Three-star Milton, Ga. shooting guard Alex O’Connell saw his stock rise significantly on the recruiting trail during his junior season. He started his junior year with only mid-major offers, but now is wanted man by several high-majors.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
O’Connell says he’s working with a top four that consists of Clemson, Georgia, Kansas State and Ole Miss right now. He broke down what stands out about each school.
Clemson: “It’s a good program. They are in the ACC. They definitely need a scoring wing after seeing some of their games. I really like their coaching staff with Coach [Richie] Riley and Coach [Brad] Brownell.”
Georgia: “Coach [Mark] Fox and Coach [Philip] Pearson came to see me Thursday. I think Coach Fox is a really good coach. They didn’t get into too much about how they would use today and that type of stuff today. They did all that when I visited for the football game a while back. We’ll definitely go up there again and I’m sure we’ll talk more in-depth.”
Kansas State: “They offered me during the high school season. I like Coach Chester Frazier. He’s really cool.”
Ole Miss: “They are up there. They have been recruiting me for a really long time. I really like Coach Kennedy and the freedom players get in that offense. They have that new arena that is really cool.”
Stanford could join that group if the new coaching staff decides to offer.
“That’s definitely one I’d be interested in. I think they would offer me, but I think they are still getting organized out there and looking at transcripts. They were recruiting me hard at UAB.”
WHAT'S NEXT?
O’Connell will be suiting up with Team United out of North Carolina in the Nike EYBL during the upcoming travel season. Look for him to continue taking visits to schools throughout the spring and summer. He wants to have his decision out of the way before his senior season starts, but there is no timeline. A commitment could come at any time if he finds a school that meets all the criteria he’s looking for.
RIVALS' REACTION
At this point, O’Connell admitted that Georgia and Ole Miss have the edge in his recruitment. A Stanford offer could shake things up.
