The Significance of June 15 in Hoops Recruiting

June 15, 2016 is just your normal #HumpDay for most people.

But for Brad Underwood, June 15 is the start of a nearly two-year race to the finish line for his staff.

Today marks the first official day college coaches can begin their recruiting process with 2018 prospects by contacting them directly through snapchat, twitter messaging, texting, or calling. Contact of your choice.

So who the heck is OSU recruiting for 2018? Here’s an early look at the eight 2018 targets for Underwood’s staff:

Small Forward Matt Mayer

Mayer is a baller from Austin, Texas, who has already garnered early offers from Texas, Baylor, K-State, Texas A&M, Creighton, and Tennessee. The 6-foot-7 prospect from Westlake can stretch the floor with a really fluid shot, and he has the athletic ability on defense to guard multiple positions. If he can put on some weight before college, he could be a big asset for a team early on who can use him to guard down low with the versatility to switch off with smaller defenders using his length.

Power Forward Carte’Are Gordon

The 6-9 power forward from St. Louis is one of the top prospects in the 2018 class, and is rated a five-star prospect by ESPN. Kansas has already come calling and Underwood is already in a heavy weight fight with some of the blue bloods with Gordon, who I would expect will be courted by many schools over the next year. Gordon has the size and ability to bang with the big men down low. He has a high motor and is an excellent rebounder. Most importantly, he runs the floor very well and can handle the ball somewhat well in the open floor, which could be significant if OSU elects to transition him to small forward to play small.

Power Forward Kamaka Hepa

The Alaskan native is, like Gordon, one of the elite power forwards of the ’18 class. Hepa has upwards of 20 offers from major programs and is getting serious interest from both Oklahoma schools. At 6-8, Hepa has great size and length and plays like a wing with an excellent mid-range game and respectable accuracy from three. Scout ranks him as the No. 37 player in the 2018 class.

Power Forward Russell Barlow

Barlow is yet another Texas target for Brad Underwood — this one from Richardson. The 6-8 power forward has offers from Iowa State, A&M, OSU, Houston and others. He’s another top 100 target for Underwood and is a four-star prospect by ESPN. Here’s his scouting report from Future150 scout Chuck Lawson:

The future looks bright for Barlow, as he’s a huge presence, and still developing his touch in the lane. There’s some athleticism in his frame and the hope is that he’ll work to continue gaining explosiveness. Naturally strong, Barlow appears to fairly competitive, and if the ‘light turns on’ in the near future he could make serious leaps compared to his peers nationally. He remains a prospect to monitor for progress.

Power Forward Grayson Carter

Yes! Another Texas power forward prospect!

Carter is from Bishop Dunne (6-8, 200), and similar to the others on this list, has interest from many big schools including A&M, Texas, Iowa State, LSU and others.

Center Moses Brown

This is where Underwood’s staff and his connections with New York will be tested. Brown is a big-time prospect from Brooklyn and at 6-11, 210, is a top 60 prospect by 247sports and a consensus four-star prospect. With offers from Maryland, St. Johns, and other schools much closer geographically, this will be a big test to see if the staff can overcome obstacles to land this big-time center from across the country.

Shooting Guard Quentin Grimes

Quentin Grimes is a recent offer from Houston who plays for College Park High School. He’s a big-time combo guard who can dish and score, and is regarded as an one the best defenders at his position in the state by future150.com.

Small Forward Jaedon Lee

Another Houston area prospect, Jaedon Lee, is a top priority for Underwood and his staff in 2018. Lee became one of the youngest players ever to receive a scholarship offer from blue blood school Kentucky — and is ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect in 2018 by 247sports.

While Underwood did a great job filling holes for 2016 by adding several members for next year, it’s clear the staff is putting their focus toward the jackpot for 2017 and 2018. The next two classes are loaded with talent at power forward and center, some of the deepest position groups and probably the biggest area of need for OSU. 2018 is a long way away but at the moment, these are the eight targets OSU has on their board. So keep an eye on these guys moving forward but, as the process carries on, don’t be surprised if this list balloons to 15-20 in the next several months as summer evaluations continue.