Findlay wing picks San Diego State
MORE SDSU: AztecSportsReport.com
Every step of the way, Winston Shepard made it clear that he was going to blaze his own path when it came to his recruitment.
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Thursday morning, the 6-foot-8 wing from Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep made good on his promise when he committed to San Diego State.
While he had planned on using more visits, the native Texan just couldn't wait any longer to pull the trigger.
"I feel great," Shepard told Rivals.com. "I know I said I was going to take all five of my visits but I just felt comfortable that it was the best situation for me."
One of the nation's most unique players could have chosen a program with a higher profile, but he wanted a place where he could play immediately and be part of a program on the rise.
On top of that, Steve Fisher and his staff told Shepard all along that he was their top target and their actions proved it.
"That was the biggest factor," Shepard said. "San Diego State is becoming one of the top programs in the country, much less on the West Coast. Lots of guys wanted to go there and transfer there, and they were loyal to me. They didn't take guys and that loyalty was really important to me.
"A lot of assistants can sell you the dream, but the head coach has to follow through with it and Coach Fisher did."
Perhaps the nation's top defender in the class of 2012, Shepard is also a versatile ballhandler and playmaker. During the recruitment process, Fisher and assistant Brian Dutcher played up a comparison with one of their stars at Michigan, Jalen Rose.
"When Jalen Rose was coming up I never really got to watch him," Shepard said. "But the guy who coached him saying that there are all the similarities and me being versatile and able to pass the ball, I can see myself in that mold.
"Jalen is not only a successful basketball player but a successful person. That's what I'm trying to do. Not just be a successful basketball player but a successful person and I think SDSU is the place for me to do it."
Currently ranked No. 40 overall in the 2012 Rivals150, Shepard is a four-star prospect and likely impact player for the Aztecs.
"I just want to go somewhere that I can have an immediate impact," he said. "San Diego State is having an awesome year and is better than expected. A lot of that is a credit to Coach Fisher. His guys don't have to play looking over their shoulder and that is when I'm at my best."
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