Nebraska basketball lands commitment from 2023 G/F Eli Rice
Eli Rice made his way to Lincoln for an official visit from July 31 to August 1, and hardly anyone outside of the program even knew.
Nine days later, the 2023 guard/forward out of IMG Academy announced his commitment to the Huskers on Wednesday.
A 6-foot-7, 210-pound lefty from just outside Nashville, Tennessee, Rice chose NU over other finalists Georgetown and VCU.
He said his recruitment with Nebraska didn’t pick up until after the final July live period. Still, his connection with head coach Fred Hoiberg and lead recruiter Adam Howard developed quickly.
“We built that relationship quick, and I just knew right away off the vibes they were giving off that it would be a great fit,” Rice said. “I went on that visit, and I literally didn’t have to ask any questions; they were answering everything before I even had to ask a question. I just knew it was a perfect fit.”
A three-level scorer, Rice was drawn to Hoiberg’s offense
Rice becomes NU’s second 2023 commit along with Legacy Early College (S.C.) point guard Chase Clemmons.
He transferred to IMG this summer after starring at Hendersonville (Tennessee) Beech, where he averaged 17.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game as a junior. Rice led the Buccaneers to a 33-0 start last season before falling in the Tennessee Class 4A quarterfinals.
A self-described three-level scorer, Rice said he was immediately drawn to Hoiberg’s five-out offense and how he could play the 1, 2, or 3, depending on the lineup.
“One of the biggest things was the offense and how Coach Hoiberg runs his system,” Rice said. “It’s a real spaced-out NBA style, and the paint is never clogged up; there’s always driving lanes.”
Could Rice be a mid-year early enrollee?
Rice is an especially intriguing addition because he is technically entering a post-graduate year at IMG, meaning he already earned enough credits to graduate from Beech despite just turning 18 years old on Wednesday.
That means that Rice has the option to potentially join the Huskers at the end of the fall semester as a mid-year early enrollee.
Current Nebraska wing Denim Dawson followed a similar path last year by joining the program in late December during a post-grad year at Southern California Academy.
Rice said he and his family had already started thinking about taking the route, though no formal conversations have been had with Hoiberg yet.
“Yeah, there is thought of doing that,” he said. “I’ve thought about it, but I’m not sure yet. I would definitely do it if I felt like it was the right thing to do, but I’ll talk to them more about it.”
Ready to be a Husker
Things might have moved fast between Rice and Nebraska, but he felt he didn’t need to see anymore or take any additional visits. He had future officials scheduled for Georgetown and VCU but decided to cancel them shortly after his NU visit.
As he rang in his 18th birthday on Wednesday by announcing his college commitment, Rice is already getting his Husker career underway.
“I’m excited, for sure,” Rice said. “When I was down there, I bought a couple Nebraska shirts and shorts. I’ve been waiting to wear them all week. Now I finally get to.”
