In this week’s edition of McDonald’s Nuggets, Dan McDonald discusses the top five commitments in a busy week of commitments in the 2022 class.
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RECRUITING UPDATES: Jakai Newton | Noah Clowney | Kylan Boswell
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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STARTING FIVE: Top five commitments in the 2022 class this week
August is one of the busiest times of the year for prospects in the upcoming senior class to decide they have had enough of the recruiting process and they are ready to announce which school they’ll be playing at next season. This week was another busy one, with Creighton leading the way with a commitment from Ben Shtolzberg (1). The 6-foot-4 point guard isn’t currently ranked in the Rivals150, but don’t let that distract you from the fact that Greg McDermott just landed a really good player. He’s a very crafty scorer and can elevate the play of those around him.
Auburn scored its first commitment on Thursday with the addition of Tre Donaldson (2). Also a four-star prospect on the football field, the Rivals150 guard is a feisty on-ball defender who certainly brings a football mentality to the hardwood. He can play either guard with his ability to score and set up others.
A week after landing a commitment from five-star forward Kijani Wright, USC added another commitment from a local product in Oziyah Sellers (3). Like Shtolzberg, Sellers isn’t currently ranked in the Rivals150, but this is a quality addition for the Trojans. The 6-5 wing from Southern California can really fill it up with his perimeter stroke and brings some athleticism to the table.
Sellers wasn’t the only high-major commitment this week from Southern California Academy. Amaree Abram (4) called off his recruitment in favor of Texas A&M earlier this week. The 6-foot-4 combo guard can really score it at all three levels and brings some excitement to the game. He could develop into another one of those under-the-radar finds Buzz Williams seems to find almost every year.
Three-star point guard Sean Jones (5) also ended his recruitment this week with Marquette being his college destination. The Ohio native is the first member of Shaka Smart’s first full recruiting class with the Golden Eagles. Jones is certainly on the small side for a point guard at 5-foot-10, but he’s a true floor general that can run a team and score it. Most recently, he averaged 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game at the Nike Peach Jam.
