R.J. Barrett has staked his claim to be one of college basketball’s most impactful players.
Barrett was named the top recruit in ESPN’s Class of 2018 rankings, which were released on Wednesday. He dethrones power forward and fellow five-star recruit Zion Williamson as head of the recruiting class.
SIGN UP to watch FIBA Asia Cup and FIBA AmeriCup on DAZN
The class of 2018: Updated ESPN 💯player rankings are live on the site....👀🏀 https://t.co/d3ri0DolGN
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) August 23, 2017
In July, Barrett gained notoriety by leading Canada to its first world U19 title. Barrett’s run through the tournament included a 38-point performance to upset Team USA and Most Valuable Player honors, but shortly after returning to Canada Barrett sought a change.
Barrett decided to classify in 2018 recruiting class — from the 2019 class — in a move that he said to be “beneficial.” While Barrett vacated his previous No. 1 ranking in the 2019 class, reaching the class’ pinnacle remained Barrett’s goal.
“I still want to be the best player in the class,” Barrett wrote to fans. “The only way to make that happen is through hard work.”
At the same time, Marvin Bagley III — who was ESPN’s top recruit in the 2018 class — was considering his own reclassification. He made his decision official when he signed to play at Duke last week, and Bagley’s absence called for ESPN’s Paul Biancardi to update his rankings.
MORE: Breaking down R.J. Barrett's choices
Just as he planned, Barrett benefited from joining the 2018 class. Barrett announced his “Final Five", which is his list of NCAA programs that he would consider in the recruiting process. Barrett’s list consists of Arizona, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan and Oregon.