R.J. Barrett, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2019, is now part of the Class of 2018.
Barrett, a 6-foot-6 small forward from Mississauga, Ontario, first announced his reclassification as part of the senior class Monday on his USA Today blog.
"After playing this summer I felt good where I am from a basketball standpoint," Barrett told ESPN.
This announcement will greatly accelerate Barrett's recruiting process as he will be eligible to sign when the early signing period opens in November. Since June 15, when coaches are allowed to contact junior prospects, Barrett began hearing from a litany of top programs.
"The schools that are have been on me the hardest are Arizona, Duke, Oregon, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, UCLA and Kansas," Barrett said.
Recently Illinois, Indiana, Connecticut, USC and Michigan State have begun showing interest in Barrett.
Barrett gained prominence at the Basketball Without Borders camp held during NBA All-Star week. He recently led Team Canada to a gold medal in the FIBA U19 World Cup and was the tournament's MVP, averaging 21.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
The left-hander has elite athletic ability and scoring ability that makes him hard to defend. He can produce as a driver and rebounder who owns the float game and has a great mid-range jumper.
"R.J is a really mature hard-working player that loves learning the nuances of the game," said Drew Hanlan, Barrett's trainer. "He has an unbelievable feel for the game and a unique ability create fouls. We are working on getting him a consistent jumper, once that happens he will be unstoppable."
Barrett's move will create a change at the top of the Class of 2018 ESPN 100. Barrett will be ranked No. 3 in the senior class behind No. 1 Marvin Bagley III and Zion Williamson. Center Vernon Carey Jr. will now be the No. 1 player in the 2019 ESPN 60 rankings.
