Latest Player Commitments NCAA Basketball News

On May 20, 2015, the spring signing period in college basketball ended. Some of the programs out there have found some freshmen who will contribute next year, but others are now a little further behind the eight-ball when it comes to putting together the sort of roster that will comprise a major player when the 2016 version of March Madness rolls around with it’s College Hoops Odds action. Here’s a look at some of the recruiting period’s biggest winners and losers.

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Winners

California Golden Bears

Even before the signing period opened, Cal had already signed two recruits from the top 150 in the 2015 class: Tyson Jolly and David Dillard. However, adding power forward Ivan Rabb, a primo power forward, and Jaylen Brown, a small forward from Georgia who is a five-star recruit, made Cal even more formidable. Cal now appears in just about every preseason Top 25 poll, and the Golden Bears could compete in the tough Pac-12 in the 2015-2016 campaign.

Duke

Three of the Blue Devils’ major contributors to their national championship (Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow) all left for the NBA draft, leaving Coach K with some holes to fill. Point guard Derryck Thornton and wing Brandon Ingram both joined the 2015 recruiting class and are expected to contribute immediately to the perimeter rotation for the Blue Devils.

Kansas

Cliff Alexander jumped to the NBA after just one season, probably a year sooner than he should have if he wanted to avoid heading to the D-League. However, the Jayhawks may have more than replaced him, adding power forward Cheick Diallo, a 6’9” prospect from Our Savior New American High School in New York. Diallo is known for his defense and work ethic, which will help him complement Perry Ellis, an offensively inclined forward. LaGerald Vick is a shooting guard who has committed to KU and will either enter college in 2015 or 2016.

Purdue/Indiana/UNLV

All three of these teams added an elite center: Stephen Zimmerman ended up at UNLV, Thomas Bryant went to Indiana, and Caleb Swanigan has landed in Purdue. Zimmerman is the most likely of the three to have immediate impact because of his shooting prowess and physical length. Bryant also brings some power to the frontcourt for Indiana, though, and Swanigan will join an impressive crew of big men at Purdue.

Mississippi State

The Bulldogs had already recruited five-star shooting guard prospect Malik Newman under coach Rick Ray, but the university fired Ray in late March, bringing in Ben Howland. Howland’s first job was to bridge a relationship with Newman and convince him that Mississippi State was the best place for him to sign. This gives Howland a top-10 prospect to start his first recruiting class. Aric Holman, a primo power forward, also signed with what is an impressive class.

Losers

Michigan State

Caleb Swanigan originally made a verbal commitment to the Spartans at the start of April, but he never sent the National Letter of Intent in. However, he ended up going to a different Big Ten school when he joined Purdue. However, power forward Deyonta Davis, shooting guard Kyle Ahrens and shooting guard Matt McQuaid will still give the Spartans a solid class and help them contend for another national title.

Kentucky

The hazard of running a “one and done” school is that you have to add a whole new roster each year. Seven players declared for the NBA draft from Kentucky, and then they watched several of their top recruits go elsewhere. The most shocking rejection was probably Jaylen Brown going to Cal, even though he publicly praised Kentucky. As of now, the only big Wildcat signing is JUCO guard Mychal Mulder.