The recruiting rumor mill rarely rests and, in turn, neither does Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy, who spends his days talking with players, agents and coaches in an attempt to track the commitments of prospects from coast to coast.
This week in his rumor mill column, Cassidy explores Cincinnati making a strong move with an East Coast point guard, how some recent Creighton news might affect the process of four-star forward Winters Grady and a 2027 prospect that is seeing interest in his services pick up.
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KEYSHAUN TILLERY CLOSING IN ON A DECISION
It seems as though the recruitment of Keyshuan Tillery has reached its final stretch, as the four-star guard is expected to make a verbal commitment next week and is currently finalizing an exact date for a public announcement.
Technically, Tillery is still considering three programs – Virginia, Cincinnati and Wake Forest – but recent intel on the situation suggest that Demon Deacons are running in a distant third behind the Cavaliers and Bearcats. Virginia was once seen as the leader in the race, but last weekend’s official visit to Cincy seems to have closed any gap that previously existed between UVA and Cincinnati. These days, the race feels tight, but buzz is starting to build around Wes Miller’s Bearcats as the ever-so-slight frontrunner.
It currently feels as though the sooner a decision comes the better the outcome will be for Cincinnati, which used last weekend’s visit to make a strong late move and now feels some form of optimism. That said, Virginia remains a serious threat and should not be overlooked, especially if next week comes and goes without an announcement.
Should Tillery choose Cincy in the near future, though, UVA fans will look to four-star point guard Chance Mallory, who will suddenly feel even more likely to land in Charlottesville than he did previously.
DOMINOS FALLING FOR FOUR-STAR WINTERS GRADY
Creighton scored a massive commitment for four-star forward Hudson Greer last week. The commitment was a big one for the Bluejays, who now have a long, athletic wing in the fold for 2025. And while the situation is a net positive for Doug McDermott’s program, it also seems to have all but eliminated them from the race to land Winters Grady, who now may or may not make his scheduled visit to Omaha.
No decision on the upcoming visit has been made just yet, but the Bluejays seem unlikely to land Grady’s letter of intent with a similar prospect already in the fold. With Creighton all but out of the race, Iowa, Michigan and Oregon seem like the main players to sign the Oregon-based Grady.
HIGH-MAJORS CHECKING IN ON 2027 WING JAVON BARDWELL
It’s still early in the process for sophomore Javon Bardwell, of Arizona’s Hillcrest Prep, and most are not yet familiar with the 2027 standout's name. That could all change down the road, however, as high-major programs are already showing an interest in his potential.
Bardwell is yet to be ranked but projects as a prospect that will see his name in the Rivals150 when it expands down the road. He already holds scholarship offers from programs such as Texas Tech, Grand Canyon and Northern Illinois among others.
New major programs have begun kicking the tires on the 6-foot-6 standout this month, however, as his coach reports that Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg was in to see Bardwell last week. Coaches from Missouri, Stanford, UCLA, Purdue, Colorado and Baylor have also been through Hillcrest Prep to check him out in recent days.
