C-J Super Five: Alexander, Okafor, Mudiay, Jones, Towns
Two dominant big men from Chicago, two elite point guards and a supremely skilled center who's headed for the University of Kentucky constitute The Courier-Journal's 42nd annual Super Five basketball team, which recognizes the nation's best high school seniors.
The Super Five are Chicagoans Jahlil Okafor, who has signed with Duke, and Cliff Alexander (Kansas), dynamic floor leaders Tyus Jones (Duke) and Emmanuel Mudiay (SMU) and sweet-shooting New Jersey 7-footer Karl Towns (UK).
All should make a significant impact as freshmen in what figures to be the only year that some, if not all, of them spend in college. Okafor, Alexander, Mudiay and Towns are projected as the top four picks in 2015 by DraftExpress.com, with Jones No. 12.
The Super Five second team is led by Arizona signee Stanley Johnson, the nation's best wing player. Indianapolis power forward Trey Lyles (UK), Kansas-bound wing Kelly Oubre, small forward Justin Jackson (North Carolina) and skilled center Myles Turner (Texas) are the other second-teamers.
Sharpshooters James Blackmon Jr., who has signed with Indiana University, and D'Angelo Russell, a Louisville native who will attend Ohio State, made the third team.