Analysis of the top 10 teams for the Kaden Cooper wing’s top 50

One of the top athletes and defenders in the 2023 NCAA basketball class is Kaden Cooper, who hails from Ada, Oklahoma, and has been a riser on the recruiting boards. He’s 6’5 and 185 pounds and while he can play both points, his physicality and defensive abilities make him an intriguing impact player.

Cooper can guard multiple positions in the field and is a solid scorer. With an improved jump shot, he could be a quality two-way starter on a top team. Several major programs were on him early on and now he’s on the national radar for many.

We’re now down to just 10 teams for Cooper’s services, with a decision potentially coming in the next few months. Which of them has the best chance of landing it? Here’s how I see the adjustments.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Cooper is a potentially perfect candidate for the Tide because he’s a quality defender and athlete, something head coach Nate Oats loves for the roster. The team will start either St. Bonaventure transfer Dominick Welch or five-star incoming rookie Brandon Miller, both of whom will leave after the season.

There will be room on the wings for Alabama, with just Nimari Burnett likely still on the 2023-24 roster. The question will be who Coach Oats adds to the roster, whether through the transfer portal or another five-star prospect, so playing time could possibly be limited as a rookie.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

The Yellow Jackets are in the midst of rebuilding now that the core of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Team is gone. There are plenty of opportunities for Cooper to come in and be a focal point of the attack early on and could be a showpiece for the program. He would join Blue Cain, a committed four-star shooting guard in the Class of 2023.

Georgia Tech is not expected to be very good next season and that could be a problem for head coach Josh Pastner. If they repeat last year’s record and results, he may not be around for the 2023 class. That would be something Cooper needs to consider.