NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- Marvin Bagley III, the top-rated prospect in the Class of 2018, is exploring the possibility of reclassifying and enrolling in time to play college basketball this season, a source confirmed to CBS Sports on Friday.
A source insisted no decision has been finalized. But it does appear to be academically possible, the source said.
"You should probably ask CBS Sports; it seems like they know more than I know," Bagley's father, Marvin Bagley Jr., said to FanRagSports.com late Friday when asked if reclassifying s a possibility. "That's my answer -- ask CBS Sports."
Bagley told reporters here at the Nike Peach Jam on Thursday that he plans to officially visit Duke next week -- then Arizona and USC in some order. If the 6-foot-10 forward were able to graduate from high school in time, get cleared academically and play in college this season, he would change the landscape of the sport drastically in the sense that Duke, Arizona and even USC could have a reasonable claim to the preseason No. 1 ranking by adding Bagley. Additionally, Bagley would immediately move to the top of most 2018 NBA mock drafts -- ahead of Michael Porter Jr., DeAndre Ayton and everybody else.
Jerry Meyer of 247 Sports wrote earlier Friday that it's possible Bagley will reclassify while adding that his recruitment "has the feel of a Duke and USC showdown." The Arizona native who attends high school in California drew the biggest crowds at Peach Jam this week while dunking relentlessly, making jumpers and further establishing himself as the world's best high school prospect. He had 30 points and 16 rebounds in a win Friday night but was not made available to the media afterward.
