Sooners land top 40 junior

He didn't expect it to go down the the way it did, but once four-star junior point guard Payton Pritchard took a visit to Oklahoma he was hooked.

Tuesday morning -- just a few weeks after visiting OU where both of his parents graduated from -- the 6-foot- floor general from West Linn (Ore.) High who ranks No. 38 in the class of 2016 announced his commitment to the Soooners.

"I'm going to Oklahoma," Pritchard told Rivals.com. "It was a good fit. I like the coaching staff and I like the atmosphere there and I have family there."

Most of all, Pritchard felt a strong connection with head coach Lon Kruger.

"He just seems like a very trustworthy guy and guy you can depend on," said Pritchard. "He likes his guys to play loose and they get their players better."

Not that Pritchard needs much prodding to work. A dangerous shooter who can score or run the show, the junior is well known for his work ethic and on the day of his commitment he was in the gym at 6:15 AM getting up shots with his father.

Still, under Kruger the Sooners have developed a good reputation for their player development and it played a role without them having to push it.

"They didn't really have to push that more for me," said Pritchard of the player development. "I saw that more myself with their players that were touted turning into big time players. It was more my role and how I would play.

"I'm going to be the floor general and aggressive and pushing the ball up and down. I think for college having a great floater to score on the big guys will be important. Also becoming a lockdown defender and a great defender."

Pritchard is glad to have the process over with and pleased with his choice. However, even with his ties to Oklahoma it wasn't something he ever figured would happen until he visited and fell in love with the school.

"I wasn't going to go there and wasn't really thinking about it and my parents weren't pushing Oklahoma at all," said Pritchard. "When I visited, I really loved it and the atmosphere was great. I'd always loved Sooner football and been a big fan, but when I went there I just fell in love with the school and it felt like home."

Click Here to view this Link.

[rl]