Busting Brackets
Fansided

DePaul Basketball: Kok Yat adds to already impressive 2021 recruiting class

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 11: The DePaul Blue Demons mascot during a first round game against the Xavier Musketeers in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 11: The DePaul Blue Demons mascot during a first round game against the Xavier Musketeers in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Four-star forward Kok Yat is the lastest class of 2021 recruit to sign up for DePaul Basketball. The Blue Demons are looking to build a top-tier class to compete in the Big East.

DePaul Basketball landed its whopping fifth commitment in the 2021 recruiting class this weekend. This one comes in the frontcourt, with 6’8 forward Kok Yat now on board. He picked the Blue Demons over TCU, Arizona State, Georgia, and Kansas, after choosing to reclassify from the 2022 class earlier in the Summer.

Yat has great potential as a combo forward. Capable of playing face-up on the perimeter as a small or inside on the low post, Yat’s promising potential makes him a potential top-50 overall prospect, instead of where he currently is according to 247sportsComposite (103 overall).

As mentioned, Yat is the fifth player on DePaul’s 2021 class. He’s also the fourth commit rated as a “four-star”, joining shooting guard Ahamad Bynum, along with Keon Edwards and David Jones. Those three are ranked in the top-90 overall, giving the program currently a top-5 overall group.

This is massively impressive for head coach Dave Leitao, and not just for high school players but recruiting battles overall. Along with three commitments from the 2021 class, the staff landed five transfers this offseason as well. That includes grad transfers Pauly Paulicap, Brian Patrick, and Ray Salnave. The next class of Blue Demons, including Yat, will have a great chance at immediate playing time in the 2021-22 season.

After what can only be considered a disastrous Big East campaign after a strong non-conference. DePaul Basketball and Coach Leitao could’ve easily laid back and lost out on these recruiting battles but instead, used the promise of playing time and playing in a prestigious league be the selling points needed to rebuild the roster to compete now and in the future.

Next. DePaul offseason storylines. dark

DePaul arguably could use a center in the 2021 class as well, with just Nickolas Ongenda on the roster. Land another big man to pair with Kok Yat and you have one of the most impressive recruiting classes nationally. Hopefully, these recruiting wins can start to transfer towards wins on the court.

Home/Big East