College Basketball Recruiting

Jett Howard committed to Michigan on Wednesday, joining his father, Juwan, in Ann Arbor.

Four-star and class of 2022 prospect, Jett Howard, has committed to play for his father Juwan Howard at Michigan 〽️ pic.twitter.com/5aC8LWg892

— Bleacher Report CBB (@br_CBB) October 13, 2021

The 6'7" wing is the 37th-best player overall and 11th-best small forward in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2022 class.

Howard said Wednesday's announcement was a "tough decision" because he had been "seriously looking" at Tennessee, per 247Sports' Brandon Jenkins. The opportunity to play for his father was too good to pass up, though:

But it was just the family atmosphere obviously because of my dad. I also feel I will have a good opportunity to play right away. I honestly like how everybody is treated the same around the campus. I paid attention to the little things when it came to this recruiting process and that stood out along with the culture and environment of the program.

Jenkins projected Howard as a starter for a Power Five program, writing he has "a strong frame, a solid motor on the defensive end, and can knock down the open jumper with range." He also praised the IMG Academy star for his shooting and value he provides as an off-ball scorer.

Jett Howard, the No.41st overall prospect in the class of 2022 commits to Michigan. @umichbball

“Elite shooter who you can’t leave open at anytime. Extremely good playmaker. One of the best passers at his position.” @IMGABasketball HC Sean McAloon. @WhosNextHS pic.twitter.com/BC8FZiX3J0

— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) October 13, 2021

In addition to his dad, Howard will be teaming up with older brother Jace, a sophomore guard. Jace made 11 appearances for the Wolverines in 2020-21 and scored 12 points in 34 minutes on the floor.

With Jett's commitment, Michigan now has the third-best class in 247Sports' composite team rankings. The program is poised to add three other 4-star recruits: center Tarris Reed, point guard Dug McDaniel and power forward Gregg Glenn.

The Wolverines had a somewhat bumpy first season under Juwan Howard, going 19-12 after having won 30 games the previous under former coach John Beilein. They turned things around in 2020-21, winning a Big Ten regular-season title and reaching the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. 

Howard's work on the recruiting trail should ensure that progress continues.

Highly touted wing Cam Whitmore committed to Villanova on Thursday.

The 6'6" small forward sits sixth at his position and 24th nationally in 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also the best player from the state of Maryland in the 2022 class.

In terms of what to expect from Whitmore, he offered a telling comment to Inside Carolina's Sherrell McMillan last August.

"My first priority is to attack the basket," he said. "I believe whoever is guarding me, there's no way they can stop me from getting to the basket. I'm working on shooting off the dribble and that's been getting better. Overall, I think I defend pretty well. I can block shots, and I'm versatile enough to really defend all positions."

If he sees a path to the paint, Whitmore won't hesitate to put his head down and go. His attacking instincts extend to when he's away from the ball as well since put-back dunks are one tool in his arsenal.

Cam Whitmore really is THAT guy‼️😤 @NikeEYB @HaleySalv #EYBL2021 pic.twitter.com/QvhlUJy02h

— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) July 16, 2021

Carmelo Anthony & Amar'e Stoudemire GOT OUT OF THEIR SEATS for Cam Whitmore @carmeloanthony @amareisreal @_camwhitmore_ @nikeeyb pic.twitter.com/zYBn1bhp1u

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 18, 2021

Eric Bossi of 247Sports also described Whitmore as the "basketball version of a heat-seeking missile whose target is attacking the rim and causing as much destruction as possible once he gets there."

There's a good chance the dynamic forward will put somebody on a poster as a member of the Wildcats.

Of course, athleticism and dunking ability only goes so far at the college level, at least for players who want to reach an elite level.

Whitmore acknowledged to McMillan he has some room to grow as a shooter. He can't afford to have opponents sag off him on the perimeter, thus cutting off his angles for drives into the paint.

As long as he can make defenders respect his jumper, Whitmore will be a terror on offense for Villanova.

He joins 4-star combo guard Mark Armstrong in Villanova's incoming 2022 class.  Armstrong is 46th overall in 247Sports' composite rankings.

Beyond getting the program back to a place where it could contend for national championships, Jay Wright has been excellent at developing talent. Saddiq Bey, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart all maxed out in college en route to solid pro careers so far.

That probably didn't go unnoticed by Whitmore, considering how much his ceiling will rise if he can flesh out his offensive repertoire.

Jahki Howard, a 5-star small forward in the 2024 recruiting class, per ESPN, announced Tuesday he's transferring from Norcross High School in Georgia to Donda Academy, a private school in California backed by recording artist Kanye West.

"I will be moving to California and I will be transferring to Donda academy," Howard wrote on Instagram. "I want to THANK YOU NORCROSS and the whole BLUE DEVIL FAMILY STILL WILL BE MY FAMILY."

Five-star class of 2024 wing Jahki Howard has transferred to Kanye West's Donda Academy 👀 https://t.co/QlhNldJBnd

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) October 5, 2021

247Sports' Brandon Jenkins projects the 6'6" wing will be a starter at a Power Five program when he makes the jump to college:

He is very long, athletic, and disruptive on the defensive end. Howard plays hards in spurts and is productive on both ends when doing so. However, his entire skillset on the perimeter will need to evolve. He has a clean jumper and ball handling skills that are improving, but he produces more with his athletic ability than with skill." 

On its website, Donda Academy says it intends to "[prepare] students to become the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators by providing them with a world-class education that includes a rigorous core curriculum, and an emphasis on sustainability, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving."

Building a prep school basketball power isn't included in the mission statement, but that appears to be one of its goals as well.

Howard's announcement comes one day after Jalen Hooks said he's planning to enroll at Donda Academy. The Indianapolis native is the No. 15 small forward and No. 69 player in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Robert Dillingham will be among the ranks on Donda's squad as well. Dillingham, a 247Sports composite 5-star point guard, is the ninth-best player in the 2023 class.

Five-star guard Nick Smith Jr. announced his commitment to Arkansas on Wednesday.

Smith chose the Razorbacks over Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

A 6'4" combo guard out of North Little Rock (Arkansas) High School, he is the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2022 class and third-ranked combo guard, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Smith was one of the biggest breakout players of the summer, rocketing up recruiting boards after an excellent performance at the Nike Peach Jam in July. He scored 31 points in the finals of the tournament in front of a crowd packed with top recruiters.

"Before Peach Jam, schools really weren't sure," he said, per Jason Jordan of Sports Illustrated. "Then they saw what I did, not even being at 100 percent, and it went from there. I always knew where I stood as a player. I'm just taking my time and taking it all in."

Kentucky, Memphis and Tennessee all came through with offers in July, but Smith held his decision close to the vest.

"I'm not like everyone else," he said. "I really don't care about name; I'll go to a low Division I school if that's the best situation."

In the end, Smith chose to go the Power Five route with Arkansas. He is the fourth recruit of the 2022 class for the Razorbacks, who are well on their way to a top-10 class for head coach Eric Musselman.

Mikey Williams, a 5-star prospect in the 2023 college basketball recruiting class, is reportedly "close" to an endorsement contract with Puma.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Williams, who's the 10th-ranked recruit in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2023, is using the NCAA's new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules to secure the deal while still in high school.

Williams built strong name recognition before the NIL standards began changing over the summer—a process jump-started by the Supreme Court's ruling in June that barred the NCAA from limiting education-related benefits to student-athletes—by growing a massive following on social media, including 3.2 million followers on Instagram.

Although most of the focus has been on NIL deals signed by current college players, the rules have also benefited high school athletes, who no longer face to prospect of being declared ineligible for college sports because of previous NIL earnings.

Williams plays for Virtual Academy in North Carolina, while continuing to attend Lake Norman Christian School, where he previously played, for select classes.

No clear leader has emerged among the colleges that have offered him a scholarship. It's a group that includes Kansas, LSU, Memphis, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas Tech and USC, per 247Sports.

Williams is also a candidate to opt to take the professional route for the gap year between high school and the NBA. He can play a season either overseas or in the new Overtime Elite league, or take part in the G League's development program ahead of the 2024 NBA draft.

Mahlon Williams, Mikey's father, told ESPN's T.J. Quinn in June they planned to take a "wait and see" approach to see how OTE grew as an alternative to college basketball.

"This time next year, we might be talking differently," he said. "It might have the type of credibility and coaching and development where you have to think about it."

As a top-tier prospect with a major online following, Williams should generate enough off-court earnings to take the route he feels most comfortable with before his likely NBA arrival in 2024.

Terms of the reported Puma deal weren't immediately released.

The second-best player in the class of 2022 has chosen to play ball for Duke.

2022 Five-star Dereck Lively commits to Duke 👀🔥 @dereckl41 pic.twitter.com/KXG4LzLXSR

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) September 20, 2021

Dereck Lively II, a 5-star big man from Westtown School in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, will suit up for the Blue Devils in 2022. He's a fantastic, highly touted prospect capable of making a pronounced and immediate impact at the next level.

Brandon Jenkins, a recruiting analyst for 247Sports, published this scouting report for the high school class of 2022 prospect on June 8:

"The potential and athletic gifts of Dereck Lively are beyond tremendous. He has terrific athleticism for his size as he elevates off the floor well and is aggressive in how he utilizes his springs to protect the rim and control the glass on a consistent basis. One factor that truly stands out to scouts at the highest of levels is his commitment to being a center and playing as such.

"He values rebounding, sprinting the floor, and keeping his motor running in a high gear. He is dangerous in the screen and roll game and gives across Tyson Chandler vibes due to his length and productivity in the shot blocking and rebounding categories. However, with his budding skills on the perimeter, Lively projects as a big man prospect who could be more of a threat offensively than Chandler was."

Jenkins pegged Lively as a future first-round NBA draft pick and compared him to longtime NBA center Tyson Chandler.

Lively fielded 22 offers and took three visits, seeing Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina in person.

On June 25, Lively announced on Instagram that he cut his list of schools down to seven: Duke, North Carolina, Penn State, Michigan, Florida State, Kentucky and USC.

In the end, Lively chose the Blue Devils, who will be led by future Duke head coach Jon Scheyer when he arrives on campus. Mike Krzyzewski announced that he is stepping down after the 2021-22 season.

Lively should make the Blue Devils an instant national title contender alongside a pair of 5-star class of 2022 Duke recruits in Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski.

The USC Trojans added a major piece to their future frontcourt Friday when center Vince Iwuchukwu joined their 2022 recruiting class.

The Montverde Academy product announced his decision on Instagram Live with Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

https://twitter.com/joshh_an/status/1438942402085937156

Iwuchukwu, who checks in at 7' and 220 pounds, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 12 overall player, No. 4 center and No. 3 player from the state of Florida in the class of 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The list of teams that recruited the big man included finalists USC, Baylor, Kansas, Texas and UCLA.

The first thing that jumps out about Iwuchukwu's game is his ability to protect the rim on the defensive side. His height and athleticism allow him to cover plenty of space along the baseline and also control the glass as a rebounder.

Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports also pointed to how the prospect "has a good looking release on his jump shot and developing touch that extends all the way to the three-point line."

If he continues to make strides at the offensive level, it wouldn't be a surprise if Iwuchukwu is one of the best frontcourt players in college basketball during his career. His overall ability to score on the blocks, create matchup problems with his shooting and impact the game defensively has been on full display even before joining the Trojans.

Sports Illustrated noted in June 2021 that he averaged 15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per night in 2020-21 and then impressed at the highly regarded Pangos All-American Camp by averaging 22.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 58 percent from the field.

While expecting him to put up numbers like that as a freshman may be setting the bar too high, it wouldn't be a surprise if he was a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor.

That would work well for USC, which will look to continue rising among the national ranks after reaching the Elite Eight last season.

Consistently landing playmakers like Iwuchukwu on the recruiting trail is the surest path to competing for more deep NCAA tournament runs, and the Trojans continued their overall program momentum with this commitment.

The Duke Blue Devils landed a major victory on the recruiting trail Thursday when point guard Caleb Foster joined their 2023 class.

Breaking: Caleb Foster, the No. 13 overall prospect in the ESPN 60 Class of 2023, has committed to @DukeMBB, per @PaulBiancardi 🏀@iamcalebfoster | @HoopStateMax pic.twitter.com/sCz86vV78h

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 16, 2021

Foster, who checks in at 6'5" and 190 pounds, attends Oak Hill Academy and is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is the No. 12 overall player, No. 3 point guard and No. 1 player from Virginia in his class.

Travis Branham of 247Sports noted Foster committed to Duke over Louisville, Illinois, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia and others.

Head-coach-in-waiting Jon Scheyer is continuing to lay the foundation for sustained success even after the legendary Mike Krzyzewski retires following the 2021-22 campaign. He has the No. 3 overall class in 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings, that includes 5-star prospects Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski.

Foster is the first commitment for Scheyer's 2023 class and is someone who can step in as soon as his freshman season and operate as a floor general.

He can get out in transition, attack the basket off the bounce, pull up from mid-range and hit from the outside. He is an impressive facilitator, which will be key at Duke if he is surrounded by NBA-level talent on a nightly basis.

Foster is also a solid perimeter defender who can bother outside shooters and cut off driving lanes.

Every season is typically national championship or bust for the Blue Devils, and Scheyer may be able to live up to the pressure if he continues to recruit at such a high level.

Highly touted 2022 point guard Bryce Griggs is reportedly forgoing college in favor of signing with Overtime Elite. 

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Griggs turned down college offers from Baylor and Kansas and is set to become the 15th player to sign with the new Overtime Elite professional league.

Griggs is considered a 4-star recruit and the No. 43 overall player in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

At 6'2", 180 pounds, he isn't exceptionally big for the higher levels, but he is strong enough to handle opponents on both ends of the court. More importantly, he knows how to use his body to find plenty of success on the court.

"The embodiment of a 'walking bucket,'" Jerry Meyer of 247Sports wrote of the guard. Griggs is an elite scorer who can get points from nearly anywhere on the court. Not only is he an advanced shooter, he knows how to create opportunities for himself and can finish in a variety of ways.

He has also separated himself from many of his peers with the ability to score in the mid-range.

Griggs, who has starred at Hightower High School in Missouri City, Texas, is taking a different path to the NBA, although it is becoming an increasingly popular option.

Last year, Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga played for the G League Ignite team rather than going to college, and it paid dividends, as they were selected No. 2 overall and No. 7 overall, respectively, in the 2021 NBA draft.

It is a bit less certain how NBA teams will view prospects who play in Overtime Elite since it is a new league, but given the amount of talent that has already signed on to play, it stands to reason that the top players in the league will have a shot at going high in the 2022 NBA draft.

The USC Trojans landed a commitment from elite 2022 prospect Kijani Wright.

The power forward announced his decision Wednesday, via The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears:

Breaking: Sierra Canyon's Kijani Wright has told @MarcJSpears that he's committing to the USC Trojans.

He's ranked as ESPN's No. 16 prospect for the class of 2022. (via @TheUndefeated) pic.twitter.com/7Apl4L32kJ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 11, 2021

Wright is considered a 5-star recruit and the No. 12 overall player in his class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

At 6'9", 235 pounds, he has good size for the position to go with his developed offensive game. Jerry Meyer of 247Sports compared him to a young Al Horford, noting they "have similar size and a lethal jump hook."

Being compared to a five-time NBA All-Star is high praise, although Wright has the tools to live up to it as someone who can make an early impact at the next level. He can score at multiple levels, finishing with his back to the basket or shooting consistently out to three-point range.

Add in his solid rebounding and he could be a coach's dream in the post.

The California native doesn't have the athleticism of some other top prospects in the class, but his other physical tools should let him succeed without jumping out of the building.

With the Trojans, Wright should become an immediate contributor and likely a go-to option from the start of his freshman year. The double-double threat could be a key player as the squad tries to compete with the best teams in the Pac-12.

Head coach Andy Enfield led USC to the Elite Eight last season, and top prospects like this will keep the team rolling.

The forward could also be headed to the NBA before too long if he continues to produce at a high level.