Don't get accustomed to highly-rated, massive recruiting hauls. The next two classes are already full with a total of only three players.
Unless there is an exodus from the program, the next time Ohio State has a chance to form a group like the incoming freshmen or last season is in 2018. Upper Arlington's rising sophomore guard Dane Goodwin already committed to OSU leaving four more scholarships for Thad Matta to distribute to that class or beyond.
With a head start over nearly every other program in the country, the Buckeyes made their next foray into recruiting that class:
Congrats to G Javonte Smart @JavonteSmart has received an from Ohio State University
— EPEliteEYBL (@EPEliteEYBL) July 14, 2015
He's a five-star talent in both ESPN and Future150's rankings and ESPN considers Smart the nation's top point guard in their early 2018 projections.
"Smart is a talented, versatile guard that can make plays on or away from the ball," according to ESPN's scouting report. "He has all the to physical tools and skills to be a high major guard."
It'll be tough to pry Smart away from his hometown of Baton Rouge, especially considering LSU's recent recruiting success. He doesn't have an offer from the Tigers yet, but already earned one from Baylor, Oklahoma and Wake Forest, according to 247Sports.
Clearly, Smart already achieved a great deal of success before even reaching his sophomore year of high school – high-major offers, clinching gold with the USA U16 team at the FIBA Americas tournament and winning a state title with Scotlandville Magnet.
He's still striving to get better, however, assuredly a trait Matta picked up on before offering him.
"I’m a student of the game and a student of coaches, too," Smart said, via the USA national team's official site. "I like the way the coaches get on us. If we mess up, they get on us. And for me, it picks me up. I know that they are trying to help me."
Smart still has three years to refine his game before college, but from this highlight tape, it's clear his court vision is already elite:
Smart & Funderburk at the Peach Jam
Smart earned his Buckeye offer while competing at the Nike Peach Jam, the culmination of the national AAU season for Nike-affiliated teams.
Elfrid Payton Elite, led by Smart, did not make it out of pool play after going 1-4 in the first three days. Only the teams with the eight best records advance to the bracket round.
Smart was not particularly efficient from the field in his Peach Jam debut, averaging 14.6 points on 33 percent shooting. However, he increased his scoring average from the regular season by over four points per game and hit 16 of his 17 free throws.
The King James Shooting Stars, Ohio's only team in the field and making its debut, found greater success in the tournament. Derek Funderburk Jr.'s squad advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to the eventual champions, the Georgia Stars. Unfortunately, he encountered foul trouble in the loss.
Prior to that, the Buckeye commit made the most out of his limited shot opportunities. In pool play, he averaged 10.2 points while shooting 62 percent from the field. Undoubtedly, King James point guard Xavier Simpson helped him reach such a high level of efficiency –Simpson led the Peach Jam by averaging 7.5 assists per game. Funderburk Jr. also grabbed 6.6 rebounds game while blocking over two shots per game.
