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NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing 2019 C Jonathan Aku’s final five teams

By Tristan Freeman

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 07: (L-R) Fabian White Jr. #35, Dejon Jarreau #13, Nate Hinton #11 and Armoni Brooks #3 of the Houston Cougars look on in the closing moments of the game at Fertitta Center on March 07, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 07: (L-R) Fabian White Jr. #35, Dejon Jarreau #13, Nate Hinton #11 and Armoni Brooks #3 of the Houston Cougars look on in the closing moments of the game at Fertitta Center on March 07, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Four-star big man Jonathan Aku has recently reclassified to the 2019 NCAA Basketball recruiting class. Who are the five teams vying for his services?

While the 2019 NCAA Basketball recruiting classes seems all but wrapped up, it’s never completely over. That’s because players from the next class have the right to reclassify if they’re academically elegible (complete the necessary high school requirements) and essentially move up a year. That’s what center Jonathan Aku has most recently done, after considering the move for the last few months.

The 6’10 big man from Lewisville, Texas (originally from Nigeria) was always an intriguing prospect. Although he hasn’t played basketball long, Aku has physical tools to become a great defensive frontcourt piece. His offensive game is still growing but he fits the modern game well when it comes to athletic centers defending on pick and roll and handling stretch forwards.

Aku’s move to the 2019 recruiting class changes things not only for him but for his five reported finalists – Texas Tech, TCU, Houston, Tulsa and Texas A&M. Each of them can suddenly add a big man to bolster their frontcourt and won’t have to fight even bigger schools for Aku if he has a huge senior campaign in high school. With no real favorites to land the big man, here’s a look at each of his potential spots.

Houston Cougars

The epitome of “small ball”, the Cougars won 33 total games and were minutes away from making the Elite Eight last season despite not having a player in their rotation over 6’8. They’ll need some size next season with their best players now gone. Houston still could use another big man in their 2019 class, only adding 6’7 power forward J’Wan Roberts.

Aku probably is a player who’ll be brought along slowly regardless of who he picks but this is a team who could really use him at the center position. And with players such as Nate Hinton around and Quentin Grimes joining the fold, the freshman big man would be surrounded by really good talent.

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