Diggins expected to commit to UConn
If things go as expected on Sunday, UConn will be getting a commitment from a guard who will remind fans of an accomplished Husky guard from the past.
Rahsool Diggins, a 6foot-1, Class of 2021 combo guard out of Philadelphia, is expected to commit to the Huskies. Virtually every recruiting service is predicting Diggins, the 2020 Philadelphia City League MVP and Philly Catholic League Player of the Year as a junior at Archbishop Wood, to choose UConn.
If that happens, the Huskies will be getting a highlevel player guard with point guard skills, who can also shoot and score. Diggins boasts a high basketball IQ and good feel for the game. He can shoot from deep and mid-range, finish at the rim, is very shifty with the ball and is an elite passer who can hit teammates for lobs, kick-outs or passes out of the pick-androll.
Diggins needs to get a little stronger and is not an explosive athlete in the James Bouknight/Andre Jackson realm, but is definitely athletic enough.
In short, he’ll remind Husky fans of A.J. Price, the former point guard who led UConn to the Final Four in 2009 and played six seasons in the NBA. UConn assistant Tom Moore was the point man for both players’ recruitment.
Diggins, who should have Archbishop Wood as a
favorite to win the Philly City League title this season, is currently ranked as the No. 41 overall player and No. 6 point guard in the nation by rivals.com and No. 58 overall and No. 8 at point guard by 247sports.com.
Diggins would join a UConn backcourt in 202122 that should also include R.J. Cole as a senior and Jalen Gaffney as a junior. Bouknight is likely to leave for the NBA after his sophomore season this winter.
Although Diggins is listed as a point guard, he’ll have plenty of opportunity to play off the ball if Cole and Gaffney are still there. In fact, of that trio, Cole, who sat out this past season as a Howard transfer, is really the only 100-percent point guard. Gaffney, who took over the starting point guard reins from Alterique Gilbert midway through his freshman season this past winter, can also play the two.
Cole would seem to have the edge as the starting point guard this season, but it’s certainly not a given. Coach Dan Hurley has a group of talented players who will be fighting for minutes, and nothing will be handed to anyone.
The only guarantee is that Bouknight, a 6-4 swing, will play a lot of minutes and get a lot of shots. That’s it. Everywhere else, there are question marks, particularly in the backcourt: Is Jackson ready for stardom right off the bat? Can Brendan Adams settle into a role? Will Rhode Island transfer Tyrese Martin get a waiver to play right away? How healthy will Tyler Polley and Akok Akok be, especially if the season starts on time?
Lots of questions, lots of talent. That’s a good thing. One question that should be answered on Sunday is Rahsool Diggins’ choice of schools. The answer should also be a good thing for UConn fans.