The recruiting class of 1998 is the blueprint for success at Tulsa.

Immediate and long-term impact. And it resulted in Tulsa reaching its highest heights.

Those are the things Bill Self brought to the table in his first season of full-time recruiting. And those are the reasons it is ranked No. 2 out of all the basketball recruiting classes at TU since 1980.

The class included Kevin Johnson, Greg Harrington, Brandon Kurtz, Tony Heard and DeAngelo McDaniel.

No future NBA players. But a class filled with outstanding college players, albeit, mostly under the radar recruits.

Talent returned but was diminishing after a 19-12 season in 1998 where the Golden Hurricane missed the post season for the only time during a 10-year span from 1994-2003.

The projected starting lineup of returning players was center Michael Ruffin (senior), forward Eric Coley (junior), guard Jonnie Gendron (senior), forward/center Zac Bennett (junior) and point guard Shawn Williams (senior). Returning reserves included guard Marcus Hill (sophomore), forward John Cornwell (junior) and forward Robert Bell (sophomore).

Tulsa had to replace leading scorer Rod Thompson’s 15 points per game. Thompson graduated, and sophomore center Jay Spurlock transferred. Additionally, Gendron was sidelined all season due to too many concussions.

The arrival of Kurtz, Harrington and Heard provided...

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