The NCAA has official intervals for recruiting, however that doesn’t imply a highschool participant can up and commit with a program anytime they need to. That mentioned, right here’s the latest on a handful of Gonzaga prospects:
Kaden Cooper (Class of 2023)
Forward, 6-foot-5, 180 lbs.
Status: Down to 10 faculties, Gonzaga amongst frontrunners
Cooper shortly blew up as top-of-the-line recruits within the nation this spring after shining in NCAA dwell interval tournaments and AAU circuit. The No. 44 prospect on 247sports.com confirmed off his explosiveness and capturing stroke within the Adidas 3 SSB Circuit, averaging 11.7 factors, 8.3 rebounds and over one made 3-pointer per sport. In an interview with On3’s Shaw, Cooper mentioned he felt good about the place his shot and playmaking skills heading into his senior season.
“My jump shot has been consistent this summer,” Cooper advised On3. “I feel like my passing has grown too, but my shot has really come along.”
Scouts and analysts claimed Cooper boosted his inventory greater than most in the course of the spring, and for good motive. 247sports.com had him because the 255th-ranked participant close to the top of May, however by June 3, he cracked the top 50 and was fielding provide after provide from massive identify packages. Syracuse had jumped on him initially earlier than the likes of Iowa, Alabama, UCLA and Gonzaga joined the fold.
Cooper received the total “Hooptown, USA” expertise when he visited Spokane throughout Hoopfest weekend.
“It was great,” Cooper advised 247sports.com about his GU go to. “I went down the weekend they had Hoopfest. The whole community was there and everyone was playing basketball. It was great vibes. I got to chill with the team, chill with coach and the family and it made me feel like I was at home.”
Cooper obtained a proposal from the Zags on July 19, and simply over every week later, he introduced his closing 10 selections: Alabama, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Memphis and Texas.
Jamari Phillips (Class of 2024)
Guard, 6-foot-2, 170 lbs.
Status: Down to 6 faculties, leaning towards UCLA
Known for his capturing means, Phillips described himself as a extra “all-around team player” who can deal with the rock and be a playmaker. He gained’t crack below stress, sustaining his focus to search out open teammates and make fast and correct passes. On3’s Joe Tipton identified Phillips’ “solid defensive instincts”, making him a priceless two-way participant that isn’t afraid to shoot the rock.
“I can shoot the ball very well, at a high rate and I can let it fly,” Phillips advised On3. “I kind of study the reads on certain situations. I’m a good, all-around team player.”
The four-star capturing guard from Modesto, California, is at the moment the 19th-rated prospect within the nation and second-best from California, in response to 247sports.com. As a sophomore at Modesto Christian, he averaged 23 factors, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per sport.
Phillips narrowed his checklist of packages down to 6 — Gonzaga, UCLA, Oregon, Louisville, Texas Tech and Kansas, per Tipton. UCLA has been Phillips’ “dream school” rising up within the Los Angeles space, however the Zags stay in rivalry.
“Gonzaga is a good program though, I like them a lot,” Phillips advised On3. ““I’ve been watching them pretty heavily. I like the way they run their offense and how they’re kind of a get-it-and-go. I got a little bit of family up that way so they could come down and see me play.”
Wesley Yates (Class of 2023)
Guard, 6-foot-4, 200 lbs.
Status: Down to 9 faculties, leaning towards Texas faculties
Similar to Phillips, Yates has been identified to play with confidence and has a robust deal with. On3’s Jamie Shaw described Yates as a “strong framed guard” that’s good with the ball in his fingers. Though his capturing mechanics may very well be tooled with, Yates nonetheless operates properly off the bounce and has deep vary, in response to Shaw.
Considered a four-star recruit in his class, Yates is the 31st-rated prospect and second-best in Texas.
Gonzaga supplied a scholarship to Yates in April, and whereas he plans to go to Spokane, no official date has been set. He’s made official visits Auburn, Stanford and Washington and has made unofficial visits to Baylor, LSU, Texas and Houston. Yates additionally has curiosity in visiting Arkansas in some unspecified time in the future.
Yates introduced his closing 9 on Twitter, which included Gonzaga, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Houston, LSU, Stanford, Texas and Washington. Though he’s spoken with many packages and coaches, he advised Tipton that he’s developed the strongest relationships with Baylor and Houston given their proximity to his hometown of Beaumont. Yates’ robust ties to Texas faculties won’t bode properly for the Zags ultimately, however Few’s monitor report of success in Spokane retains the door open for Yates.
“Gonzaga is always winning,” Yates advised Tipton. “I feel like they develop pros, and all their pros have been staying in the league for a long time. So obviously, they’re doing something right.”
Javonte “JJ” Taylor (Class of 2023)
Forward, 6-foot-8, 185 lbs.
Status: Had Kentucky ties in fall, unknown as of now
The recruiting course of has been convoluted for Taylor in latest months, however the expertise is actually there for the 23rd-ranked recruit within the 2023 class. He has the prototypical construct for a small ahead on the collegiate stage, permitting him to penetrate with a fast first step and end robust on the rim. His outdoors sport is respectable, nevertheless it’s his means to assault and deal with the ball in site visitors that makes Taylor’s sport interesting from a prospect perspective.
And better of all; Taylor’s solely performed organized basketball for 4 years now, that means he’s nowhere near reaching his potential. So, whereas he won’t shine as a playmaker or defender, these areas will enhance as he will get extra reps in throughout his senior season of highschool. He apparently shined on the Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas, reaffirming himself as top-of-the-line in his class regardless of a dip in rankings.
Since his transfer from Chicago to Simi Valley, California, although, the recruiting course of has been considerably mysterious.
Taylor’s first provide got here from Illinois when fellow Chicago native Ron Coleman was on the teaching employees. Coleman first reached out to Taylor when he was in eighth grade, the primary 12 months he performed organized basketball, and the 2 turned shut by AAU circuits.
But lots has modified since then — Taylor transferred to play at Kanye West’s Donda Academy, and Coleman is now part of Kentucky’s teaching employees. Taylor made a go to to Kentucky final fall and was the primary prospect within the 2023 class to obtain a proposal from the Wildcats, however the two sides have appeared to go reverse instructions.
Taylor advised 247sports.com in December that he hadn’t heard a lot from Gonzaga aside from just a few textual content messages.
