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Good news UConn basketball fans! The tough, undersized point guard factory has sent its last model to Storrs. The Huskies secured their first commitment for the 2021 class Sunday evening, landing Philadelphia point guard Rahsool Diggins. Head coach Dan Hurley and company —assistant coach Tom Moore led the recruitment — beat out the likes of Kansas, Florida, and local Villanova for Diggins’ talents.
The four-star guard is the 41st ranked recruit in the 2021 class according to Rivals, and the sixth best point guard in the country. Diggins led Archbishop Wood in scoring last year, but profiles as a combo guard with burgeoning distribution skills. The Huskies have a track record of undersized point guard success; Kemba, Shabazz, and Boat tore down the myth that bigger guards are better. Diggins — who barely classifies as undersized to begin with at 6-foot-1 — looks to step in and carry the legacy. It’s interesting though, because Dan Hurley’s style of play didn’t seem to dictate that. Kudos to Hurley for looking past the archaic ‘my point guards must be x-inches tall’ philosophy and trusting the talent.
According to recruitniks, Diggins has a well-rounded offensive skillset with no real weaknesses. He’s a plus shooter from mid-range or three, and has an explosive first-step and the body control to finish in traffic. As with most undersized guards, he has a crafty dribble that relies on change-of-pace, and an overall “feel” for running an offense.
What’s another fun thing about being back in the Big East? The arms race for regional talent. In the last week, three well-regarded recruits have committed to old-school Big East heavyweights; Jordan Riley to Georgetown, Jourdan Longino to Villanova, and now Diggins to UConn. It sure is fun to reignite these rivalries on the recruiting trail.
The Huskies started off its 2020 recruiting class with a big splash, landing Albany, New York native Andre Jackson out from under Syracuse’s nose. Then Hurley put the bow on 2020 by stealing New Jersey native Adama Sanogo from Seton Hall. And now by plucking Diggins from Philly to start 2021, you can really start to see the impact UConn’s return to the Big East continues to have on the recruiting trail.