Lukas Harkins | @hardwiredsports | 06/12/20

Welcome to another entry of the recruiting roundup!

This week’s edition will take a look at the most important recent commitments in the 2021 class, some of the rumors surrounding highly-touted Jonathan Kuminga, and the impending commitment of Trey Patterson. While there might not be much action on the court right now, coaches are certainly still very active on the recruiting trail and it shows.

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Three highly-rated 2021 prospects make their decisions

  • Ryan Nembhard announced his commitment to Creighton on June 6th. The 6-foot-1 point guard out of Montverde Academy is regarded as a Top 100 player in the 2021 class and should be a great fit with the Bluejays. Nembhard is a pass-first lead guard with excellent court vision and the ability to consistently find open teammates. Continuing to improve as a 3-point shooter would greatly improve his already-high stock. Nembhard was particularly impressive at the 2019 FIBU U16 Americas Championship for Canada’s team.
  • Maryland also picked up the commitment of a Top 100 prospect this week in the form of shooting guard Ike Kornish. An excellent shooter with a lengthy 6-foot-5 frame, Kornish boasts a great archetype for the modern game. Additionally, there is an obvious role for him in College Park as the Terrapins will have a big hole on the wing starting in 2021-22. This is a really strong commitment and fit as Coach Turgeon looks to build for the future.
  • This week’s major commitments were rounded out by Bobby Pettiford choosing to play for Louisville. The 6-foot-1 point guard was targeted by many high-major suitors but the Cardinals were regarded as the favorite heading into his decision day. Pettiford brings elite quickness to the floor and can be dominant in transition as a result. He finishes well at the rim and can a tempo-setting lead guard for head coach Chris Mack. He joins Top 50 wing Bryce Hopkins in Louisville’s early 2021 class.

Jonathan Kuminga leaning towards the pros?

It is no secret that Jonathan Kuminga was one of the top high school players in the nation during this past season. The lengthy 6-foot-8 forward boasts impressive physical gifts and has the makings of a potential star at the professional level. While he is certainly a high-level offensive player, his ceiling on the defensive end is perhaps just as tantalizing as he draws comparisons to some of the best stoppers in the world. As a result of his two-way ability and potential, Kuminga is currently ranked as the No. 1 player in the 2021 recruiting class.

With that said, though, a video that showed Kuminga graduating from high school was posted over this past weekend. While he is still a member of the 2021 class right now, many are predicting that reclassification is in the cards. If that turns out to be the case, Kuminga will be regarded as a Top 5 player in the 2020 class and will have a few options to choose for the future. At this moment, his list of potential destinations includes Auburn, Duke, Kentucky, Texas Tech, and immediately heading to the professional ranks.

Perhaps most notably, though, experts are projecting that Kuminga will forgo playing at the collegiate level in favor of immediately turning pro. In fact, all four crystal predictions for his eventual destination that have been made in June are leaning in that direction. There will be plenty of potential professional options for Kuminga, but joining the G League is the one that might make the most headlines. That choice would allow him to play alongside Daishen Nix, Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd, and Kai Sotto before heading to the NBA.

If Kuminga decides to take the collegiate route, many view Texas Tech as the favorite.

Trey Patterson’s decision on the horizon

Four-star 2021 forward Trey Patterson previously set his commitment date for June 18th (his birthday) and that is quickly approaching in just the next few days. A tantalizing 6-foot-8 prospect out of New Jersey ranked in the nation’s Top 50, Patterson has received a ton of interest from some of the best programs in the entire country. In terms of his suitors heading towards commitment day, 10 programs made his most recent list cut: Villanova, Indiana, Florida, UConn, Memphis, Rutgers, Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, and Maryland.

Not only is this is a very large final list, but there also does not appear to be a clear-cut favorite to land Patterson’s commitment. Experts seem to be anticipating that he lands with Jay Wright and Villanova, but there is not an overwhelming number of predictions at this moment. That makes this a very intriguing recruitment to monitor for the next week.

Patterson represents one of the most skilled players in the 2021 class. He brings solid size to the forward slot at 6-foot-8 while also being adept in the post and able to stretch the floor out to 3-point range. In addition, he can create off the bounce from the perimeter. If Villanova is the eventual destination, Patterson would immediately step in and play big minutes for a team that won’t have a ton of size (especially if Jeremiah Robinson-Earl turns pro next offseason).

Lukas Harkins is a college basketball writer for HeatCheckCBB.com and covers the nation with rankings, bracketology, analysis, and recruiting breakdowns. He is currently a Rockin’ 25 voter and is credentialed media for Butler. He previously worked as one of the site experts at Busting Brackets. Harkins graduated from Butler University in 2019 and majored in Healthcare and Business.