Maryland Basketball Scoop: An elite recruit warming up and the status of a missing player
Maryland basketball shook off the last game's letdown and outdistanced a desperate Rutgers team on Saturday, staying within swinging distance of that golden line beneath the top four teams in the Big Ten standings. Off the court, there's news on an elite recruit and an absent player.
Maryland basketball shook off the last game's letdown and out-distanced a desperate Rutgers team on Saturday, staying within swinging distance of that golden line beneath the top four teams in the Big Ten standings, who receive double-byes in the conference tournament. Off the court, there's news on an elite recruit and an absent player. Here's the scoop.
It's been a while since the No. 1 player in the country was from Maryland, as is the case with Blake (Md.) phenom Baba Oladotun. A 6-9. 175-pound small forward from Silver Spring, Oladotun is the No. 1 player in 247Sports' Class of 2027 basketball recruit rankings and will be the subject of a national recruiting battle.
For that reason (and because he's only a sophomore), I hadn't paid a ton of attention to his recruitment. Everyone knows Maryland's history with local blue-chip prospects from Kevin Durant to Michael Beasley and countless others. They did break through this year with Derik Queen and got five-star Jalen Smith a few years before him, so it does happen, but keeping the big dogs home has been challenging. That said, the early vibes are positive here.
One source with a close view of the recruitment said Maryland "is all over" Oladotun. Another source close to his family said he's been warming up to the Terps and his father was at the Rutgers game.
"It makes a lot of sense. He stayed at Blake after he left DeMatha because it allows him to have more family time. They're very close. I think Maryland is going to have an advantage being local," he said.
Brandon Jenkins wrote in the fall:
The same caveat applies as always: it's hard to get a prospect like Oladotun, and he'll come with a hefty price tag. But he's worth keeping an eye on.
A note on the current team: I asked a source about the status of Chance Stephens, who has played 32 minutes all season, none in more than two months, and has been missing on the bench at times. I was told Stephens has been dealing with some health issues. He wasn't expected to be in the rotation heading into the season and faces long odds of being in it next year, so I wouldn't be surprised if he hops into the portal after this season. Stephens has a beautiful jumper, but the jump from low-major ball to the Big Ten was always going to be a challenge, and his injury sapped some of his quickness.
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