Jeff Haynes / Reuters

Bill Self nabbed some of the top available recruits in the spring session, writes Mike DeCourcy.

4. Georgia Tech
Spring additions: PF Derrick Favors, C Daniel Miller. Tech got Miller because a coaching change at Georgia led him to request a release, but the Jackets would have ranked here simply for landing Favors.

Scout continues to rank him No. 1 in the 2009 class despite the frenzy that developed around Wall.

"We just feel as far as a post prospect, he's got a really nice upside," Daniels said. "I think he's more skilled than some people think. Defensively, he's all over the place. He put up ridiculous numbers on the AAU circuit and seemed to be more aggressive, appeared to get a meaner side to him. We just think once he gets in a college weight room he's really going to just explode."

Favors would be an ideal complement to Gani Lawal, who started inside for the Jackets as a sophomore. Lawal, though, is leaning hard on staying in the draft. If he's gone for good, Favors will be that much more important to the Jackets' season.

5. Mississippi State
Spring additions: C Wendell Lewis, C John Riek, PF Renardo Sidney. Sidney is an extremely versatile offensive player whose principal problem has been learning to play with great effort. If he embraces college coaching, Sidney could be as productive as any player in this class.

Riek is an import who can give MSU an even more fearsome inside defense than it derives from Jarvis Varnado alone. The Bulldogs agreed to confront some significant eligibility issues in taking on both, but this team could be super if they are cleared and ready to play in the fall. They'll no longer be a shoot-'em-up 3-point team. They'll have a power game and the long-range shooting to create room for the bigs.

With most of last year's SEC tournament champs back, the Bulldogs were looking for one more big and content to get Lewis in the spring. Then both Sidney and Riek sort of fell to them.

"It doesn't happen very often like that," coach Rick Stansbury said. "You can spend a lot of time spinning your wheels and not have it happen for you."

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Mark J. Terrill / AP

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