LSU Basketball Squarely in Mix for Elite 2021 Point Guard TyTy Washington
In an offseason where LSU Coach Will Wade has made significant changes to the roster through the transfer portal, Wade has also been making his presence felt in the high school recruiting landscape as well.
After adding transfers Adam Miller, Tari Eason and Xavier Pinson to the squad less than a month into the offseason, Wade has been recruiting 2021 five-star point guard TyTy Washington heavily after his decommitment from Creighton on March 11th.
After Washington announced his top six schools on April 17th, LSU made the cut and has not looked back as a floor general like Washington is hard to come by.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard out of Phoenix, Ariz. has a feel for the game like no other with the ability to get his teammates involved night in and night out. A playmaker with ability to score the rock at all times, Washington shot 41% from three-point range last season, 48% from the field and 88% from the free throw line for AZ Compass Prep in his senior season.
With limitless potential, AZ Compass Prep Coach Ed Gipson believes this is just the beginning for Washington.
“I actually think he can be a better shooter once he gets to college. I think as his body develops and he gets stronger, his shot will become even more consistent,” Gipson said. “He had great conditioning here, but he had to carry a lot of weight sometimes. He won’t have as much of a burden on him once he gets to college. We had good guys around him and everything, but there was a lot on him.”
In his senior season with AZ Compass Prep, Washington took the biggest leap in the ESPN100, going from being ranked 34th in the country a year ago to being ranked 12th overall in the final cycle.
Switching up his game somewhat from his traditional playmaking mentality, Washington ramped up his scoring in his senior campaign, showing his ability to shoot off the dribble, hit deep, contested threes, along with exhibiting a consistent mid-range pullup jumper.
Washington is an ideal point guard at the collegiate level, virtually fitting into LSU’s scheme like a glove and picking up right where Javonte Smart left off after his stellar season in Death Valley.
“They were in heavy with me the first time around, so they jumped right back in,” Washington told SI All-American about LSU. “They talk a lot about the freedom of their offense and I really like that. Coach Wade talks a lot about playing through mistakes and not worrying about them. Just having that confidence from a head coach is big.”
His commitment date set for May 15th as Washington will be selecting from a top six of LSU, Kentucky, Arizona, Oregon, Kansas and Baylor.
With Wade and his savvy recruiting ways, the Tigers could land one of the nation’s most sought after recruits left on the table to elevate this LSU roster into the Final Four conversation.
