Miami lands four-star scoring machine Austin Swartz
The No. 41 prospect in the class of 2024 came off the board on Tuesday afternoon, when four-star guard Austin Swartz announced his verbal commitment to Miami. The hot-shooting volume scorer chose the Hurricanes over finalists Virginia Tech, Indiana, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame and UConn. Below, Rivals explores what UM is getting as well as what the news means for the bigger picture.
WHAT MIAMI IS GETTING
Austin Swartz was one of the summer's biggest stock-risers, and the 6-foot-4 guard made his big move for good reason. Once ranked near the bottom of the Rivals150, Swartz developed into one of the more prolific scorers in the country this year averaging an eye-popping 21 PPG in the EYBL and shooting 37% from the 3-point line on 137 attempts while doing so. Swartz does an outstanding job of scoring in bunches while staying within the offense. And while he’s prone to the occasional string of bad shots, his shot selection seems to be improving. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Swartz boasts a thick, athletic build that allows him to create space, get to spots and finish through contact. He became known for his ability to convert circus layups and other tough shots this spring and has a lot of translatable offensive skill. Defensively, he requires additional development when it comes to both effort and discipline but his frame suggests he’ll be able to take strides on the front down the road. The same can be said for his ability to create shots for his teammates, which he does well in sports. At the end of the day, there simply aren’t many prospects in the 2025 class capable of scoring at the level of Swartz, who spent the summer shining against top-flight competition in the EYBL.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE HURRICANES
Swartz is UM’s first commitment of the 2024 class, but he certainly won’t be the last. The Hurricanes are players for five-star guard Jalil Bethea and five-star wing VJ Edgecombe in addition to four-stars Billy Richmond, Gicarri Harris, Nicolas Codie and others. Miami is set to get four-star Khani Rooths on campus for an official visit later this month, but Jim Larrañaga’s program feels like it’s on the outside looking in as the aforementioned visit draws closer. If UM lands just one more of the aforementioned prospects, the foundation for a hyper-impressive class will have been laid.