Wesley Yates is a consensus top-50 prospect in the 2023 NCAA Basketball recruiting. The 6’4 and 200-pound shooting guard out of Beaumont, Texas is one of the top pure scorers in the class and has the size and length to be imposing on the defensive end as well.
Yates’ all-around offensive game makes him an intriguing prospect in the class and he currently has a list of nine contenders for his services. Now, it looks like a decision is coming soon, with the four-star prospect reportedly set to announce his decision on October 5th, which is fewer than 10 days away.
Which of these nine NCAA Basketball programs has the most to offer Yates in terms of role and potential of winning? Here’s a closer look at the possible fit between the player and the programs involved.
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks have the No. 2 incoming recruiting class, filled entirely with perimeter players. Three of them are five-star prospects and likely “one and done” draft picks in Nick Smith, Anthony Black, and Jordan Walsh. There are a trio of other freshmen ranked in the top 100, as well as Wichita State transfer Ricky Council IV.
Arkansas has become a national power and already has a top-30 point guard commit in the class in Layden Blocker. Head coach Eric Mussleman loves adding transfers each offseason so there is a concern about what the minutes would look like for Yates. Still, it’s a top-25 program with a friendly offensive system so it’s a risk worth taking.
Auburn Tigers
The Tigers are another SEC program that is very friendly for offensive players, with head coach Bruce Pearl giving the green light to his starting guards. Yates is the type of player that can be really effective at Auburn and is the kind of athlete needed to compete for the top of the SEC.
The issue here is similar to Arkansas in terms of a path to playing time or starting. Guards KD Johnson and Wendell Green are both entering just their third years in NCAA Basketball, while freshman wing Chance Westry is a top-50 prospect himself. Add four-star commit Aden Holloway to the class and it could be hard to crack this rotation in year one.
Baylor Bears
The Bears have become the program known for its elite guard play in recent years and this group they have this season could lead them to another national title. And some of them may be off to the pros as well in LJ Cryer, Adam Flagler, and five-star prospect, Keyonte George. And still, there are plenty of talented players that would still remain such as Langston Love and the two current class of 2023 commits, Miro Little, and five-star shooting guard, Ja’Kobe Walter.
Walter and Yates play the same position but with the Bears mostly playing a three-guard offense, you can room for both of them in the lineup. And with head coach Scott Drew as one of the best developers in NCAA Basketball, it’ll be really hard to pass up a local option that also is a national title contender.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are another perennial title contender with quality guards on the roster, including 5th-year senior shooter Rasir Bolton and Chattanooga transfer and SoCon Player of the Year Malachi Smith. Both will be gone and likely will projected starting wing Julian Strawther to the pros. Unlike some of the other options on this list, there is a clear path towards playing time for Yates. He could start at the two-spot and in the WCC, could quickly become one of the best players in the conference.
Of course, not all players are interested in playing in the WCC and several other programs on this list also have title potential for the foreseeable future. And heading out all the way to the Northwest to Spokane, Washington may not be the most appealing thing in the world. But just solely concerning the strength of a program, Gonzaga has few flaws to speak of.
Houston Cougars
The Cougars have done a great job in its 2023 class so far, landing a pair of top-100 frontcourt players as well as four-star combo guard, Kordelius Jefferson. Assuming that star guard Marcus Sasser goes pro after this season, there’s some room available for Yates to come in and have an impact early on.
Houston is another appealing local option and starting a year from now, will be in the Big 12, which will be a big upgrade from the AAC. There are now no weaknesses in the ability of the program to land top-tier talent and Yates can play a big role in the program’s transition to the top hoops conference.
LSU Tigers
The SEC program is rebuilding under head coach Matt McMahon with a bunch of new guards. Illinois transfer Adam Miller is back and healthy and NC State transfer Cam Hayes adds to the backcourt depth. Yet on paper, Yates could easily start as a freshman and be a potential focal point of the offense.
The question here is that with a former mid-major coach and transfers that may or may not fit in the SEC, the Tigers may be further from postseason contention than expected. LSU may not be a bad spot but compared to other options that have nothing but stability, it’s early to tell and that may impact 2023 prospects before the start of the season.
Stanford Cardinal
If education is a sincere priority for Yates, the Cardinal may have a real shot at landing him. But solely focusing on the team, they’ll likely not have star wing Harrison Ingram, who likely will go pro. And with a supporting cast that’s so-so at best, Yates wouldn’t have a great shot at making the NCAA Tournament out west.
There’s also the issue with head coach Jarod Haase, who is a hot-seat candidate. If Stanford doesn’t have a good enough year, they’ll likely have to make a coaching change, which could affect Yates and force another decision. This is also an option that has its merits but isn’t guaranteed to be stable months from now.
Texas Longhorns
The Big 12 program has a ton of quality depth on the perimeter this upcoming season, including Iowa State transfer Tyrese Hunter, senior newcomer Sir’Jabari Rice, and five-star freshmen, Dillon Mitchell and Arterio Morris. Along with senior Marcus Carr, there’s a legit chance that all of these guys will be gone next offseason, allowing a player like Yates to come in and get a big role early on.
The Longhorns could use Yates’ ability to score while they work out the point guard position (if Hunter does leave) and he’s a good-enough defender to fit with them. As another local option with arguably the most likely path to starting or meaningful early minutes, look for Texas to have a real shot to keep Yates in the state.
Washington Huskies
Seeing Terrell Brown become a 21 ppg scorer last season may make Washington an appealing option for scoring prospects who want the ball in their hands. This team won’t have Jamal Bey after next season and have plenty of room but that’s also because they’ve been lacking talent over the years.
Head coach Mike Hopkins looked dead on arrival entering Pac-12 play last season but the team somehow finished over .500, giving him another year. Yet if his team struggles again, not only will he be on the hottest of seats but Washington certainly won’t look as appealing overall for the top-50 guard prospect.