but you never know. Gill pretty much satisfies this need. A good scorer to replace Wayne.

Small Forward

1		Jabari Parker (Simeon Vocational HS) Chicago, IL		6-7/215	Med	Yes	BYU, Connecticut, DePaul, Duke, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington
5		Brannen Greene (Mary Persons HS) Forsyth, GA		6-6/185	None	Yes	Committed to Kansas
10		Greg McClinton (Winston-Salem Prep) Winston-Salem, NC		6-6/165	Med	No	Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (Fl), Missouri, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Xavier

My Board:
Greg McClinton, ****
Jabari Parker, *****
Brannan Greene, *****, Committed to KANSAS

This part of recruiting could get really, really intriguing depending on how involved ew get in Jabari's recruiment. He is considered to be the nation's best recruit, regardless of class. That being said, he probably isn't committing here. Good news is that he's on a neutral battle ground in Chicago. The bad is that we're going to have to beat every major program in the country, his hometown team (Northwestern), and the school of his religion (BYU; yes, he's Mormon). Now, throw in the fact that he is in Chicago, the most notoriously dillegal recruiting scene in the country. And we're recruiting against Kentucky, Ohio St, Kansas, Connecticut and so... yeah. The one to watch here is Greg McClinton. We are in his top three, and we're by far the biggest program in his top 3. He has a great work ethic and motor, plays great D, and is an awesome athlete. He is a bona-fide Pitino player, and we're recruiting him well. I have a gut feeling, like most all other people, that he'll end up at the the Ville. Although, look for us to go after transfer Rodney Hood, who we came in second for after he committed to Mississippi St. last October.

Power Forward

8		Derek Willis (Bullitt East HS) Mount Washington, KY		6-9/200	None	Yes	Committed to Kentucky
10		Jarrell Martin (Madison Preparatory Academy) Baton Rouge, LA		6-7/210	Med	No	Alabama, Arizona, Baylor, Georgetown, Louisville, LSU, Marquette, Memphis, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, West Virginia
15		Jarquez Smith (First Presbyterian HS) Macon, GA		6-9/220	Med	No	Georgia, Georgia Tech, Louisville, South Carolina
16		Malik Price-Martin (Monsignor Pace HS) Miami, FL		6-8/175	Med	No	Louisville, Miami (Fl), Ohio State, South Carolina, Syracuse
17		Kuran Iverson (Northwest Catholic HS) West Hartford, CT		6-8/190	Med	No	Arizona, Connecticut, Georgetown, Kentucky, Louisville, Rutgers, Saint John's (NY), Seton Hall, Villanova
19		Devin Williams (Withrow HS) Cincinnati, OH		6-7/220	Med	No	Cincinnati, Georgetown, Illinois, Louisville, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, UCLA, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Xavier
NR		Jermaine Lawrence (Pope John XXIII HS) Sparta, NJ		6-8/185	Med	Yes	Florida, Fordham, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Rutgers, Saint John's (NY), Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, Xavier

My Board

Jarrell Martin, ****
Malik Price-Martin, ****
Kuran Iverson, ****
Everyone else

This is where recruiting is gonna be fun. I think it's a forgone conclusion that the number one targthat Jarrell Martin is th enumber one target at the Power Forward position. He has us in his top two, along with Alabama. He said he was "blown away" with the Yum back in January. Martin is a powerful player around the basket, but also has great handles and is comfortable with the ball out on the perimeter. The only thing stopping us from getting Price-Martin is an offer, and frankly, that would be unwise. He has fallen dramatically in the pas few months. Early in the 2013 class, he was a top 20, five star player. Now he's barely top 100. Regardless, he's a very athletic and versatile player with a very good perimeter shot. Kuran Iverson is one of the two Wild Cards of this class. He started the class in the overall top 10, because he's uber talented. But, alas, he had played no real competition, and did not perform well in the evaluation period. He also has great handles and NBA athleticism. He can also step out and hit the perimeter shot. He's my second choice at the position, but Martin is headed for five star status and the Ville eventually.

Center

1		BeeJay Anya (Dematha Catholic HS) Hyattsville, MD		6-8/255	Med	Yes	Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Texas, UCLA, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
2		Kennedy Meeks (West Charlotte HS) Charlotte, NC		6-8/255	Med	Yes	Charlotte, Clemson, Florida State, Georgetown, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (Fl), North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Xavier
4		Moses Kingsley (New Albany/S.Tippah/Union Co.) New Albany, MS		6-9/225	Med	No	Arkansas, Louisville, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State
6		Dominic Woodson (Vermont Academy) Saxtons River, VT		6-9/240	Med	No	Baylor, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas

My Board Moses Kingsley, **** BeeJay Anya, ***** Kennedy Meeks, **** Dom Woodson, ****
As you can tell, this is the other area of intrigue, maybe moreso than the PF postion. Moses Kingsley is a Gorgui clone. The guy has long arms, amazing athleticism, and blocks shots as well as Gorgs. He also is very humble and has great work ethic and character. This is probably the first choice at center. We are in his top three along with Florida and Arkansas. I hope we can win that battle. That brings us to Anya. He's been rapidly improving during the recruiting process, losing lots of weight. He is a beast around the basket, but can't do much else. He's a carbon copy of two names, one you would like to hear. Sullinger. The other, the reason that I am a bit leery about Anya. Samardo. You remember a big, stout, heavy guy who was a low post only player that didn't run the floor well? In 2010, he was by far the best offensive player, but he often slowed the temp down into a halfcourt game.That worries me about Anya. That said, his recruitment is literally the most wide open in the class. If Rick decides to get in on him, he may decide on Louisville. Personally, I do really want the recruit, but Kingsley just seems to be the perfect recruit for our system (Plus, he's African). Meeks is an enigma, and Woodson we're in on, but is not one of our first few choices. Meeks is probably bound for either the mid-atlantic or either of the Carolinas.
Prediction

C Moses Kingsley, ****

PF Jarrell Martin, ****/*****

SG Anton Gill, ****/*****

PG Tyler Ennis,***** OR SF Rodney Hood, ***** TRANSFER, eligable in 2013-2014

The first three were obvious enough, but Rodney Hood has just decided to transfer from Miss St., and we were in his final two. He is considered to be a first round pick whenever he decides to go to the NBA. Rick will once again recruit him. Tyler Ennis is another guy we're putting on a full-court press for. He would be a huge commitment. I am fairly sure we'll get one of two.

So, please comment, talk about the class, and post your predictions. Go Cards.