R.J. Hunter, Ryan Harrow rank among ESPN’s top 60 players

Prior to the start of the 2014-2015 season in the world of college basketball, ESPN has mirrored their NBA coverage in debuting their #CBBRank feature for the first time. In short, this is a release of the top 100 players in the nation according to the worldwide leader, and in displaying the players selected in the 41 to 60 range, the Georgia State Panthers are heavily represented. Both guards R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow make the cut, with Harrow coming in at number 57 and Hunter ranking as the number 42 player in America.

Hunter has been a favorite in this space, but it is easy to forget that Ryan Harrow was actually the more heralded player in the GSU backcourt prior to his arrival in Atlanta. Harrow appeared at both Kentucky and North Carolina State in addition to being named a McDonald’s All-American as a high school player, and he has been quite effective in his time with the Panthers, including the 2013-2014 season when he averaged 17.8 points and 4.2 assists per game.

While Harrow has been quite the player, it is fair to say that R.J. Hunter is the headliner as the season approaches, and here is the snippet from ESPN’s list:

"Hunter (122.0 offensive efficiency rating per Ken Pomeroy) has turned himself into an NBA prospect under his father Ron Hunter’s guidance. Forget where he plays because Hunter would be a beast at a Power-5 school too."

That last sentence is crucial, simply because R.J. Hunter is a legitimate commodity, regardless of where he happens to play. The elite shooter has already been pegged as a potential first round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and aside from that, Hunter could make a legitimate run at All-American honors with a small bump in his statistics this season.

To be honest, the ranking of both players feels low, but that is expected given Georgia State’s place as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Still, R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow just may make up the best veteran backcourt in the entire country (no, really, they might), and the Georgia State Panthers are going to be a lot of fun this season.