Nerlens Noel goes to Kentucky while Shabazz Muhammad chooses UCLA

6ft 10”, 215lbs Centre, Nerlens Noel thi week committed to the University of Kentucky, after showing millions of viewers who he would playing for next year by showing the teams initials engraved into his hair.

He said “I think they’re the best fit for me personally, my mum liked Kentucky, we both thought it was a good fit and went with that” he then went on to say “Im relieved that everybody now knows where i’m going, so I can concentrate on my studies and getting better”.

He averaged 12.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game during his time at Tilton High School. Now compared to Anthony Davis’s 28.7 points, 15.4 rebounds and 5.7 blocks doesn’t seem much but believe me Noel can surpass the numbers Anthony Davis put up in his first season at Kentucky (14.2ppg, 10.4rpg and 4.7bpg), although he may have slightly less blocks than Davis because lets face it Davis has been a phenomenon when it comes to shot blocking.

I think he could have the same major impact but what you have to remember now is that people will always be comparing him and Davis, saying ‘Davis would have done this or that’ and because Davis was so good this year, it won’t look like he’s having the same impact. If they switched ages though and Noel came before Davis, Davis would then be majorly compared to Noel.

Nerlens Noel has great length and timing, and is an elite shot blocker. He has an uncanny ability to defend the rim, making him a unique defensive prospect. He’s very quick and agile and a player who runs the floor well and can cover wide areas of the court in a hurry. He has great leaping ability and explosiveness and gets way above the rim for dunks, rebounds the ball well on both ends and has the ability to control the lane; rebounding, blocking shots and playing great defence. He’s come a long way offensively and shows signs of expanding the range on his jumper and developing some post moves. He uses his quickness well when facing up to the basket and shows good potential off the dribble, a willing passer with a solid head on his shoulders and great attitude on the court.

Shabazz Muhammad had a different approach, he just straight out said “im gonna be a Bruin, im gonna be at UCLA next year”, the 6ft 7” Small Forward from Bishop Gorman High School then went on to say “it’s a challenge, over the past 2 years they’ve been down, and it’s a challenge to get them back up to the top, and Kyle Anderson is a great addition to that programme, i’m excited to become a bruin”.

The prospect of Anderson and Muhammad is certainly exciting and with the Still, with a line-up that will feature Muhammad, Anderson, a crafty small forward in Jordan Adams, returning players like Tyler Lamb, Norman Powell, the Wear Twins and a (hopefully) in-shape Joshua Smith it’s hard not to like UCLA for next year’s Pac-12 crown. They may even have a good shot at the National Championship. Muhammad averaged 24.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists during his high school career, and I would think he would at least get 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists a game with his team and talents during his freshman season at UCLA.

He has ideal size for the shooting guard position and all the skills to be a great wing player in the NBA. He’s very strong and well built which allows him to post up smaller defenders. He has a great mid range game and creates his own shot well, a very quick first step and has the strength to score in the lane, even while drawing the foul. He uses ball fakes and head fakes well to get the defence off balance and he has vastly improved his three point shooting and is becoming deadly from beyond the arc.

Muhammed will have to continue to work on this area of his game to develop NBA range but he got an excellent work ethic and the drive to be great. He plays the game the right way and doesn’t force the issue, shares the ball well and plays a team game, gets back on defence and seems to take pride in shutting his opponent down.

Its going to be another exciting year for college basketball, and although we wont see a Noel vs. Muhammad showdown unless they meet in the championship game, they will be battling it out for the number 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft.