Washington nabs local five-star Jaden McDaniels
RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2019 Team rankings | 2019 Position rankings
The long decision making process for Jaden McDaniels has come to an end. Tuesday night, the five-star forward announced via Twitter that he has committed to hometown Washington.
McDaniels discussed his feelings for the hometown program in late March at the McDonald's All-American Game.
“There is nothing like being at home. It is just right up the road. Coach (Will) Conroy and Hop (Mike Hopkins), they are always on me and always checking in and seeing what I am up to,” he said. “I have known Conroy for a long time and they are kind of like family to me.”
A 6-foot-9 forward with versatility, McDaniels is the second major win for Mike Hopkins on the recruiting trail within the 2019 recruiting cycle. Earlier, 2019's No. 2 ranked player Isaiah Stewart chose the Huskies over national powers.
Selecting the Huskies over a final group that included Kentucky, San Diego State, Texas, and UCLA, McDaniels will likely switch between both forward positions next year and be the immediate replacement for Matise Thybulle.
The younger brother of SDSU standout Jalen McDaniels, the five-star is more of an offensive threat than Thybulle ever was as his half-court skillset should translate well to the college level. He is also a very solid rebounder for a perimeter forward and should work well within Hopkins’ zone defense. On the Nike EYBL circuit last summer, he posted per-game averages of 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
Along with the two five-star prospects McDaniels and Stewart the Huskies also hold commitments from guards Marcus Tsohonis (a three-star from Oregon) and RaeQuan Battle (a four-star scorer from Washington) who both played summer ball with McDaniels.
