UConn men’s basketball recruiting: Emmitt Matthews Jr. commits to Huskies

UConn men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie may have completed his class of 2018 on Saturday night when he got a verbal commitment from his second recruit to the class.

Emmitt Matthews, Jr., a three-star forward and Rivals Top-150 player, committed to the Huskies on Saturday night.

Standing at 6-foot-7 and 180 pounds, Matthews follows James Akinjo, who committed on Sept. 11.

Matthews is originally from Tacoma, Washington and plays for Wilson High School. Given his West Coast upbringing, it’s possible former Washington assistant and current UConn associate head coach Raphael Chillious had a hand in bringing Matthews to Storrs.

Matthews has a reputation as a player with a strong outside shot and given his wiry 6-foot-7 frame, he can be versatile and play anywhere from shooting guard to a stretch-four, potentially guarding four positions.

Should everyone remain with the team for next season, Matthews will also be the 13th player on scholarship for the 2017-18 season. However, it is possible that one or both of Jalen Adams and Terry Larrier will move on to the professional ranks, so Ollie will still have to keep an eye out for potential replacements for those players, unless he goes the graduate transfer route after the season. While the grid is currently full, UConn may not be done bringing new players in.

You can read more about Matthews, including a scouting report and highlight video, here.