Virginia Tech lands Top-150 prospect Darren Buchanan
Darren Buchanan, the No. 121 overall prospect in the 2022 class, has committed to Virginia Tech, he tells On3.
The 6-foot-7 small forward out of Washington (D.C.) Woodrow Wilson chose the Hokies over Georgetown, Rutgers, George Mason, and George Washington.
Buchanan, a high three-star prospect, joins four-star Rodney Rice, and three-stars MJ Collins, and Patrick Wessler.
The DMV native had the opportunity to gel with his future teammates during his official visit to Blacksburg a couple of weeks ago.
Buchanan and Rice built a relationship prior to pledging to VT. The two have played together the past couple of summers on Team Durant, a part of the EYBL circuit.
“Me and (Rodney) have a tight friendship,” he says. “When I went on my official, those three were down there, so I was able to spend time with them and get to know them so it was pretty cool.”
Buchanan breaks down decision
“It felt like home,” Buchanan said. “I felt the family environment for sure. The coaching staff has been on me pretty hard. Coach Mike Jones, I’ve known since the 9th grade when he was back here coaching at DeMatha, so I’ve always had a relationship with him. Coach Christian Webster, with him being from the DMV area, we have a lot of ties to each other. So just being around coaches that are familiar with me and where I came from and willing to help me get to where I want to get to.”
Conference selection and the opportunity to make an impact right away were key for Buchanan.
“Just the opportunity to get to play in the ACC,” he continued. “Not a lot of people get that chance. The way the offense is run and the current makeup of the roster, they don’t have an active wing. So I can come in and make noise early and that was something I was looking for in a school.”
What was the coaching staff’s reaction when Buchanan committed to the Hokies?
Buchanan silently committed while on his official visit but held off on announcing it public until Saturday afternoon.
“The head coach, Mike Young, was behind his desk, and when I said… ‘I’m all in’, he got up and hugged me so it was kind of crazy.”
What will Buchanan bring to Virginia Tech?
“I’m definitely going to bring that winning mentality. I’m just known for winning. That’s what I do. I want to be that guy that can make winning plays and someone the team can count on, regardless of anything. I feel like I’m a matchup problem with my versatility. I can bring it up, post up, I can play the wing. I’m willing to be that all-around team player.”