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The most valuable recruit in class of 2013 may surprise

harrison_twins

Mike Miller

There is nothing about the 2013 class that is set in stone as the summer evaluation periods progresses, but one thing appears to be clear, that the most important recruit isn’t Sports Illustrated cover boy Jabari Parker or ironman power forward Julius Randle.

That would be either Andrew or Aaron Harrison. It’s like this:

The 6-4 twin brothers from Travis (Texas) are considered by many to be top-5 recruits, but there isn’t a reputable source that considers either No. 1 overall. But the twins are a package deal. If a college gets one twin, they get the other. Land one top-5 player and automatically snag another? That’s an incredible value.

Both pack over 210 pounds on to their muscular frames, and while scouts generally consider Andrew the point guard and Aaron the shooting guard, the reality is that both players are combo guards who feed off each other. Aaron is the more prolific outside shooter and Andrew a dime dropper when not crashing to the rim, but both work in concert with each other, as one would expect twins to do.

Their skill level, advanced physique and bullish style of play have turned heads playing for their father on the Houston Defenders this summer, to the detriment of their opponents.

Kentucky, Maryland, Baylor or Villanova are the schools chasing the twins. When they decide, that school will have at least one full season with what conservatively a top-10 backcourt in college basketball and what seems likely to be at least a top-5 recruiting class, regardless of where they end up.

Yes, others in the class may have the highest long term NBA potential (the aforementioned Randle has a strong argument), but with both twins headed to the same college, a Harrison has to be the most important recruit to be landed in the 2013 class.

(Photo from The Hoop Doctors)

Kellon Hassenstab runs Hoopniks.com. Follow him on Twitter @hoopniks.