The early signing period for college basketball wrapped up last Wednesday as the Runnin’ Rebels signed six players to their 2020 class, the most in the Mountain West.
UNLV currently has the top-rated class in the conference and the No. 25 rated class nationally.
First-year head coach T.J. Otzelberger has hit the ground running in his first full recruiting cycle, bringing in talent that he hopes will propel that Runnin’ Rebels to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013.
Nick Blake: 6-6 SG, IMG Academy – Bradenton, FL. (Las Vegas, NV.)
Blake, a 4-star and No. 92-rated player in the country according to 247Sports, is the biggest get for Otzelberger and his staff thus far.
Blake started his career at Durango High School in Las Vegas and is currently playing a post-grad year at IMG Academy in Florida.
Blake is a versatile wing with tremendous upside and should be a perfect fit in Otzelberger’s up-tempo offensive system.
“Nick has an uncanny ability to score and rebound the basketball,” Otzelberger said. “His exceptional ball skills allow him to lead the break, attack off the dribble, and finish at the rim with authority.”
Keeping Things Local
Otzelberger has made good on his promise to ramp up the recruiting locally as half of the class has played high school basketball in the state of Nevada at some point.
Blake is a local product as previously mentioned. Jhaylon Martinez also signed, a 6-10 center who played for Coronado High School last year before transferring to Dream City Christian School in Arizona for his senior season.
Three-star Donovan Yap is the final Vegas product that was signed. Yap is out of Arbor View High School and is a 6-3 shooting guard who Otzelberger describes as “dynamic” with the ball in his hands.
Otzelberger said when he was hired that he wanted to put an emphasis on targeting local talent and he has done just that.
Shooters are a Necessity
Having shooters that can space the floor has been an emphasis for Otzelberger ever since he took over as head coach and this class fits the bill.
Isaac Lindsey is a 6-4 SG from Wisconsin with deadly range from the outside.
“Isaac is a dead-eye shooter with an excellent feel for the game,” Otzelberger said. “He can create off the bounce for his teammates as well as impose his will with his knack for making shots.”
Yap and Blake also have the tools to develop into solid shooters from beyond the arch down the line.
Martinez has shown the ability to stretch the floor and should provide some plus shooting for his size. The rebels want to play fast, get out in transition, and let it fly from behind the arch and this class should allow them to do that.
David Jenkins Jr: 6-2 G, South Dakota State
After averaging nearly 20 points per game for South Dakota State last year, David Jenkins Jr. decided to follow Otzelberger to UNLV, choosing the Rebels over Gonzaga and Oregon.
Jenkins was denied a waiver and must sit out the entire 2019-20 season but should be the Rebels’ primary option on offense come 2020-21.
Jenkins shot 45 percent from range last year and has proven himself to be one of the more efficient scorers in the country.
With Jenkins in the fold, it will give UNLV a star presence and put them in serious contention for a tournament appearance next season.
Other Commits
The final two signees from the early signing period include Reece Brown, a 6-8 small forward from New York. “Reece is an exceptional athlete with the versatility to play multiple positions,” Otzelberger said. “His high basketball IQ and multifaceted skill set will make him a difficult matchup.”
Nick Fleming, a 6-1 point guard and a junior college transfer from Highland Community College, also signed. “Nick is a natural floor general with an infectious enthusiasm,” Otzelberger said.
Numbers Crunch
With only three seniors on the current roster, there are more players than scholarships available which tells you that the coaching staff expects there to be transfers this offseason.
UNLV will have to open up three roster spots before next season for the numbers to work out.
Otzelberger and his staff may not be done on the recruiting trail as well.
Another 6-7 Bishop Gorman forward Mwani Wilkinson, who has been one of Otzelberger’s main targets, is No.108 nationally and will be welcomed with open arms if he commits to the Rebels.
If he signs with UNLV, it could potentially make for four roster spots currently not there that the coaching staff would need to carve out.
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