Latest news with #TeamDurant
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Top recruit Babatunde Oladotun reclassifies to 2026
Babatunde Oladotun, considered the top high school recruit in the class of 2027, is reclassifying to the class of 2026 as he prepares to graduate next spring from Maryland's Blake High School. Oladotun, 16, expects to remain a top-10 prospect when the next recruiting rankings are updated. He will turn 17 in December. "First and foremost, I am ahead of schedule academically and will graduate next year," Oladuton told ESPN. "Most of my life, I have played up in age and after playing in the 17U division for Team Durant, I felt comfortable. I have gained 20 pounds over the last year and it never felt like I was playing up." Several high-profile programs are already attempting to land the 6-foot-9 forward, including Maryland, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Gonzaga. Oladotun plans to visit Maryland and Virginia Tech first, and previously made unofficial visits to UCLA and USC last year. "We are looking for a coach that has a long history of teaching and winning," his father, Ibrahim, told ESPN. "Someone who knows how to use a big guard and has a history of coaching big guards. A coach that also plays an NBA-style offense with quick actions." Oladotun burst onto the scene after adding 20 pounds over the past year and starring for Team Durant's 17U team, combining sharp-shooting ability from 3-point range with a deft touch inside the arc. By reclassifying, Oladotun becomes a favorite to be invited to next year's McDonald's All American boys game with the potential to be a top-10 draft pick in 2027. Oladotun's father, Ibrahim Oladotun, played two years at Virginia Tech in the early 1990s after beginning his journey in junior college, averaging 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. Babatunde follows the path taken by former top prospects AJ Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg, who also reclassified to begin their college careers early. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Top recruit Babatunde Oladotun reclassifies to 2026
August 7 - Babatunde Oladotun, considered the top high school recruit in the class of 2027, is reclassifying to the class of 2026 as he prepares to graduate next spring from Maryland's Blake High School. Oladotun, 16, expects to remain a top-10 prospect when the next recruiting rankings are updated. He will turn 17 in December. "First and foremost, I am ahead of schedule academically and will graduate next year," Oladuton told ESPN. "Most of my life, I have played up in age and after playing in the 17U division for Team Durant, I felt comfortable. I have gained 20 pounds over the last year and it never felt like I was playing up." Several high-profile programs are already attempting to land the 6-foot-9 forward, including Maryland, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and Gonzaga. Oladotun plans to visit Maryland and Virginia Tech first, and previously made unofficial visits to UCLA and USC last year. "We are looking for a coach that has a long history of teaching and winning," his father, Ibrahim, told ESPN. "Someone who knows how to use a big guard and has a history of coaching big guards. A coach that also plays an NBA-style offense with quick actions." Oladotun burst onto the scene after adding 20 pounds over the past year and starring for Team Durant's 17U team, combining sharp-shooting ability from 3-point range with a deft touch inside the arc. By reclassifying, Oladotun becomes a favorite to be invited to next year's McDonald's All American boys game with the potential to be a top-10 draft pick in 2027. Oladotun's father, Ibrahim Oladotun, played two years at Virginia Tech in the early 1990s after beginning his journey in junior college, averaging 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. Babatunde follows the path taken by former top prospects AJ Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg, who also reclassified to begin their college careers early. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Incoming Freshman Forward Ready to Do Whatever It Takes to Help Michigan State Basketball
Incoming Freshman Forward Ready to Do Whatever It Takes to Help Michigan State Basketball A lot can be expected of you when you go to play basketball for Coach Tom Izzo. That is no different whether you're highly rated or just a walk-on. Cam Ward has all the talent to become the next historically great player for Michigan State basketball. Cam Ward (3) grabs a rebound for Team Durant during the Nike Youth Elite League© Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK He's got the intangibles and the stats across all categories to back it up. You're talking about a kid who is the state of Maryland's all-time leading scorer. That says a lot given how many incredibly successful basketball players have come from the DMV area. Advertisement Not to mention, he led Largo High School to back-to-back State Championships. Coach Izzo knew what he was getting in Ward, so much so that he was there when Cam set that scoring mark back in early March. Plenty of time has passed since he did so, but as Ward prepares to make his way officially to East Lansing in less than two months, he was a special guest on Michigan State's 247 Sports recruiting specialist and host of the Spartan Spotlight Podcast with Justin Thind for an exclusive interview this past weekend. The pair talked about plenty of things, including where Ward feels like he fits in for the Spartans next season. Advertisement Ward wasn't afraid to say that he's ready to bring whatever he can to help the Spartans build off their Big Ten Championship and try his best to help get the Spartans back to the final four, especially after seeing this past team fall just short. "Just an all-around guy, do whatever the team needs to try and get wins," Ward said when asked about what he thinks Spartan fans can expect from him. He certainly sounds like a very confident guy, and that could bode well for MSU basketball. Confident young players have been a good thing for Coach Izzo, just look how special Jase Richardson was in 2024-25. Cam Ward is oozing with confidence.
