A look inside Rutgers Basketball 2024 recruiting class

Steve Pikiell’s 2024 recruiting has been a major reason to smile for the Scarlet faithful.

This past year, Knights fans have seen their team get its highest-rated recruit ever in Ace Bailey, contend for the top recruiting class in the country for 2024, and be in the running for 5-star Dylan Harper.

So that begs the question, what exactly does each current commit bring to the table?

Ace Bailey: Everything. Bailey has shown that he can indeed do it all. He is a strong contender for the best recruit in the nation. His 6-foot-10 frame is perfect for a winger. He can hit shots from anywhere on the court and can play defense as good as anyone out there. Jamie Shaw, an analyst for On3, has said that he already looks like an NBA prospect. However, the biggest thing that Bailey brings to the Knights and their fanbase is hope. It has been a long while since Rutgers fans have seen a consistent contender but Baileys commitment shows the fans that greatness is on the horizon.

Lathan Sommerville: Sommerville fits the mold of a Steve Pikiell Big Man perfectly. His 6-foot-10, 245-pound frame makes him easily comparable to current center Cliff Omoruyi. In addition, his 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game during his junior campaign in high school make him a perfect fit for Pikiell’s defense oriented playing style.

Bryce Dortch: The biggest thing that he brings to the table is that he is listed as both a small forward and a power forward. Officially, he committed to the Knights as a small forward but the fact that he is listed as both depending on the site says that he has the necessary skills to play both positions. Add this with his common comparison to Rutgers forward Mawot Mag and it is easy to see why Pikiell recruited him, especially from a defensive point of view.

Dylan Grant: One thing to note about Grant is how well he shoots the ball. During the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Peach Jam Championships, Grant shot 61.2% inside the arc and scored double-digit points in all five games played. He even recorded two games where he scored 20 plus points. He also recorded an average of 6.6 rebounds per game, something that Pikiell holds in high value. Look for his role to be more of a shooter, something that Pikiell always seems to have one of on his teams. (example: Cam Spencer)

On an Interesting note, three out of the four current commits come from different states and none of them are from New Jersey. This shows that Pikiell is willing to review recruits from anywhere to find a player that fits his plan.