Florida Man: Neal seems to have leader, Jett Howard no lock for Michigan
ORLANDO -- Each week, Rivals national basketball analyst and very own Florida man Rob Cassidy takes readers around the hoops recruiting world, touching on news, notes and developments that relate to prospects from coast to coast.
Fresh off of the Hoops Exchange Fall Festival in the Orlando area, he has a gut feeling that will encourage TCU fans, introduces a Venezuela-born underclassman and discusses his general impressions of the weekend that was at the event.
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BREAKING DOWN NBA FINALS ROSTERS: Heat | Lakers
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
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GUT FEELING OF THE WEEK: AJ NEAL to TCU
Admittedly, this is based on nothing more than reading between the lines of one conversation, so take it as you will. That said, A.J. Neal seems incredibly high on the Frogs and assistant coach Ryan Miller.
The class-of-2021 guard had a nice weekend in Central Florida, showcasing solid court vision in spurts and scoring a team-high 26 points in one of his games. After one contest, he discussed his recruitment at length while detailing his lighthearted relationship with Miller. Neal declined to name favorites, but Oklahoma State, Kansas State and N.C. State are also involved to some extent. Any of them could make a run at landing him. There’s also a chance new programs push for his commitment as he plays his senior season at West Oaks, but TCU figures to be involved until the end at the very least.
It’s a gut feeling that is subject to change but a gut feeling nevertheless.
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QUOTABLE: JETT HOWARD
“The most annoying thing about the recruiting process is that everyone thinks they know where I’m going.” -- Jett Howard, son of Michigan head coach Juwan Howard.
Jett Howard knows the perception. He gets it why it exists. Really, he does. But not only is he sick of hearing it, rightly or wrongly, he believes it’s actively hurting his recruitment. On Saturday, the four-star guard told Rivals that he thinks the naivety surrounding his decision is keeping major programs from recruiting him and that coaches at other schools have told him that point blank. Whether or not the perception is true, it’s been a source of frustration for the budding star.
Will he still end up at Michigan? You’d be stupid to bet against it, but Howard says Florida is also a major player, citing his relationship with Mike White as a major reason why the Gators remain in the mix.
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NEXT UP: Ryan Bewley
Just a sophomore, word has long been out on Ryan Bewley. The West Oaks power forward already holds offers from St. John's, Auburn, Alabama, Florida State and Illinois. That said, there’s plenty more in store for the 2023 prospect. Bewley is hyper-athletic for his size and will see more offers pour in as he gets more polished and confident when it comes to finishing around the rim. Bewley was one of the standouts of the weekend in Orlando, finishing the two games I watched with 16 and 18 points respectively, while controlling the glass on both ends for stretches.
According to Bewley, who has the look of a top-25 prospect, he’s been in significant contact with coaches at Auburn and Florida State but declines to name an early favorite. Bewley’s twin brother, Matt, an equally talented prospect, did not participate over the weekend but will also be a highly ranked prospect when rankings for the class of 2023 debut.
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NOW ON THE RADAR: Osmar Garcia
Garcia is yet to land his first offer, but the 6-foot-6 wing will see some opportunities come his way in time. A class-of-2023 prospect, Garcia was instrumental in his team’s upset victory over a West Oaks squad loaded with high-major talent on Sunday.
Garcia was able to get to the basket and to the free-throw line with regularity against top-flight competition and showcase a high motor. There’s plenty of polishing left to do, especially defensively, but the versatile forward has the upside to help a number of Division-I programs. Garcia’s coach at Riviera Prep says he’s already fielded calls from Memphis and Florida State to inquire about the Venezuela native.
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PARTING THOUGHT
The No. 32 prospect in the class of 2022, Eric Dailey Jr., certainly carries that lofty ranking for a reason. In an event full of 2022 prospects, Dailey managed to stand out from the pack. It was the first time I’d ever seen the IMG Academy star in person, and the first impression he left was certainly memorable. Dailey impacts the game in a number of ways and is a much better passer than he sometimes gets credit for being.
In a conversation on Saturday afternoon, Dailey mentioned Miami, Michigan and Texas A&M as schools that have prioritized him. And while those three programs seem to hold an edge as things stand, Dailey also mentioned that both Kentucky and South Carolina have shown some semblance of recent interest and could join the fray down the road.