Louisville Transfer Target Sean McNeil Commits to Ohio State
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Over the last few weeks, Kenny Payne has made some real headway out on the recruiting trail. He's inserted Louisville into the mix for several high-profile high school prospects and transfers, and it's only a matter of time before he lands his first commitment as the head coach of his alma mater.
But, that wait is going to last a little while longer. Sean McNeil, a former guard for West Virginia who became a Louisville target after entering the transfer portal, announced Sunday that he has committed to Ohio State.
Payne reached out to McNeil not long after the former Mountaineer put his name in the portal, and eventually included the Cardinals in his top six schools. He was slated to take a visit to Louisville on April 29-30 prior to his commitment to the Buckeyes, with Virginia, Cincinnati, Indiana and Texas Tech also losing out in the recruitment.
The 2022 recruiting cycle for transfers and high school prospects is far from over, but this is still a substantial recruiting loss for Louisville. With Jarrod West, Mason Faulkner and Noah Locke all moving on, the Cardinals have just one scholarship guard currently on the roster in El Ellis.
It's also the second high-profile recruiting battle for a guard that Payne has lost since he took over, following former UK signee Skyy Clark's commitment to Illinois.
But, Payne and the Cardinals still remain in the mix for plenty of other prospects. Former Tennessee forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield just wrapped up a visit to Louisville, and former '22 LSU signee Devin Ree - who UofL is a heavy favorite for - announced his commitment date for May 2.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard was been a key part of the Mountaineers' rotation for the last two seasons. Playing in all but one of West Virginia's 32 games during the 2021-22 season, he was second on the team in scoring with 12.2 point per game, while shooting a team-best 36.8 percent on three-pointers. He also shot 41.4 percent from the field, and was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
During his three seasons in Morgantown, McNeil connected on 155 total three pointers and scored 900 points in 89 games and 55 starts. The Union, Ky. native started his career at Bellarmine in 2017, but left after his second day of classes and eventually signed with Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. He averaged 29.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game during his lone season at the JUCO level.
(Photo of Sean McNeil: Ben Queen - USA TODAY Sports)
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