NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Mid-major programs winning key 2019 prospects

The goal for most top NCAA Basketball prospects is to play at the highest level collegiately as possible, but it seems that recently more and more highly-touted prospects are choosing mid-major DI programs over high-major programs.

Pierre Crockrell Jr. became the latest touted class of NCAA Basketball 2019 prospects to choose a mid-major program despite receiving scholarship offers from power-7 programs when he decided to sign with Pacific on June 8. Crockrell joins Mahamadou Diawara, Nah’shon Hyland, and Mason Hooks among players that have chosen fit or comfort over playing in what is conceived to be top-tier conferences.

Crockrell, who is rated a three-star prospect by both 247Sports and 247Sports Composite, is a 5’11” shifty point guard who is a fantastic passer. He likes to push the pace in transition and can get to the hole off the dribble. The Seattle (Wash.) native also possesses great handles, is an outstanding decision maker, shoots it well, and gets after it defensively.

The Seattle (Wash.) native selected Pacific over BYU, Washington St., Texas Tech, and Houston. Houston, Washington St. and Texas Tech were reportedly very interested in Crockrell. He also had been talking to Washington and Cal among others.

Crockrell is the third member in Pacific’s 2019 recruiting class, joining guard 6’2″ Daniss Jenkins (Dallas, TX) and 6’6″ forward Jonathan Salazar (Panama). The Tigers went 14-18 overall and 4-12 in the WCC last season. Pacific, which has not reached the NCAA tournament since 2013, is 38-59 in three seasons under former NBA player Damon Stoudamire.

Hooks, a 2020 three-star recruit, started this trend of choosing “smaller programs” over high-major — which does occur occasionally each year — by committing to Princeton on June 3. The 6’9″ center is a fantastic coup for Princeton as he is a big who can play in the low or high post. He is a fantastic passer, has the ability to score with either hand around the basket and an outstanding rebounder.  Georgetown was also showing interest in the Harvard-Westlake High School product, who averaged 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks last year.

Diawara signing with Stetson (June 6), which plays in the Atlantic Sun, is the biggest surprise of the four. The consensus three-star 6’10” center also had offers from Penn State and Georgia Tech while drawing interest from several other major programs –Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, UConn, and Virginia Tech. He was rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports Composite and Rivals while ESPN pegged him as a four-star prospect.

Diawara is still very raw as he has only played basketball since the age of 14. The athletic Mali native is long — possessing a 7’3″ wingspan, and is a high-volume rebounder and shot-blocker. He can score around the rim and has a high-motor. Diawara is the fifth member of first-year coach Donnie Jones’ 2019 recruiting class.

Jones, who has nine years of head coaching experience with a 155-129 record, replaces former NBA player Corey Williams. Williams posted a 58-133 record in six seasons at Stetson, which has never reached the NCAA Tournament.

Hyland is the most highly touted prospect of the four as he is ranked among the top-100 players in the class of 2019 by 247Sports, 247Sports Composite and Rivals. While the 6’3″ shooting guard won’t be playing for a power-7 conference, VCU is not really chopped liver. Hyland didn’t list a single power-7 squad in his finalist list despite the fact that Maryland, DePaul, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, TCU, and Seton Hall reportedly prioritized him.

He ultimately chose the Rams over Delaware, Monmouth, La Salle, St. Joseph’s and Rhode Island.

Naseem Khaalid re-opens recruitment

2020 four-star prospect Naseem Khaalid de-committed from Florida State recently. Khaalid committed to the Seminoles in 2017.

“He wants to see what other options are available,” Diana Neal, who works at West Oaks Academy — Khaalid’s high school — told 247Sports. “Naseem felt he committed too early.”

We will wait to see which teams get involved with 6’2″ point guard, although he is expected to garner a lot of attention, especially from southern teams. North Florida, UNLV, Stetson, and Rutgers had also offered him prior to his commitment to FSU.

The Sumter (SC) native is strong and quick. Khaalid possesses superb handles, has the ability to get to the hole and finish at the rim. He is also an exceptional distributor who sees the entire floor very well.

Florida State currently has 14  scholarship players on its 2019 roster, so the Seminoles must purge one of the scholarship players by the end of the month. If everything remains relatively the same, FSU will have the ability to offer two players athletic money next year as the Seminoles only have two seniors on the squad. They have zero commits and 17 open offers for their 2020 class.

More recruiting tidbits

• Monmouth secured a third member of its 2019 recruiting class with Gob Gabriel’s commitment on June 7. Jarvis Vaughan (Staunton, Va.) and Jake Glazen (Wantagh, NY) are other members of the class.  Gabriel (Manchester, NH) selected the Hawks over St. Bonaventure, St. Josephs and Rutgers among others.
• Former Southern Illinois small forward Sam Shafer transferred to Albany on June 8.  The 6’6″ freshman wing did not play this past season so he will likely have to request a waiver to play for the Great Danes in 2019-20. With Shafer’s arrival, Albany has no remaining scholarship available for the upcoming season.