Basketball Recruiting Update: Livin La Vida Local

Some of the pieces for 2019 are starting to fall into place and at the moment it feels like the Huskies are standing up in the recruiting version of musical chairs. There is a fairly good crop of talent from the Seattle area and it seems likely that Washington is going to have to focus their efforts there. Hopkins brought in both Will Conroy and Cameron Dollar with an eye towards keeping local talent home. It needs to start happening right now if they’re going to keep momentum going once the 2018 senior class leaves.

No Longer Under Consideration

Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, 6’9, 235. Chino Hills H.S, Chino Hills, California.

247Sports: 4 star, #21 overall; Rivals: 5 star, #21 overall; ESPN: 5 star, #16 overall

Okongwu committed to USC yesterday and so he is officially off the table. There’s always the chance that he reopens his recruitment before signing day after USC has another assistant arrested but it sounds like the Huskies may have been last among his Final 5. It certainly seems that Washington has now struck out with all of their out of state 5-star prospects for 2019. This class was a test to see how Hopkins would be able to recruit nationally given his success in Year 1 but it appears he’s not a miracle worker in that regard. If the Huskies are able to redshirt one of Nate Roberts or Bryan Penn-Johnson then a center wasn’t a core position of need for 2019. Still, I’d expect to see an offer or two go out now that they’ve struck out on Okongwu.

The Local Studs

Jaden McDaniels

There were approximately 8,000 articles written about McDaniels this week after his performance on the EYBL circuit in Atlanta this weekend. Jaden averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead Seattle Rotary to a 3-1 record including an astounding 27 and 18 performance. Essentially every major service now acknowledges that he’s going to get a 5th star when the next recruiting rankings come out. Everyone around this blog though has been asking where does Washington stand given his breakout performance?

Corey Evans at Rivals caught up with Jaden yesterday and asked him about each of his major schools. Here’s his blurb on UW:

“He (Mike Hopkins) is just telling me to be ready to work. If you work, you’re going to be able to play a lot. Staying home would be fun and I wouldn’t mind going there at all.”

That isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. That pitch sounds a lot like Coach Pete but it isn’t exactly a sexy message. It sounds like he likes Arizona because they had a presumptive #1 pick in DeAndre Ayton and they have a loud gym (Jaden, were you paying attention when UW had a #1 pick the year before?). He likes Oklahoma because Kruger hands the keys over to his 5-star players and doesn’t impose limits on them, like Trae Young. Texas is telling him that he can be the next Kevin Durant. And what Jaden is hearing from Hop is that he needs to work hard.

If this is where McDaniels stands now before the offers start rolling in from Duke and Villanova then it sounds like the Huskies are in a rough position. Probably the best case scenario for UW is if he delays his commitment into next Spring and Washington makes a run in the NCAA tournament with their senior-laden core.

P.J Fuller, PG/SG, 6’5, 160. Garfield H.S, Seattle, Washington.

247Sports: 4 star, #37 overall; Rivals: 4 star, #58 overall; ESPN: 4 star, #45 overall

Other Offers: Arizona, Arizona State, TCU, Florida State, UNLV

Things are going better for Washington with the other local star prospect in the 2019 class. Josh Gershon at 247 talked to P.J this week and got an update on his status with all his major schools. It is a subscriber-only article so I’m not going to be providing direct quotes. It is interesting to note that he had quotes on some schools from Fuller and some from his AAU coach. The Washington section (as well as the Arizona one) comes from his AAU coach so it may or may not be exactly how P.J feels. But those two appear to be the clear favorites at this point. Although apparently TCU has made a big impression on him.

There’s definitely a much better chance that Hopkins is able to reel in Fuller than McDaniels. It also is a big help that Romar is no longer on staff in Tucson or I’d call them prohibitive favorites. Fuller said he’ll take visits during his senior year and doesn’t plan to make a decision any time soon which means there’s a decent chance he ends up signing next spring.

Jamon Kemp

247’s Arizona site had an article with Garfield High’s Jamon Kemp that came out earlier this morning ($). Kemp’s half brother Shawn Kemp Jr. played for UW from 2012-2015 as an effective backup big man and occasional starter in his senior year. The younger Kemp is a 6’5 wing who is rated as the #110 player nationally by 247 sports.

Josh Gershon at 247 also spoke with Kemp 2 weeks ago ($) and it appears that Arizona’s interest is relatively new since they weren’t mentioned back then. They certainly are the biggest national brand to show interest in Kemp. Lorenzo Romar and Pepperdine unsurprisingly have also gotten into the picture since Romar coached Shawn and knows all the Seattle area recruits. Kemp says he has spoken with UW, Gonzaga, Oregon, and more but he still only holds an offer from Montana. We’ll see if UW extends an offer to officially be the first one in the door or not.

It doesn’t hurt that on top of being a talented player that Kemp plays with both P.J Fuller and 2020 target Marjon Beauchamp at Garfield and in AAU ball. Kemp is currently 3rd in scoring on the Bradley Panthers AAU team behind those two while putting up 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 50.9% FG, 45.8% 3pt, 83.3% FT shooting from the field.

The List for 2019

Favorites or Close To It

P.J Fuller, PG/SG, 6’5, 160. Garfield H.S, Seattle, Washington.

247Sports: 4 star, #37 overall; Rivals: 4 star, #58 overall; ESPN: 4 star, #45 overall

Other Offers: Arizona, Arizona State, TCU, Florida State, UNLV

AAU: Adidas Gauntlet, Bradley Panthers

15 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 41.5% FG, 31.3% 3pt, 60% FT

RaeQuan Battle, SG, 6’5, 200. Marysville-Pilchuck High School, Marysville, Washington.

Other Offers: NONE

AAU: Nike EYBL, Seattle Rotary.

13.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 44.7% FG, 38.4% 3pt, 77.3% FT

Noah Williams, PG, 6’5, 185. O’Dea H.S, Seattle, Washington.

247Sports: 3 star, #235 overall; Rivals: NR; ESPN: NR

Other Offers: NONE

AAU: Nike EYBL, Seattle Rotary

9.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 39.3% FG, 23.5% 3pt, 72.1% FT

In the Running

Jaden McDaniels, SF, 6’10, 200. Federal Way H.S, Federal Way, Washington.

247Sports: 4 star, #91 overall; Rivals: 4 star, #45 overall; ESPN: NR

Other Offers: Arizona, Oklahoma, San Diego State, Texas

AAU: Nike EYBL, Seattle Rotary

19.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 53.8% FG, 31.7% 3pt, 67.6% FT

Max Agbonkpolo, SF, 6’8, 180. Santa Margarita Catholic H.S, Rancho Santa Margarita, California.

247Sports: 4 star, #60 overall; Rivals: 4 star, #94 overall; ESPN: NR

Other Offers: USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Texas

AAU: Adidas Gauntlet, Pump and Run

13.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.6 apg, 50% FG, 20% 3pt, 68.9% FT

On the Corner of Slim and None

Isaiah Stewart, PF/C, 6’8, 243. La Lumiere School, Rochester, New York.

247Sports: 5 star, #23 overall; Rivals: 5 star, #10 overall; ESPN: 5 star, #13 overall

Other Offers: Duke, Villanova, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Texas

AAU: Nike EYBL, The City Rocks

17.5 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 62.1% FG, 68% FT

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