Recruiting updates: The latest on Gonzaga's top prospects
The NCAA has official periods for recruiting, but that doesn’t mean a high school player can up and commit with a program anytime they want to. That said, here’s the latest on a handful of Gonzaga prospects:
Kaden Cooper (Class of 2023)
Forward, 6-foot-5, 180 lbs.
Status: Down to 10 schools, Gonzaga among frontrunners
Cooper quickly blew up as one of the best recruits in the nation this spring after shining in NCAA live period tournaments and AAU circuit. The No. 44 prospect on 247sports.com showed off his explosiveness and shooting stroke in the Adidas 3 SSB Circuit, averaging 11.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and over one made 3-pointer per game. In an interview with On3’s Shaw, Cooper said he felt good about where his shot and playmaking abilities heading into his senior season.
“My jump shot has been consistent this summer,” Cooper told On3. “I feel like my passing has grown too, but my shot has really come along.”
Scouts and analysts claimed Cooper boosted his stock more than most during the spring, and for good reason. 247sports.com had him as the 255th-ranked player near the end of May, but by June 3, he cracked the top 50 and was fielding offer after offer from big name programs. Syracuse had jumped on him initially before the likes of Iowa, Alabama, UCLA and Gonzaga joined the fold.
Cooper got the full “Hooptown, USA” experience when he visited Spokane during Hoopfest weekend.
“It was great,” Cooper told 247sports.com about his GU visit. “I went down the weekend they had Hoopfest. The whole community was there and everyone was playing basketball. It was great vibes. I got to chill with the team, chill with coach and the family and it made me feel like I was at home.”
Cooper received an offer from the Zags on July 19, and just over a week later, he announced his final 10 choices: Alabama, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Memphis and Texas.
Jamari Phillips (Class of 2024)
Guard, 6-foot-2, 170 lbs.
Status: Down to six schools, leaning toward UCLA
Known for his shooting ability, Phillips described himself as a more “all-around team player” who can handle the rock and be a playmaker. He won’t crack under pressure, maintaining his focus to find open teammates and make quick and accurate passes. On3’s Joe Tipton pointed out Phillips’ “solid defensive instincts”, making him a valuable two-way player that isn’t afraid to shoot the rock.
“I can shoot the ball very well, at a high rate and I can let it fly,” Phillips told On3. “I kind of study the reads on certain situations. I’m a good, all-around team player.”
The four-star shooting guard from Modesto, California, is currently the 19th-rated prospect in the country and second-best from California, according to 247sports.com. As a sophomore at Modesto Christian, he averaged 23 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.
Phillips narrowed his list of programs down to six — Gonzaga, UCLA, Oregon, Louisville, Texas Tech and Kansas, per Tipton. UCLA has been Phillips’ “dream school” growing up in the Los Angeles area, but the Zags remain in contention.
“Gonzaga is a good program though, I like them a lot,” Phillips told On3. ““I’ve been watching them pretty heavily. I like the way they run their offense and how they’re kind of a get-it-and-go. I got a little bit of family up that way so they could come down and see me play.”
Wesley Yates (Class of 2023)
Guard, 6-foot-4, 200 lbs.
Status: Down to nine schools, leaning toward Texas schools
Similar to Phillips, Yates has been known to play with confidence and has a strong handle. On3’s Jamie Shaw described Yates as a “strong framed guard” that is smart with the ball in his hands. Though his shooting mechanics could be tooled with, Yates still operates well off the bounce and has deep range, according to Shaw.
Considered a four-star recruit in his class, Yates is the 31st-rated prospect and second-best in Texas.
Gonzaga offered a scholarship to Yates in April, and while he plans to visit Spokane, no official date has been set. He’s made official visits Auburn, Stanford and Washington and has made unofficial visits to Baylor, LSU, Texas and Houston. Yates also has interest in visiting Arkansas at some point.
Yates announced his final nine on Twitter, which included Gonzaga, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Houston, LSU, Stanford, Texas and Washington. Though he’s spoken with many programs and coaches, he told Tipton that he’s developed the strongest relationships with Baylor and Houston given their proximity to his hometown of Beaumont. Yates’ strong ties to Texas schools might not bode well for the Zags in the end, but Few’s track record of success in Spokane keeps the door open for Yates.
“Gonzaga is always winning,” Yates told Tipton. “I feel like they develop pros, and all their pros have been staying in the league for a long time. So obviously, they’re doing something right.”
Javonte “JJ” Taylor (Class of 2023)
Forward, 6-foot-8, 185 lbs.
Status: Had Kentucky ties in fall, unknown as of now
The recruiting process has been convoluted for Taylor in recent months, but the talent is certainly there for the 23rd-ranked recruit in the 2023 class. He has the prototypical build for a small forward at the collegiate level, allowing him to penetrate with a quick first step and finish strong at the rim. His outside game is respectable, but it’s his ability to attack and handle the ball in traffic that makes Taylor’s game appealing from a prospect perspective.
And best of all; Taylor’s only played organized basketball for four years now, meaning he’s nowhere close to reaching his potential. So, while he might not shine as a playmaker or defender, those areas will improve as he gets more reps in during his senior season of high school. He apparently shined at the Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas, reaffirming himself as one of the best in his class despite a dip in rankings.
Since his move from Chicago to Simi Valley, California, though, the recruiting process has been somewhat mysterious.
Taylor’s first offer came from Illinois when fellow Chicago native Ron Coleman was on the coaching staff. Coleman first reached out to Taylor when he was in eighth grade, the first year he played organized basketball, and the two became close through AAU circuits.
But a lot has changed since then — Taylor transferred to play at Kanye West’s Donda Academy, and Coleman is now a part of Kentucky’s coaching staff. Taylor made a visit to Kentucky last fall and was the first prospect in the 2023 class to receive an offer from the Wildcats, but the two sides have appeared to go opposite directions.
Taylor told 247sports.com in December that he hadn’t heard much from Gonzaga other than a few text messages.
