Inside The Mustangs

SMU Basketball hosts top recruits ahead of dead period

SMU basketball ramped up recruiting efforts before the dead period, hosting top prospects Nigel Walls, Jermaine O'Neal Jr., and Kash Polk on campus.

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
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In the final days before the recruiting dead period, SMU basketball hosted several top prospects, aiming to strengthen their next recruiting class.

One notable visitor was Nigel Walls, a highly-rated forward from Houston. Walls, ranked in the Top 100 nationally, holds offers from numerous programs and is expected to make his decision in the fall. Getting him on campus was a significant step for the Mustangs.

“I want to go into a program that has a family-based environment,” Walls told On3 in the fall. “On the court, I want to play in a system that is going to get up and down the floor and stress playing defense and switching everything. I don’t want to play for a system where the big is just playing inside. That just isn’t how the NBA is these days. Bigs can get the rebound, push the break, and move the ball. I want to be developed.

Another key prospect who returned to campus was four-star small forward Jermaine O'Neal, Jr. SMU is considered a strong contender for his commitment, and he has an official visit scheduled for September 21st.

Additionally, SMU hosted 2025 big man Kash Polk, a sought-after talent with offers from major programs. The Mustangs have been actively tracking Polk and wanted to bring him in before the dead period began.

These visits demonstrate SMU's aggressive recruiting approach under new head coach Andy Enfield. The Mustangs are clearly focused on building a talented and competitive roster for the future.

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