Miami basketball SF Earl Timberlake top 15 2020-21 impact freshman

Head Coach Jim Larranaga and the Miami Basketball program made a major splash in November when Earl Timberlake announced he would sign with The U. The team made it official when the Maryland native signed on April 15.

CBS Sports recently listed Miami basketball small forward Earl Timberlake as the 15th best freshman in the country for the 2021-21 season. The list only includes three other ACC-bound freshmen.

North Carolina point guard Caleb Love who is ranked third, Florida State power forward Scottie Barnes (eighth), and Duke point guard Jeremy Roach (11th) are the other three ACC freshmen in the top 15.  Timberlake has a chance to be one of Miami’s most impactful players in program history.

Timberlake is ranked by 247 Sports as Miami’s fifth-best signing ever. He’s also listed as the seventh-best shooting guard and 34th best overall player in the 2020 class. Timberlake is Miami’s highest-rated recruit since Dewan Hernandez in 2016.

The shooting guard averaged 16.5 points per game and 10 rebounds. Timberlake led Dematha Catholic to a 30-3 record, Washington (D.C.) Catholic Athletic Conference Championship, and a top-five national ranking from MaxPreps. The Maryland high school has also been the alma mater for numerous future NBA players.

Timberlake also played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in 2019. His elite scoring ability was put on full display, as the winger shined for Team Durant, averaging 18.3 points to go with 9.6 rebounds on 46 percent shooting.

Timberlake was praised by CBS Sports for his guile and build entering college. The addition of Timberlake gives Miami an extra scorer. The Hurricanes have often struggled to score the last two years. CBS expects the well-built freshman to improve his shooting. There should be many highlight plays from Timberlake.

"“Wow, does Miami have something here with Timberlake, a crafty lefty with an incredible build and a smooth scoring touch. He’ll need to improve his outside shooting but he can really make plays at a high level from his position and should thrive as one of the most explosive athletes in the ACC.”"

Timberlake will be thrown into the mix with guards, Kameron McGusty, Isaiah Wong, and Harlond Beverly to compete for minutes. With the guard position as the top strength of Coach L’s squad, the Maryland native may be eased in at first.

The good news for the Canes is that the 6’6″ versatile winger can play both shooting guard or small forward. Make no mistake about it, Timberlake will be an integral part of Miami’s rotation and will play a crucial role in determining Miami’s 2021 postseason fate.