NCAA Basketball Recruiting: UNC, Indiana leading contenders for Keion Brooks
Breaking down Brooks college choices
Brooks has taken four of his five official visits so far as he has taken trips to UCLA, UNC, Indiana, and Kentucky. He said that he may not take a fifth official, but if he does it will be to Michigan State.
The school order is my prediction of where each program stands in the likelihood of landing Brooks.
6. Purdue Boilermakers: The Boilermakers already have three players from the class of 2019 signed to letters of intent. With the team only graduating two seniors and having an extra scholarship available as a result of having 12 players on scholarship, it means they don’t have any more room available for Brooks anyways. Unless star junior point guard Carson Edwards leaves for the NBA or another player departs from the program.
Four-star point guard Isaiah Thompson, four-star shooting guard Brandon Newman and four-star combo forward Mason Gillis are the three incoming freshmen. Brooks is the only player that Purdue has an open offer to.
5. UCLA Bruins: The Bruins would likely be right in the mix if Alford was still there, but he is not. Another problem is that the Bruins, who could ultimately have some roster turnover after the season with a coaching change, already have signed three players from the senior class. Two of the signees, Jaime Jacquez Jr. and Jake Kyman, play Brooks position.
4. Michigan State Spartans: The Spartans have been recruiting Brooks the longest, so they may actually be higher on his list. However, he has not taken an official visit and may not. Part of the reason is that MSU has canceled a few of the dates that he was scheduled to.
The Spartans are pretty set at the forward spots going forward unless junior Nick Ward decides to leave early. They do have more immediate needs at center and shooting guard where they are looking at Stewart and Harlon Beverley. MSU has already signed four-star point guard Mark “Rocket” Watts and four-star small forward Malik Hall.
3. UNC Tar Heels: The Tar Heels are a very interesting case as they are of course a perennial power and could have two talented sophomores coming back in Nassir Little and Coby White. Little is probably a little bit more of a question mark as he could bolt for the NBA. UNC will lose stars Cam Johnson, Luke Maye as well as Kenny Williams.
Coach Roy Williams has already signed top-60 prospect Jeremiah Francis as well as top-20 recruit Armando Bacot. The Tar Heels currently have one scholarship remaining are in the mix for several other top prospects including Cole Anthony, Mathew Hurt, and Precious Achiuwa.