The recruiting rumor mill never stops churning and is hitting overdrive as prospects in the class of 2025 continue to take all-important visits. Each week, Rivals recruiting director Rob Cassidy takes fans inside the process and shares the latest buzz on prospects from coast to coast.
Today, he discusses UMass closing in on a commitment, Iowa making a move with a touted wing and the recruitment of four-star forward Latrell Almond, who is set to begin a run of unofficial visits.
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LATRELL ALLMOND’S RECRUITMENT BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE
It’s still too early to discern a true leader in the race to land four-star forward Latrell Allmond, but the Virginia-based big man’s recruitment is definitely starting to take shape based on intel coming from those close to the process. Allmond's upcoming Sept. 14 visit to Tennessee seems like it could be a major pivot point, as the Vols see his potential similarly to the way they saw that of Grant Williams, who was selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft college ball. Rick Barnes and company also view Allmond as a player that can contribute at some level immediately upon arriving in Knoxville.
In-state Virginia is obviously worth watching closely as well. The Cavaliers are definitely among the top tier of suitors as things stand and may well be the slight leader in the clubhouse, not that such a thing matters much at this early juncture. Virginia assistant coach Jason Williford attended the same high school as Allmond and has been watching and recruiting the four-star since he was a freshman.
There are plenty of other schools involved, however, as Allmond is set to take an unofficial visit to Rutgers on Sept. 27 and hit VCU for an unofficial on Oct. 12. He plans to tour Oklahoma State on Nov. 2, a trip that pops off the page due to Allmond’s close relationship with Cowboys assistant coach James Miller, who has been recruiting Almond since his time at Mississippi State.
An official visit to NC State has not been scheduled at this time, but the Wolfpack coaching staff hosted Allmond for multiple unofficial visits, so one may spin up in the future. The fact that Allmond is close with current NC State guard and former high school teammate Dennis Parker Jr., is worth noting as well.
IOWA MAKING SERIOUS WAVES WITH WINTERS GRADY
Word is that Winters Grady’s Sept. 7 official visit to Iowa went exceptionally well. Not just “well” in the way that every single recruiting visit in the history of the Western world goes “well,” but in a way that had catapulted Iowa into a position among the front-runners to land the four-star’s pledge.
Intel coming out of Grady’s weekend visit to Iowa City is that the Hawkeyes currently feel like the leader in the clubhouse with Michigan, which Grady visited on Aug. 31, and Oregon, which he will tour on Oct. 12, running closely behind. One of those three programs will almost certainly be the pick come decision day. The question of which one it will be is still in doubt, however. That said, Iowa fans should feel a sense of cautious optimism based on the early returns from Grady’s official visit.
Grady has other visits on the schedule, but the Oregon-based star’s upcoming trip to Eugene looms larger than the rest. The Ducks were seen as the early favorite in the process and will have the last chance to sway the balance of power of the talented wing’s process.
UMASS PUSHING HARD FOR CARBUCCIA
Four-star point guard Danny Carbuccia took an official visit to UMass over the weekend and left campus with plenty to ponder. Word is that Carbuccia and those close to him see him as a fit for head coach Frank Martin’s system and are giving the Minutemen a hard look to say the very least.
There are a handful of other programs involved, and nothing is ever certain in the recruiting world, but there is some serious and concrete optimism taking hold in Amherst when it comes to Carbuccia, who also holds offers from programs such as Dayton, East Carolina and West Virginia.
Carbuccia attends New York’s famed Archbishop Stepinac High School and runs with the PSA Cardinals on the EYBL circuit. The Dominican-born guard also plays for Dominican Republic’s U18 national team.
