Jamie Shaw breaks down the latest in college basketball recruiting, including BYU’s massive commitment and Pitt’s miserable week.

In September, the Big 12 announced it would be expanding after Oklahoma and Texas’ SEC moves started a chain reaction throughout the sport.

Reports surfaced shortly after that the Big 12 would respond by adding BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. On Wednesday, the Cougars struck big on the hoops recruiting trails: Rivals150 No. 54 Collin Chandler announced his commitment, one of the biggest pickups in program history.

This signing is a splash for multiple reasons. The Farmington (Utah) High shooting guard is a national-level, in-state prospect and is head coach Mark Pope’s first commitment in the 2022 class. It’s also the program’s first commitment since its Big 12 announcement.

Chandler is BYU’s highest-ranked prospect since 2013 when the Cougars signed No. 49 Eric Mika. Chandler will take a two-year Mormon mission after his high school graduation before becoming a prospect to watch in the Big 12.

—Davidson’s Hyunjung Lee is a budding star
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—DPI: Player rankings | Game projections

Let’s dive into the other major storylines in college basketball recruiting.

Kentucky lands another 5-Star

The Wildcats have been jostling with Duke for the No. 1 spot in the 2022 early signing period, per the Rivals team rankings. On Monday, Kentucky added Rivals150 No. 10 Cason Wallace to the fold. Wallace was thought to be a longtime lean to Tennessee until his official visit with the Wildcats.

Since that late August visit, Wallace was considered to be a Kentucky lock. The 6-4 combo guard never wavered. Wallace used this summer to vault himself into the top 10. He is an adept passer, excellent defender, and a multi-level scorer who makes everyone on the floor better.

Judah Mintz opens up options

Typically, the early signing period draws a sense of excitement for programs. This certainly wasn’t the case for the Pittsburgh program, though. The Panthers dropped their season opener to The Citadel on Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday, Rivals150 No. 68 announced he would reopen his recruitment.

Mintz is a fit for what Capel has targeted since being named the head coach at Pittsburgh, a tough-minded, downhill-type guard. The 6-2 shooting guard has already heard from Northwestern, Texas, Marquette, Penn State, Arizona State, LSU and others.

Grant Newell to California

Newell jumped on the scene early when he picked up his first offer as a sophomore with DePaul. Newell, a 6-8 forward, saw his stock dip in 2020 before enjoying an impressive summer with Mac Irvin on the EYBL circuit. Lengthy and skilled with plenty of range, Newell committed to the Cal Bears this past weekend.

The 6-8 forward announced he would spend a post-graduate year at Brandenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, and also carried offers from the likes of St Bonaventure, East Carolina and South Florida.

Mid-Major Commit of the Week

Hofstra lands Khalil Farmer

Philadelphia’s Roman Catholic has long produced high-level basketball players. This season is no different. While 6-6 Daniel Skillings committed to Cincinnati, his wing teammate Khalil Farmer announced his commit to Hofstra out out of the CAA. The 6-3 wing is a do-it-all type who can defend on and off the ball, rebound, pass at a high level, and make shots.