McDonald's Nuggets: Commits that fit, a prediction, more
Dan McDonald is back with his McDonald’s Nuggets column. This week, he takes a look at impactful commits in the 2021 class, previews JD Davison’s upcoming decision and recaps the top commitments in the month of September.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
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WHAT’S ON MY MIND: Five decisions I really like (from players who aren't five-stars)
With October here and the Early Signing Period just over a month away the majority of the 2021 Rivals150 members have already made their college decision. There are five commitments outside of five-star range that I think will make a big impact at the next level.
Let’s start with one of the more recent commitments, with Carter Whitt going to Wake Forest. He’s the ideal lead guard for Steve Forbes to start building his program around over the next few years. Whitt has good size for a point guard and a really good feel for scoring and making plays for his teammates. These are the battles the Demon Deacons must win in-state in order to move up the ACC pecking order.
Out on the West Coast, I really like Will McClendon’s decision to pick UCLA. It’s a perfect match between prospect and head coach. In order to get on the floor for Mick Cronin, defense needs to be a part of a player’s game. The four-star wing from Las Vegas can do that, and he’s a versatile offensive players as well.
Staying out west, Jahmai Mashack to Tennessee is another decision I like for a lot of the same reasons. It’s a perfect culture fit. Rick Barnes has built his Tennessee program on toughness and defense. Mashack brings both of those traits to the table, and he’s also a gifted offensive player as a slasher and shooter.
Jaylon Tyson locked in with Texas Tech early - and I can’t say I blame him. Chris Beard is one of the best coaches in the country, and I think he’ll find really creative ways to make sure the four-star sharp-shooter from the DFW area maximizes his talents.
Lastly, another recent decision I think will work out well is Jusaun Holt taking his talents to Alabama. The four-star Georgia native has really come on in the past year as a shooter and he’s a gritty defender. He’s really good in the transition game as well. Nate Oats wants his teams to play fast and shoot a lot of three-pointers. This is another perfect match between coach and prospect.
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PREDICTION: JD Davison's decision
Five-star point guard JD Davison is ready to end his recruitment on Saturday afternoon after a long recruiting process that saw schools from all over the country extend scholarship offers. The No. 13 prospect in the 2021 class cut his list last month to leave Alabama, Auburn, Kansas, LSU, Memphis and Michigan in the mix for his signature.
Right now, the best bet is that he’ll be staying in the state of Alabama to play college basketball. Alabama and Auburn - under Nate Oats and Bruce Pearl - have both made him a major priority, but I’d give the Crimson Tide a slight edge in this one a day out from decision time. The school that does land Davison is getting arguably the best passer in the 2021 class and an elite athlete who can finish with the best of them.
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2021 COMMIT OF THE MONTH: Nathan Bittle to Oregon
It wasn’t a huge surprise that the Oregon native decided he wanted to go back home to Eugene after his year at Prolific Prep, but it doesn’t make it any less of a recruiting win for Dana Altman. The 7-foot center is incredibly skilled and keeps getting better. As he continues to fill out, he should be a dominant player for the Ducks. Beating out Arizona, Gonzaga and UCLA makes this one a little sweeter for Oregon.
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2022 COMMIT OF THE MONTH: Paul Lewis to Maryland
Mark Turgeon secured his point guard in the 2022 class just a few days ago and it came in the form of a local Rivals150 prospect. It worked out pretty well the last time the Terrapins landed a floor general out of Bishop O’Connell who also played travel ball with DC Premier. That was Melo Trimble. Lewis has some of the same traits. He’s a scorer at about 6-foot and he’s more than happy to be the set-up guy, if needed. Winning local battles against Georgetown is never a bad thing for Maryland.