NCAA Basketball: Analyzing 4 early contenders for 4-star guard Ahmad Nowell
Ahmad Nowell is a consensus top-50 prospect in the 2024 NCAA Basketball recruiting class. Which teams are reportedly in the running to land him?
When it comes to true “combo guards” in the 2024 recruiting class, Ahmad Nowell is one of the best. He’s a 6’0 ball-handler originally from Tennessee who now plays his high school basketball in Philadelphia. He’s a capable passer with a physical style on both ends and can be a bulldog defensively.
Despite not having the most size, Nowell can defend bigger guards and has the potential to be a knockdown shooter. He’s had plenty of interest from power conference programs but according to Travis Branham of 247sports, Nowell has four teams he’s keeping an eye on the most.
His recruitment is still wide open but one of the following four programs could eventually land his signature. Here’s a closer look at how Nowell would fit with each of them.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
New head coach Damon Stoudamire has gotten plenty of interest from guards, landing a trio of transfers. Amaree Abram and Kowacie Reeves are players with long-term potential, while Miles Kelly and Deebo Coleman still have a couple of years of eligibility. Nowell would have to wait a bit to have a meaningful role at this option but he’s the kind of get that GT needs to get back to being competitive in the ACC.
Kentucky Wildcats
There’s a lot of talk on how the roster is shaping up next season for the Wildcats but as always, there’s going to be a ton of turnover at the start of next offseason. Five-star guards DJ Wagner and Robert Dillingham are likely gone after one year, leaving them with no real ball-handlers. So there’s a chance that Nowell could find himself a nice role as a freshman but Kentucky could also go transfer-heavy a year from now, creating a future logjam to deal with.
Tennessee Volunteers
The original “local” option for Nowell, Tennessee has just one more year of both Santiago Vescovi and incoming transfer Dalton Knecht. Zakai Zeigler is not only coming off a season-ending injury but also has mostly been coming off the bench. With BJ Edwards having transferred out this offseason, there’s not only a clear pathway for playing time for Nowell as a freshman but if Coach Rick Barnes still wants Zeigler to be a 6th Man, this recruit could very well start instead.
UConn Huskies
Combo guards did very well with the Huskies this past season, as Tristen Newton and Andre Jackson played key roles in the team winning the national championship. Plus, shooting guard Jordan Hawkins is a projected top-20 NBA Draft pick. Those players would all be gone by the time Nowell would arrive but there are already several incoming freshmen that could create a logjam.
Next. Ranking contenders for Rutgers transfer Paul Mulcahy. dark
Five-star combo guard Stephon Castle could be a “one and done” or stick around for a couple of years. And Jayden Ross and Solomon Ball are also a pair of four-star guards. Nowell can find a rotation spot but it might not be as a freshman. But based on how the other UConn players have developed over time, it’s not a bad selling point for this prospect.