BREAKING: Miami Hurricanes basketball lands highest-ranked recruit ever in five-star SG Jalil Bethea
Miami basketball head coach Jim Larranaga and the Hurricanes have landed their highest-ranked prospect ever after Warminster (Pa.) Archbishop Wood five-star shooting guard Jalil Bethea announced his pledge to the Canes Wednesday afternoon.
The No. 6 overall prospect in the 2024 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, chose Miami over Kansas and Villanova and is now the highest-ranked Hurricanes basketball commit ever, surpassing Lonnie Walker, who was the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2017 recruiting class.
Playing a large role throughout Bethea’s recruitment and eventual pledge to Miami was Hurricanes assistant coach DJ Irving. The fellow Philadelphia native has developed an extremely close bond with the 6-foot-4, 170-pounder, who said Irving has been there for him since the very beginning.
ANALYSIS: What Miami is getting in 5-star shooting guard Jalil Bethea
“He’s from my area, and he’s from Philadelphia,” Bethea said. “He played in the Catholic League and coached at Team Final. That pretty much started the relationship. Ever since then, he’s been recruiting me and telling me a lot of things I need to improve on. I have a lot of trust in Coach DJ, and our relationship has grown ever since.”
Bethea announced his decision via a video, saying “This was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make for my life, but I can only go to one school. With that said, I’ll be attending the University of Miami.”
Back on the weekend of Sept. 9, Bethea and his family took what was their final official visit to Miami, and that trip changed it all.
“It definitely had a big impact,” Bethea said. “Once I got on the visit, it just felt normal. Nothing really felt forced or anything. It feels like whatever happens down there just happens every day. They’re just good vibes all around.”
Now that he has committed to Miami, Bethea plans on shutting down his recruitment. Prior to his pledge to the Hurricanes, Bethea had two more official visits scheduled to Syracuse and Alabama.
Those visits will no longer be happening.
“No,” Bethea said when asked if he planned on taking any more official visits. “I’m done.”
Bethea says that in the end “It all came down to where I see myself in the future. This is the best thing for me, one of the best coaching staffs for me to play for. I’m glad I picked Miami. I can’t wait, I just can’t wait.”
Bethea now joins Minneapolis (Minn.) Totino-Grace four-star small forward Isaiah Johnson-Arigu and Concord (N.C.) Cannon School four-star shooting guard Austin Swartz in Miami’s 2024 recruiting class.
Bethea’s message to the Hurricane fans?
“They’re getting a very hardworking person,” he said. “I am a very scrappy player and a person who just wants to win. Someone who also has a great personality and just never gives up on anything.
“(Fans) will not be disappointed at all.”