Maryland continues Midwest push, extends first class of 2024 offer to top-ranked Wisconsin native

A month ago, Maryland made its first offer in the 2023 class. Now the Terps have an offer out to a recruit who has yet to even play a high school basketball game.

Maryland offered Tayshawn Bridges after the explosive 6-foot-2 point guard led the 14U Wisconsin Playground Club team to the Chicago Summer Jam championship last week. Some consider Bridges to be the best player in the class of 2024 and he comes from the same Under Armour-sponsored AAU program as Diamond Stone, as well as current Maryland recruiting targets James Graham and Gus Yalden.

Auburn, which along with Maryland is one of the most notable Under Armour-sponsored college programs, was the first Power Conference school to offer Bridges earlier this month and an offer from the Terps followed less than a week later. Florida State, Iowa and Grambling State have also offered the Milwaukee native.

The Terps’ presence in the Midwest, including Wisconsin, has increased since former Michigan assistant DeAndre Haynes joined the staff last year, and while Bridges appears to be a name to track in the future, it’s Graham who has the attention of college coaches currently.

Graham’s recruitment reached new levels last week when he reported interest from blueblood programs Kentucky and North Carolina. He also participated in virtual calls with Michigan State and Indiana recently. The fast-rising 6-foot-7 forward is one of Maryland’s top remaining targets in the 2021 class and plans to trim his list on Monday.

“It’s been crazy, but at the same time, I’m prepared for it,” Graham told Inside The Hall last week. “It’s something that I kind of wanted. Who doesn’t want people reaching out wanting to know more about you?”

Graham could be the first Wisconsin native to commit to Maryland since Stone, who recently cleared the air on his feelings about the Terps program after an unceremonious College Park exit.

“I’ll always have love for Maryland," Stone told 247Sports. "I’ll always watch the Maryland games. Maybe I don’t interact as far as going on Instagram or tweeting or showing love at campus or stuff like that, but I’ll always be a Terp at heart.”