Why Marvin Bagley’s reclassification can impact the National Championship race
Marvin Bagley, the number one prospect in the 2018 class has filed for reclassification. How can that impact college basketball this year?
At 6'11 and 190 pounds, Bagley has an ideal build for a player with insane athleticism. So far, experts have compared him to Michael Beasley during his time at Kansas State. In the past few days, he has played on a Drew League team with Chris Paul and James Harden. During the All-Star game, he put up incredible numbers, posting 18 points to go along with 20 rebounds.It’s safe to say Bagly stole the spotlight from his NBA teammates. Given the new classification and his talent level, I believe Marvin Bagley will only end up at Duke, UCLA, or USC. Let’s breakdown how each team would be affected if Bagley committed.
Duke Blue Devils
Scholarship availability- Duke currently has 2 scholarships available, which provides great flexibility for the team if he were to go there.
Lineup changes- With the addition of Bagley, Duke would be tied with Kentucky for the most talented roster in the country. Wendell Carter Jr. is at the 4, while Marques Bolden is at the 5. Coach K and his staff would have to figure out who’s starting and how many minutes each gets. A duo of Carter and Bagley would provide a more athletic lineup, which would allow the Blue Devils to play up tempo. Potentially, the starting five could be
- Trevon Duval
- Grayson Allen
- Gary Trent/ Jordan Tucker
- Wendell Carter/Marvin Bagley
- Marques Bolden
Title contender? This Duke roster already has the talent to compete for a national championship in April, but a potential number 1 pick in the draft could definitely solidify them as a favorite.
UCLA
Scholarship availability-UCLA is another potential suitor with a scholarship available. Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf, and Ike Anigbogu all bolted for the NBA, so Bagley could fit in this system as soon as he would be on campus. A player of this caliber could certainly help a team who already has 6 incoming freshmen.
Lineup changes-UCLA has no PF or center. This lack of depth would allow him to come in and play big time minutes right off the bat. Thomas Welsh is a key part of the UCLA offense, so Bagley would most likely line up as a PF. Steve Alford also has a history of playing uptempo, suiting the number one recruit’s game very well. Jaylen Hands is one of the best freshman in America, and I’m sure Alford would find a way to use these two as one of the best 1–2 punches in the country.
Title contender? Even if Bagley went to UCLA, it would be doubtful that the Bruins would become title contenders. The team does not have enough talent. However, with this addition, they would no doubt contend for a PAC 12 title.
USC
Scholarship availability- USC doesn’t have any scholarships left for this year’s team, which makes it hard to put Bagley on this roster. With him being such a high profile player, someone on scholarship would likely have to become a walk on to let him have one (I doubt Bagley would be the one to walk on).
Lineup changes- Andy Enfield has started to establish USC as a respected program. His squad returns 8 players, and Derryck Thornton also becomes eligible. The most intriguing part is that Enfield’s team are consistently some of the fastest playing teams in the nation,meaning that Bagley would be used in a variety of ways.
Title contender? Although Enfield’s style of play could bring the best out of Bagley, I don’t see that team becoming a true title contender. This team will be competing in the PAC 12, but they would likely draw a 3–6 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Assuming Bagley’s reclassification is successful, I believe that he will end up in Durham with Coach K and his young talented roster. With multiple spots left on the team, the caliber of coaching at Duke, and the allure of a ring, will likely bring Bagley to Duke. All of a sudden, Kentucky’s historic recruiting class isn’t the clear title favorite. And boy, a Kentucky vs Duke matchup in March would be a hell of a game.
