Top 5 recruiters in college basketball

Recruiting is one of the toughest jobs in college basketball. The average fan doesn’t realize assistant coaches have to fly across the country to Noname gyms to create relationships with players and their families in order to convince them to come to a school. It’s an impossible task. You get told no more than 90% of the time. But there are a select few assistants that do it better than others.

Here is my list of the top five recruiters in college basketball.

Jon Schyer, Duke Blue Devils

Jon Schyer is set to be the next head coach of the Duke Blue Devils in 2022, and coach Mike Krzyzewski is leaving his program in great hands. Duke has historically recruited the best talent in the country but the last five years have been phenomenal. In Schyers’s tenure, he has recruited NBA all-stars Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson. He’s also landed NBA lottery picks Jalen Johnson, Cam Reddish, Vernon Carey and Luke Kennard. He definitely belongs as one of the nation’s best recruiters.

Brad Fredrick, North Carolina Tar Heels

Brad Fredrick has been at the University of North Carolina for eight years under Roy Williams and is now entering his first year under Hubert Davis. During his time at Carolina, he has recruited a number of draft picks, including Justin Jackson, Cole Anthony, Dayron Sharpe, Nassir Little, Coby White, as well as five-star athletes Walker Kessler and RJ Davis. A list of the top recruiters with his name is incomplete.

Adam Cohen, Stanford Cardinal

Adam Cohen is entering his six-season as a Stanford Cardinal assistant coach. In his tenure, he has recruited recent NBA lottery pick, Zaire Williams. He also recruited five-stars Harrison Ingram and Reid Travis and multiple four-star athletes, including Israel Silva, Jaiden Delaire, and Tyrell Terry. Many consider Cohen one of the nation’s top young basketball coaches.

Bill Armstrong, LSU Tigers

Bill Armstrong is entering his fifth season with the LSU Tigers and has recently been on fire with five-star and four-star recruits. His most recent success story has been with NBA draft pick Cameron Thomas, as well as five-star recruits Trendon Watford and Efton Reid and four-star recruits Eric Gaines and Alex Fudge. Prior to coming to LSU at the start of the 2017-18 season, Armstrong served six years as an assistant coach for Ole Miss along with five previous seasons as the Rebels’ Coordinator of Basketball Operations. He knows how to recruit in the Southeast and nationally, and it’s paying off for the Tigers. That’s why he’s on the list of the best recruiters in college basketball.

Saddi Washington, Michigan Wolverines

Saddi Washington is entering his sixth season at Michigan, and in his first five years, he had instant success for the Wolverines. He recruited five-star athletes such as Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabete, as well as a myriad of four stars, including Hunter Dikerson,  Kobe Bufkin, Frankie Collins, Brandon Johns, Tarris Reed, Zeb Jackson and David Dejulius.