In this week’s edition of McDonald’s Nuggets, Dan McDonald recaps a really strong week of commitments around the country, plus a a Pac-12 programs is hosting a visit to watch.
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RELATED: Commitment Breakdown as Jaden Bradley chooses Alabama
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
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STARTING FIVE: Top commitments of the week
Eric Musselman has been really impressive on the recruiting trail since taking over at Arkansas in 2019. He’s continued that momentum with a terrific 2022 class so far that went to another level this week with five-star guard Nick Smith (1) deciding to stay home to play for the Razorbacks. Smith becomes the fourth commitment so far for Arkansas, with each of them having a spot in the Rivals150. The 6-foot-5 lead guard gives the Hogs a terrific playmaker to build the program around as long as he’s in Fayetteville.
Not to be outdone by conference rival Arkansas, the Alabama staff also reeled in a big commitment with the addition of Jaden Bradley (2) on Thursday night. The No. 25 overall prospect had also considered Arizona, Florida State, Gonzaga and Kentucky before opting for the Crimson Tide. Nate Oats will likely need Bradley to be ready to run the show from the start next year if incoming five-star guard JD Davison bolts for the NBA after this season.
Villanova never seems to have a shortage of players that can make shots. The Wildcats added another lethal shooter to the program this week as Brendan Hausen (3) decided to commit. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Texas shot up the rankings to No. 39 overall with an impressive summer with Team Griffin.
Speaking of prospects that rose up the rankings in a big way this summer, Ohio State landed one in four-star small forward Brice Sensabaugh (4). The Buckeyes actually snuck into the picture late with the Florida native after he had previously cut his list to eight schools without Ohio State in the mix. Sensabaugh is an explosive athlete with a big, strong body that can score at all three levels. He’ll be ready to handle the physicality of the Big Ten right away and should thrive under Chris Holtmann.
KyeRon Lindsay (5) announced a commitment to UNLV late last Thursday, so we’ll count that one in this week’s column as a huge recruiting win for Kevin Kruger in the 2022 class. The versatile 6-foot-8 forward was one of the standouts at the Peach Jam for Pro Skills (Texas) as he averaged 17.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and almost two blocks per game in four games during the final week. The Runnin’ Rebels edged out other programs such as Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee and Texas A&M to land the Texas native.
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VISIT TO WATCH: Ernest Udeh official visit to UCLA
Unlike many of his peers in the 2022 class, five-star center Ernest Udeh has patiently waited for the right time to start his official visits. UCLA will get the first opportunity to host the Florida native this weekend as he makes his way to Westwood. Udeh had a terrific summer on the Adidas 3SSB circuit with Southeast Elite as he dominated the paint with his scoring prowess on the block as well as his ability to block shots and rebound. He’s an explosive athlete at 6-foot-10 with the strong frame to go with it. Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Miami, Michigan and Tennessee are the other schools remaining with the opportunity to sign Udeh.
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2023 COMMIT OF THE WEEK: Kaleb Glenn to Louisville
Chris Mack and his staff wasted no time getting Louisville’s 2023 class started. Last Friday, four-star small forward Kaleb Glenn from Louisville decided to end his recruitment in favor of the hometown Cardinals. Glenn will likely see time at both forward spots at the next level as he’s shown he can be comfortable playing in the paint or out on the perimeter. Indiana, Tennessee and Texas A&M were the other schools in his top four before his announcement.
