Top Combo Guard Jalen Hood-Schifino Commits to Indiana

Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 6-foot-5 combo guard who plays at Montverde Academy in central Florida and is considered one of the top 25 players in the country, committed to Mike Woodson and Indiana on Tuesday.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Jalen Hood-Schifino, one of the top few combo guards in the country who's a consensus top-25 overall player, committed to Indiana on Tuesday, choosing Mike Woodson and the Hoosiers over Tennessee on his announcement day.

Hood-Schifino is a Pittsburgh native who plays at Montverde Academy in central Florida. He announced his commitment on social media Tuesday, which is Aug. 24. He chose that day to honor his basketball hero, the late Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers who wore No. 8 and No. 24 during his career. He made his announcement live on CBS Sports HQ.

“I chose Indiana because when you know, you know,” Hood-Schifino told Joe Tipton of On3News. “Coach Woodson was successful at the NBA level and I think it’ll translate to the collegiate level. He recruited me as a point guard and wants me to run his team.”

“I think he and I can turn this program back around.”

Jalen Hood-Schifino committed to Indiana on Tuesday

Hood-Schifino narrowed his list to five schools last month, with Indiana, Florida, Memphis, Texas, and Tennessee making the cut. He took an official visit to Indiana in late June, and has visited Tennessee as well. He did not make any other official visits.

Indiana's coaches have made him a priority target all summer, and pushed hard to be around him at every opportunity in July Woodson and all three assistants – Dane Fife, Kenya Hunter and Yaser Rosemond – have all been actively involved in his recruiting. Hunter has known him for years and has been at the forefront of his recruiting. These established relationships were one of the biggest reasons why Woodson retained Hunter from Archie Miller's staff when he was hired in late March.

Hood-Schifino committed early to Pitt in December of 2019, but de-committed last spring and re-opened his recruitment. He's had a huge summer with AAU team Team Thad, and was highly coveted by Indiana and the others on his short list. Hunter has been active in recruiting him for several years, and Indiana offered him last September.

👀🔥⚪️🔴🏀 pic.twitter.com/x3RyIq4bzC

— Kenya Hunter (@Coach_KHunter) August 24, 2021

Indiana now has three commitments in the 2022 class, with Hood-Schifino joining guard C.J. Gunn of Lawrence North in Indianapolis, and Georgia forward Kaleb Banks.

Hood-Schifino's commitment makes Indiana a top-five recruiting class nationally at the moment, and he's a huge get for Woodson, who played and coached in the NBA for nearly four decades and came to Indiana with no recruiting experience.

He's proved doubters wrong in a hurry. He also recruiting top-25 guard Tamar Bates for the 2021 class after he arrived, and Bates proved during Indiana's two exhibition games against Serbian club team BC Mega that he's ready to make and immediate impact on the college level.

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