ESPN 60 power forward Alonzo Gaffney gave an early pledge to Ohio State on Tuesday. He selected the Buckeyes over Georgetown and Michigan State. Here's a look at what he'll bring to Columbus.
Why he committed: The thought of playing at Ohio State and staying home was a big factor in ending his recruitment early.
"Alonzo chose Ohio State because of the family values [head coach] Chris Holtmann has instilled in the program," Gaffney's high school Sonny Johnson told ESPN.com. "They pursued him hard and showed how much they needed him and wanted him. Alonzo wants to win a national championship for his home school and home state."
What he brings: Gaffney brings the Buckeyes an athletic resume that combines length, vertical bounce and straight-line speed. His athletic ability catches your eye and his shooting stroke adds to his upside. His jumper is impressive from both mid-range and beyond the arc -- as his accuracy extends to 22 feet. He gives Ohio State a transition finisher and a switch defender at the forward spot. Gaffney has much work to do, as his body needs strength and his decision-making needs improvement. The good news is he has so much potential to work with and so much time to develop. Besides the on-court abilities that Gaffney brings, Holtmann and his staff have now have landed the top in-state player in the class of 2019. That could give them big recruiting momentum going forward.
How he fits: When Holtmann was the head coach at Butler he was good at taking interchangeable pieces and successfully blending them together. Gaffney is still two years away, so Butler and his staff has time to evaluate where he will be best on both ends of the floor. Offensively he will turn transitions into points. In the half court, Gaffney can be a stretch forward from set plays and be a mismatch against smaller forwards. The Buckeyes run a ball screen offense and Gaffney will be able to get looks from screening and popping to an open space. Holtmann also uses set plays to feature his most talented players, so expect Gaffney to be set up at different spots on the floor. In Holtmann's man-to-man defense, Gaffney’s athletic ability and near 7-foot wingspan can cause problems by shrinking the floor, getting deflections, and blocking shots. Depending on who else Holtmann brings in you might see a defense that extends the floor a little more in the future.
Who he reminds us of: He is very similar to Keita Bates-Diop who just finished a fantastic season at Ohio State and is projected as a first-round pick. When Bates-Diop was good the Buckeyes were very good. Both are long-term players that possess great length and an enormous wingspan to affect the game on the defensive end. Gaffney is a capable 3-point shooter now, but will have to invest a lot of time to become a legitimate threat like Bates-Diop. Both fit along the lines of a stretch forward with great athletic ability.
How the class is shaping up: Last fall was Holtmann's first full recruiting class and it currently stands at No. 21 in ESPN.com's rankings. Landing Gaffney is a major statement that Holtmann and his staff are evaluating and offering earlier, especially in their own backyard. With Gaffney committed the Buckeyes are now turning their 2019 attention to the likes of Matthew Hurt, E.J Liddel, Malik Hall, Keion Brooks, Jordan Mitchell, Joe Girard and others.