Oklahoma goes big with Rick Issanza
RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2019 Team rankings | 2019 Position rankings
Oklahoma continued to add to its already strong top-25 recruiting class in the form of Rick Issanza. The 7-foot-1 center gave his verbal commitment to the Big 12 program and should be relied upon immediately for his rim protection and rebounding.
A mobile and hard playing center that was one of the top available frontcourt prospects this spring, Issanza is a tremendous late year coup for the Sooners. Issanza took official visits to OU and UConn in recent weeks, and had heard overtures from such others as Oregon, TCU and Texas Tech throughout the recruiting process.
Rated as the 38th best center prospect in the 2019 class, Issanza is a more than serviceable backline piece that Lon Kruger can come to rely on during his college stay. While his defense is ahead of his offense, Issanza is a solid lob finisher that is a presence on the weakside glass.
Where he is best served is in producing off of his own energy levels. A more than solid rim runner and one of the top shot blockers in the 2019 class, Issanza is the type of frontline piece that Oklahoma lacked for last season. The Sooners finished 198th in blocked shots and did not have a single member of its team average over a block per game; that should change upon the proper minutes allotted to Issanza.
Issanza becomes the seventh member to Oklahoma’s 2019 class. In the frontcourt, he will be joined by junior college big man Corbin Merritt, Australian Anyang Garang and Rivals150 senior Victor Iwuakor. The class is furthered supported by Rivals150 prospects De’Vion Harmon and Jalen Hill, along with the services of junior college wing Alondes Williams. Arguably Lon Kruger’s deepest class that he has ever assembled in Norman, the Sooners’ staff will now focus their complete attention on the 2020 class.