There is a very good chance that only two Pac-12 players will be selected in next month's NBA Draft and while much of this can be attributed to players leaving early in previous drafts, the conference simply just hasn't been able to keep its shelves stocked with NBA caliber players in the last few seasons. One of the main reasons for this is that a large number of the supposedly NBA level players who have signed with Pac-12 schools in recent years either haven't panned out of haven't fit in with the program and have had to transfer.

Since almost every high rated basketball recruit coming out of high school has spent the last five years or so playing select hoops with other top level players by the time they sign with a college, there are far fewer "busts" in college basketball then there are in football and the 5-star recruits are almost always the guys who end up being lottery picks. However, over the course of the last decade, the Pac-12 has seen some busts who were expected to lead their program and instead, for the most part, left their program.

While transfers have just become a part of the college game and many of these guys have gone on to have success at other programs, I wanted to take a look at the ten biggest busts in the last decade of Pac-12 basketball recruiting and how they have affected different programs.

1. J'mison Morgan - C - Class of 2008 - Dallas, TX (South Oak Cliff) - UCLA

It looked like the Bruins had capped one of the greatest classes in the history of the conference when they were able to get Morgan to back out of a previous commitment to LSU in 2008. All five of their signees were top 50 players and the big man from Texas might have been the most highly regarded of them all. Morgan struggled on and off the court, averaging just two points per game and being suspended for behavior before eventually being kicked off of the team. Morgan has since transferred to Baylor where he failed to make much more of an impact in his junior season and redshirted last season.

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Check out the Pac-12 basketball recruiting board!

Anthony Bennett (F, Findlay Prep, Henderson, NV) is one of his final recruits, and still has a final five including Oregon and Washington, but Florida seems to be a favorite.

Jabari Parker (F, Simeon, Chicago, IL) is receptive to BYU. Washington is considered one of the favorites.

Jabari Bird (G/F, Salesian, Richmond, CA) has Cal and Washington as his top two schools, with Arizona, Colorado and Oregon all in the picture. He was invited to be a member of the USA Men's U18 National Team.

Aaron Gordon (F, Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, CA) has a top five of New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Kentucky and Arizona in no particular order.

Isaac Hamilton (G, St. John Bosco, Los Angeles, CA) and Stephen Domingo (G/F, St. Ignatius, San Francisco, CA) was watched by USC this past weekend. Domingo hopes to take a trip to San Diego State.

Nigel Williams-Goss (G, Findlay Prep, Henderson, NV) will be visiting Washington in a few weeks. He's probably out of action until late May.

Jordan Bell (F, Long Beach Poly, Long Beach, CA) wants to improve offensively ($). Roschon Prince (G/F, Long Beach Poly, Long Beach, CA) wants to be recruited more heavily during his AAU season ($).

Dakarai Allen (G/F, Sheldon, Sacramento, CA) was looked at this weekend by Arizona, USC, Colorado, UNLV and Cal; and he wants to take an unofficial to San Diego State. Allen's defense is what really sets him apart from the rest of them.

Torren Jones (F, Basha, Chandler, AZ) played in the BTI California Spring Classic ($).

Xavier Rathan-Mayes (G, Huntington Prep, Toronto (CA), WV) was offered by Illinois and received interest from Ohio State.

Marcus Lee (F, Deer Valley, Antioch, CA) was scouted heavily by Indiana, and might have an offer from the Hoosiers.

London Perrantes (G, Crespi, Encino, CA) has two Pac-12 offers.

For those of you who want to know who might be the next great contributors for West Coast hoops, check out the new Pac-12 basketball recruiting board for 2013!

Here's how I feel watching Aaron Gordon's high school highlights (video is viewable after the jump).

1) Wow.

2) Drool.

3) More.

If Gordon could just grow a few more inches, he might just be ready to project as the sort of ultra-evolutionary version of Chris Webber with the dunking ability of Blake Griffin--a gifted fullcourt player who can do everything you'd ever want on a basketball court offensively and defensively. He can pass, rebound, block, and score like few can at his level.

Unfortunately, that projection falls apart a bit because Gordon hasn't grown quite yet. He's still at 6'7", which means he can operate just fine as your power forward in high school and in college, but he might struggle at the NBA depending on the team he faces up with. Still, it's hard to see him not being a lottery guy in two years. If he keeps on developing through his senior year and his first year in college, one-and-done seems the likeliest conclusion.

That won't stop him from wrecking in that one year in college though--one only has to look at another fellow 3/4 tweener in Derrick Williams to see how Gordon can dominate in the Pac-12 level.

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(via CityLeagueHoopsTV)

Shabazz Muhammad is bringing intense athleticism back to the Pac-12. Can Jabari Parker continue the trend in 2013?

Parker is considered the best overall talent in the 2013 recruiting class, and rightfully so. The Chicago wing man is one of the most gifted forwards with an elite skillset that can kill your team in multiple ways. Although he doesn't wow you with his athleticism, the potential is there for him to grow into quite the basketball player in college and the pros.

Just like Ben Howland was counting on Shabazz to save his job, Lorenzo Romar might be doing a little bit of the same to convince the swing man to come out west. Romar is not quite in dire a shape as his UCLA counterpart, but he could really use an impact recruit like Parker to ease off some of the pressure he's been facing really.

Romar does have an ace in the hole though.

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This past Pac-12 basketball season could not have gone any worse. Two NCAA tournament bids, with the lone at-large getting bounced out and knocked out. The talent was so weak that the consolation brackets ended up being the last place of refuge for many conference teams to strut their stuff, proving they could be the best of the not-so-good.

Lucikly, the traditional powers have been working hard outside the basketball hardwood, and the result is momentous for the conference:

The Pac-12 now owns two of the top 3 best recruiting classes in the country, as both UCLA and Arizona are in line to pick up four of the top 100 recruits each.

• UCLA landing Shabazz Muhammad gives them the slashing talent they've lacked since the days of Josh Shipp and Aaron Afflalo. UCLA landing Jordan Adams gives them a combination at small forward the Bruins haven't seen SINCE Shipp and Afflalo were teammates.
  
• UCLA also brings in the intriguing Kyle Anderson, who has the unusual distinction of being a 6'8" point guard that can also shadow as a power forward. Anderson gives the Bruins an elite point talent on offense, something sorely missed since the days of Darren Collison. Whether Anderson can defend guards is a matter worth revisiting, but it's safe to say the Bruins should feel comfortable on offense.

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The UCLA Bruins and Pac-12 basketball in general could receive an instant upgrade today if Shabazz Muhammad decides to head down the I-15 from Vegas to Westwood. But the Kentucky Wildcats are putting on the full court press, and with a national championship under his belt, John Calipari is pretty much in the perfect position to offer the right counter-press to the creaking facade Ben Howland has presented the past few years.

Howland has banked a lot on landing Muhammad among many other talented freshmen. You get the feeling Athletic Director Dan Guerrero has done the same, or otherwise it's unlikely Howland would still be coaching the Bruins. Those recruiting connections are deep (Adidas y'all), and they've kept the Bruins afloat.

If UCLA doesn't land Muhammad, they literally have no wing depth. It's the experienced Tyler Lamb (who'd probably best be served off the bench) and the talented but raw Adams to pair up as the main wing threats on this squad. And that's about it. Then you have Larry Drew II and Anderson fighting for the point guard spot, and a glut of talented but defensively-challenged big men.

Sounds like a slightly better version of 2011. Certainly not enough to guarantee a Sweet 16 appearance for the Bruins. Certainly not enough to save Howland's job.

But if UCLA DOES get Shabazz, the backcourt suddenly becomes a strength with an elite wing starter, two workables, and two solid point options. Having a slasher of Shabazz's abilities really makes things very difficult for conference opponents that lack athleticism at the 3. In a Pac-12 in a bit of a downswing, the Bruins instantly become one of the conference favorites and a potential title sleeper. A return to glory could start opening the eyes of the best players to the options that await them in LA.

So much could be at stake for UCLA basketball tomorrow, short-term and long-term. And even if Howland does get the commitment he seeks, the work has only begun for him.

Shabazz Muhammad put out his top three earlier this week: UCLA, Kentucky, Duke, in no particular order. Kentucky and Duke would love to have Shabazz, but they wouldn't shed tears if they didn't get him.

UCLA, on the other hand, really, really needs him.

UCLA is a better team, but UCLA has not been an elite offensive team since 2009. When UCLA was at their best earlier in the decade, they had solid point guard play, hard working big men, and outstanding performers at every position. They've had none of those things the past four years, and the Bruins have fallen from the level of the nation's elite as a result.

This season all of these flare-ups simmered to the surface. UCLA had decent guards in Jerime Andersen and Lazeric Jones, but no one who could really stand out and dribble-drive to the paint with ease, which caused some offensive stagnation every now and then. The Bruins had decent size inside, but after Reeves Nelson left, Josh Smith kept on getting into foul trouble and the Wear twins were the path of least resistance on the way to the bucket.

Despite all that, the biggest disadvantage for UCLA's offense? No elite slasher to get buckets. That's been UCLA's biggest problem ever since Josh Shipp departed for the pros. Tyler Honeycutt was woefully inconsistent and inefficient, and up to this point Tyler Lamb has been even worse. Without that extra scoring punch, the Bruins get into a lot of trouble offensively.

That could change if Shabazz heads down the highway from Bishop Gorman to Westwood.

(via Ballislifedotcom)

Muhammad could instantly become one of the best small forward prospects the Bruins have ever had coming out of college. His athleticism is elite, and he can provide the team an instant number one scoring option to rely on if the offense stagnates. Having those type of players in college is a luxury, and Muhammad could really help return the Bruins to greatness if his talents translate to the next level. Having someone who can get UCLA baskets from the wing position is something this team sorely lacks.

This UCLA recruiting class has the potential to resolve many of the current issues. But of all of these players, Shabazz could be the crown jewel that saves Ben Howland.