Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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48 OCT. 12, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY JACK SOBLE W hen Notre Dame head men's bas- ketball coach Micah Shrewsberry arrived at La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere on the evening of Sept. 25, he embraced his next superstar. Shrewsberry and assistant coach Ryan Owens made the trip 40 min- utes west to see five-star small forward Jalen Haralson, who committed to Notre Dame over Indiana and Michigan State, that night. Haralson, the No. 13 over- all player in the On3 Industry Ranking, has a chance to be the highest-ranked Fighting Irish signee of the internet re- cruiting era. "When I went on my visit, I just con- nected with the coaching staff, the players," Haralson said after commit- ting on 247Sports' live stream. "I trust Coach Shrews with my game. He had a vision for me that I couldn't turn down. And ultimately, I trust him to get me to my end goal." The Hoosiers were long considered the favorite to land Haralson, but the Irish were right there with them the entire time. They built a strong relationship with Haralson, even traveling to Turkey to watch him compete with the USA Bas- ketball U17 Junior National Team. The Irish also sold him on playing a "big guard" role and surrounding him with shooters. Additionally, Notre Dame's effort to convince Haralson that it was his best choice for his basketball future paid off. "Coach Shrews was [Boston Celtics stars] Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's shooting coach, and that's something I feel like I need to take the next step in my game," Haralson said. "But also, the ACC is a big-time conference, and I feel like it's the conference that translates the most to the NBA." Haralson was not the only pledge that week that had Shrewsberry, Owens (who leads Indiana recruiting for the Irish) and the rest of the staff fired up. His AAU teammate, Indianapolis Ca- thedral guard Brady Koehler, had a simi- lar effect when he committed during a home visit Sept. 19 and then announced his pledge Sept. 23. "They all started jumping out of their seats," Koehler told Blue & Gold Illustrated. During the week after his final official visit to Wake Forest from Sept. 13-15, the 6-foot-9 wing from Shrewsberry's high school alma mater developed a gut feeling that Notre Dame would be his home. And in essence, the staff's reac- tion to his commitment captured why he'll sign with the Irish in November. The Irish sold Koehler — the No. 92 overall player in the On3 Industry Rank- ing — on their plan to develop him into a college star and an NBA-caliber player. Their genuine belief he could accom- plish those goals is what pushed them across the finish line. "I felt like they were all-in on me, and I felt that more at Notre Dame than I did anywhere else," Koehler said. "Everybody at their staff really went out of their way to build a relationship with me and show me that they all had the same belief in me. That really put them over the top." ✦ Two In-State Studs, Including A Five-Star, Choose Notre Dame MEN'S BASKETBALL COMMITMENT PROFILES Five-star Jalen Haralson, a 6-foot-6 small forward who is rated the No. 13 overall player in the country per the On3 Industry Ranking, picked the Fighting Irish over fellow finalists Indiana and Michigan State. GRAPHIC COURTESY ON3 FILM ANALYSIS: BRADY KOEHLER "Brady Koehler has great length with a thin but projectable frame. Where he makes the most noise is on the defensive end. He is an instinctive weak-side shot blocker, using some twitchy athleticism and tim- ing. He is also aggressive in the passing lanes and is comfortable toggling between both forward positions on defense. "Offensively, he shows flashes. He has some pick- and-pop touch out to the three and plays above the rim in transition. Koehler needs to add weight to hold up on the block. I would like to see him adding to his offensive arsenal and continuing to become a more con- sistent shooter. The upside with Koehler's game is clear, and he has some useful, translatable tools to continue building upon. Defensively, there are some unique qualities in place." — On3 national basketball recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw FILM ANALYSIS: JALEN HARALSON "Jalen Haralson has a sturdy frame, one that should take well to strength and conditioning programs with- out losing athleticism as he continues to move for- ward. He has good length as well. There are interesting aspects to Haralson's game as a point-forward type. He has a solid handle as a mismatch forward, able to get his team into sets or push the break. He is also capable of initiating offense from different levels of the court. He is a quick processor with good floor vision. "Haralson is a solid straight-line athlete. He has an understanding of team defense and angles. There are questions about his lateral quickness and his burst. The jump shot can be a weapon at this point, but he needs to continue drilling down its consistency. He has some unique tools with his size and feel." — On3 national basketball recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw