Oregon State Basketball: Five Class Of 2021 Prospects You Need To Know

1. Ben Gregg (Clackamas HS - Clackamas, OR)

Along with five-star big man Nathan Bittle, Ben Gregg is one of the most coveted prospects to come out of the state of Oregon in years. Many believe the four-star recruit will decide between the Ducks and the Beavers and that the determining factor could be where Bittle lands, for better or for worse. Gregg is a strong fit for Oregon State’s offensive system, which has strongly utilized the versatile power forward spot with Tres Tinkle and Drew Eubanks in recent seasons.

2. Nolan Hickman (Eastside Catholic HS - Sammamish, WA)

Nolan Hickman is one of the best point guards in the state of Washington, who continues to produce in big-games against quality competition. He’s rated out as a four-star guard and holds offers from the likes of Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State. If Oregon State could land Hickman, he’d be a plug-and-play answer in the backcourt for a few seasons. Early rumors say Washington could be a favorite here though.

3. Johnny Braggs (Bishop Gorman HS - Las Vegas, NV)

Despite stating that Seton Hall is his “dream school”, Johnny Braggs is a complete mystery at this point on the recruiting front. Besides Oregon State, he’s being recruited by the likes of Pepperdine and UNLV and at 6’ 2”, 195 pounds, he has a frame which is nearing college-ready. On the court, Braggs is an effort-filled guard who can really lock in defensively. Coming from a winning program at Bishop Gorman, he’s should bring a team-first mentality to whatever program he chooses.

4. KJ Allen (East Los Angeles College - Monterey Park, CA)

KJ Allen is a classic JUCO prospect, who wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school and has blossomed in his time at East Los Angeles College. He’s worked hard to get in better shape and develop his game, which now includes a strong mid-post skill-set, and is gradually improving his perimeter abilities to match his 6’ 6”, 225-pound body. This past season, he averaged 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for the 29-1 Huskies, while shooting 67.4% from the field.

5. Jai Smith (St. Thomas More School - Syracuse, NY)

Jai Smith is a 6’ 9”, 210-pound power forward who plays at the St. Thomas More School in Connecticut, but is a native of Syracuse, New York. He’s a stretch for the Beavers program, as Wayne Tinkle has only coached a few players from the other side of the Mississippi in six seasons in Corvallis, namely Ronnie Stacy (Alabama), Jarmal Reid (Georgia) and Chai Baker (Florida). Smith has a solid all-around game that should translate well to the college level.