In huge breaking news on Friday, Hillcrest Prep Academy 6-foot-5 terrific junior wing prospect Josh Green announced that he will be leaving the state of Arizona altogether, and transferring to IMG Academy in Florida for his final two seasons of high school basketball.
Green had an impressive spring and summer performance for himself on the Under Armour 16U travel circuit, as, as a result, is now regarded as one of the elite prospects in America's 2019 class - receiving a recent Top-25 national ranking through ESPN.
Green received more than 20 different division-I offers throughout the club season, and at one point received scholarship offers almost daily. Green has already received offers from the University of Kansas, University of Arizona, UCLA, Cal, Oregon, Arizona State, Stanford, Texas A&M, USC, University of Washington, Oklahoma State, UNLV, Texas Tech, Texas Christian, Wake Forest, Marquette, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Utah State, UC-Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Georgia State, UT-Martin and Prairie View A&M.
Last season, Green helped a talented Hillcrest Prep team to a Grind Session national championship, but now has decided to change high school programs just before the start to the 2017-2018 high school basketball season.
Green's absence at Hillcrest Prep will now make much more room for 6-foot-3 ultra-athletic prep guard prospect Demarius Jacobs . Jacobs is a big-time athletic talent with excellent promise. After arriving to the state in the spring, Jacobs received a huge offer from Arizona State University. With the absence of Green now, Jacobs should flourish this high school season for Hillcrest Prep.
Green instead will take his game and future to the powerful IMG Academy in Florida, one of the nation's elite training facilities and a huge program heavily sponsored by Under Armour. IMG also recently enrolled top-rated 7-foot-3 national prospect Chol Mariel at their program as well.
While it had not been reported that Green was unhappy at Hillcrest Prep at anytime, the Hillcrest Prep staff had communicated earlier this summer that they had believed that Green might have been tampered with. Hillcrest Prep has been a Nike program for the past two seasons.
Green has also played the past two spring and summers for the club program Earl Watson Elite (CA).
I will continue to follow this story and the recruitment of Josh Green closely throughout the remainder of his high school career, and bring you any updates as they continue to develop.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: Green is a high-level athletic talent that possesses a live body and excellent body control in the open floor. A very good slasher and finisher, Green is best while creating in the open floor and while slashing to the basket where he is an excellent finisher already. He can finish either hand around the basket and also has a variety of floaters he uses when he faces bigger opposition in the paint. A good shooter with range, Green has worked hard to stretch his ability to extend the floor - making him difficult to defend for opposing players. He still needs to become more consistent from longer ranges. An active rebounder and finisher that plays above the rim and is able to attack the basket with tenacity. An excellent offensive rebounder. Gets to the foul line quite often when he is in rhythm. A very good on-the-ball defender that plays passing lanes and forces opponents to watch their passes, as he gets his hands on the basketball quite often. Great in the open floor. A good ball handler and passer but needs to continue to focus in these two areas of his game to maximize his potential as a college prospect. A big time prospect and among the elite prospects in the country.
