Commitments of the week
To say that it was a busy week on the commitment front would be a giant understatement as to what transpired over the past seven days. Not only did a plethora of big names like DeAndre Hunter, Dennis Smith, Xavier Simpson, and Kevin Huerter come off the board, but a load of under the radar talents like Anthony Lamb, Elijah Pemberton, and Jordan Ford decided to end things and make a verbal commitment. As we give you , as always, the complete rundown on all of the commitments that were received this past week, we also take a look at the most poignant one’s that took place at the power conference level, to go along with one from the non-power conference realm.
POWER CONFERENCE COMMITMENT OF THE WEEK
DENNIS SMITH TO NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Anytime a top-10 recruit comes off the board, of course it’s going to be a big deal. However, in this specific case as Dennis Smith pledging for NC State over the weekend, it is the ramifications to follow that make this commitment the power conference commitment of the week.
The 6-foot-2 guard is one of the most explosive ballplayers in all of high school basketball. While he is currently nursing a torn ACL, that shouldn’t put to shame just how immense of a commitment it was for the Wolfpack this past week and moving ahead as to how people look at Mark Gottfried’s program. Sure, the ACC program las lured guys like Maverick Rowan, Malik Abdul-Abu, and Cat Barber to Raleigh over the past few years, but no one at Smith’s level. The playmaking guard is an easy McDonald’s All-American type and has a very close relationship with another top tier recruit in 6-foot-9 big man, Bam Adebayo. There has been thought for some time now that the two would attend the same school together and now with half of the elite duo in tow for the ACC program, could another follow suit? Plus, talent likes to play with talent and with the recent transfer of top-20 recruit Rawle Alkins to Word of God Christian Academy, located just minutes from NC State, Smith might allow a domino effect to take place in luring elite talent tom the ACC program over the next few months.
NON-POWER CONFERENCE COMMITMENT OF THE WEEK
DESHAWN CORPREW TO ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK
Deshawn Corprew was quite the surprise commitment this past week as the 6-foot-4 guard out of the Hampton Roads area in Virginia decided to opt not for the higher level realms, but for a program from within the Sun Belt Conference. The tough and gritty wing had been down to a final five of Florida State, Texas, East Carolina, Kansas State, along with Little Rock and with the latter winning out, head coach Chris Beard may have gotten ahold of an all-conference type at the wing spot on the floor. Corprew ran with the Boo Williams crew on the Nike circuit this past year and showed off a variety of producing capabilities where he can score the ball off the mid-range pull-up, on hard slices and finishes at the basket, and takes a great deal of pride in getting up into his man and defending the ball with added physicality. Corprew would have been a great piece at the higher levels. At Little Rock, Corprew is more than just a piece but someone that the crew down in the Sun Belt can build around and lean upon as a four-year guy and a winning competitor at that.
AAC
- Clayton Hughes – 6-foot-4 wing – University School of Jackson (Tennessee) – University of Central Florida
- Alani Moore – 5-foot-10 guard – Friends Collegiate Academy (Maryland) – Temple University
- Colin Slater – 5-foot-11 guard – Immanuel High School (California) – Tulane University
- Shawn Williams – 6-foot guard – Southwest Christian Academy (Arkansas) – East Carolina University
ACC
- DeAndre Hunter – 6-foot-7 forward – Friends Central School (Pennsylvania) – University of Virginia
- Donovan Mitchell – 6-foot-8 forward – Buchanan High School (California) – Wake Forest University
- John Mooney – 6-foot-8 forward – Lake Brantley High School (Florida) – University of Notre Dame
- Dennis Smith Jr. – 6-foot-2 guard – Trinity Christian School (North Carolina) – North Carolina State University
AMERICAN EAST
- Anthony Lamb – 6-foot-5 forward – Greece Athena High School (New York) – University of Vermont
ATLANTIC 10
- Mike Layssard – 6-foot-8 center – Northwood High School (Louisiana) – University of Rhode Island
BIG SOUTH
- Xzavier Barmore – 6-foot guard – Seneca High School (South Carolina) – Radford University
BIG 10
- Kevin Huerter – 6-foot-4 guard – Shenendehowa High School (New York) – University of Maryland
- Xavier Simpson – 5-foot-11 guard – Lima Senior High School (Ohio) – University of Michigan
BIG WEST
- Christian Terrell – 6-foot-4 wing – Sacramento High School (California) – University of California, Santa Barbara
CAA
- Elijah Pemberton – 6-foot-4 wing – Cheshire Academy (New York) – College of William & Mary
CONFERENCE USA
- Tyrik Price – 6-foot-5 wing – Paschal High School (Texas) – University of Texas at San Antonio
HORIZON
- Everett Winchester – 6-foot-5 wing – Gillman School (Maryland) – Wright State University
MAAC
- Jordan Allen – 6-foot-3 guard – Dover High School (Delaware) – Rider University
MAC
- Braxton Beverly – 5-foot-11 guard – Hargrave Military Academy (Kentucky) – Miami University
- Dylan Frye – 6-foot-1 guard – Mater Academy (Florida) – Bowling Green State University
MEAC
- Jaekwon Carlyle – 6-foot guard – Imhotep Institute Charter High School (Pennsylvania) – Hampton University
MWC
- Alex Hobbs – 6-foot-3 guard – La Porte High School (Texas) – Boise State University
- Justinian Jessup – 6-foot-5 wing – Longmont High School (Colorado) – Boise State University
- Jalen McDaniels – 6-foot-8 forward – Federal Way High School (Washington) – San Diego State University
- Koby McEwen – 6-foot-3 guard – Wasatch Academy (Canada) – Utah State University
- Keith Fisher III – 6-foot-8 forward – Westchester High School (California) – San Jose State University
NEC
- Braden Burke – 6-foot-9 center – Lakeshore High School (Michigan) – Robert Morris University
- Zach Radz – 6-foot-2 guard – St. Thomas More School (New York) – Sacred Heart University
OHIO VALLEY
- Ray Kowalski – 6-foot-3 guard – Concord High School (North Carolina) – Southeast Missouri State University
PATRIOT
- Matt Wilson – 6-foot-8 center – Campbell County High School (Kentucky) – United States Military Academy (Army)
SEC
- Jordan Bone – 6-foot-2 guard – The Ensworth School (Tennessee) – University of Tennessee
SOUTHERN
- CJ Jones – 6-foot-3 guard – Central Park Christian School (Alabama) – University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Jordan Lyons – 5-foot-11 guard – McIntosh High School (Georgia) – Furman University
SOUTHLAND
- AJ Cheeseman – 6-foot-6 forward – Collins Hill High School (Georgia) – University of New Orleans
SUMMIT
- KJ Robinson – 6-foot point guard – Blue Springs South High School (Missouri) – University of Nebraska Omaha
SUN BELT
- Deshawn Corprew – 6-foot-4 wing – Quality Education Academy (Virginia) – University of Arkansas at Little Rock
WCC
- Yoeli Childs – 6-foot-7 forward – Bingham High School (Utah) – Brigham Young University
- Jordan Ford – 6-foot guard – Folsom High School (California) – Saint Mary’s College