Four remain for top-20 center Nathan Bittle
A tremendous long-term prospect in the frontcourt, Nathan Bittle has taken the final step with his recruitment prior to making his college commitment. The five-star center has narrowed his school list to a final four.
The second-best center in America, Bittle has been a heavily coveted and recruited prospect since his freshman year. After hearing overtures from some of the best throughout the nation, Bittle has cut his list to a group that features Arizona, Gonzaga, Oregon and UCLA.
The 18th rated prospect in America, Bittle has not shown his hand as far as when he might be willing to end his recruitment but it does appear that a commitment is not too far away. The recruiting ban remains intact until August 31, though that could be prolonged for another few months due in part to the continued spike in positive tests of the COVID-19 virus seen throughout the country.
Bittle is respected for his versatility and long-term upside in the frontcourt. Someone that can play either big man spot and is at his best facing the basket, Bittle carries a reliable stroke to 22-feet that is fairly consistent with his feet set. He has good ball skills intact, along with a solid feel and IQ for the game.
Strength gain is a must moving forward but Bittle has the talent and length to immediately impact a high-major program as a freshman. Oregon has been the most talked about of landing spots for the in-state target, though UCLA has remained a solid threat ever since the hiring of Mick Cronin a year ago. Gonzaga has continued to flourish with those in his mold which has piqued his interest, while Arizona just saw two former West Coast Elite travel program teammates, Josh Green and Nico Mannion, complete one-and-done campaigns at the Pac 12 program.