Five-star guard hands UCLA men’s basketball third commitment for 2017
By Tanner Walters
Sept. 16, 2015 12:56 p.m.
UCLA men’s basketball received another big commitment to its 2017 recruiting class, adding point guard Jaylen Hands Wednesday morning.
The 6-foot-2 guard was rumored to be leaning toward the Bruins for the past months, and he made the decision public on Twitter this week.
Thank You To Those Who Recruited Me. Me and My Family chose to further my Education and Basketball Career at UCLA. pic.twitter.com/l10wfF79tL
— Easy (@JHANDS08) September 16, 2015
The high school junior – Hands recently transferred to Foothills Christian High School from Mater Dei Catholic High School – is the third member of the Bruins’ 2017 class, joining five-star center Jalen Hill and shooting guard LiAngelo Ball.
“Me and my family felt the most comfortable with UCLA and their staff as a whole,” Hands told Scout. “The education, the spotlight, the lineage of point guards being sent to the league, and being so close to home is something we couldn’t pass up.”
Scout ranks Hands highest at No. 21 nationwide, while 247Sports and ESPN drop him to No. 27 and No. 31, respectively.
During the offseason, Hands competes on Compton Magic, a club team that has recently become a UCLA pipeline. Other Compton Magic players who are committed to become Bruins over the next few years include 2016 center Ike Anigbogu and 2016 guard Kobe Paras.
In addition, five-star 2016 power forward T.J. Leaf plays on both Compton Magic and at Foothills Christian High School. Leaf decommitted from Arizona in August, and UCLA is a possible frontrunner to land him.
Compiled by Tanner Walters, Bruin Sports senior staff.
