Utah basketball misses out on 4-star recruit

Herly Brutus won't be joining the Runnin' Utes next fall

Utah Runnin' Utes head coach Alex Jensen and his program missed out on a commitment from four-star prospect Herly Brutus. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Not long after taking an official visit with the Utah men's basketball program, four-star prospect Herly Brutus has made his college decision.

Unfortunately for Alex Jensen and his staff, they weren't able to reel in the highly-touted prospect. Per On3's Joe Tipton, Brutus committed to LSU on Sunday.

Brutus chose LSU over his other finalists Gonzaga, Kansas State, Utah, Saint Louis and South Florida. The 6-foot-5 wing made his choice following a lengthy recruiting tour that included a trip out to Salt Lake City during the Sept. 20 weekend.

Brutus, a top-25 shooting guard in the 2026 class according to Rivals, also took visits with Saint Louis, Kansas State, Florida State and LSU before committing to Matt McMahon's program. Brutus' pledge made him the second 2026 recruit to commit to LSU, joining four-star forward Marcus Vaughns.

Brutus also held offers from Houston, Maryland, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Penn State and TCU. He was ranked as the No. 21 shooting guard and the No. 89 prospect nationally by Rivals at the time of his commitment. Brutus, who recently made a move to play for The Villages Charter (Villages, Florida) after suiting up for Umatilla High School (Umatilla, Oregon), checked in as the No. 13 recruit in the state of Florida.

NEWS: 4⭐️ Herly Brutus has committed to LSU, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-5 shooting guard is a top-90 recruit in the 2026 class. Chose the Tigers over Gonzaga, Kansas State, and others. https://t.co/sYCPdwFVko pic.twitter.com/k9VAht6tIp

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) September 28, 2025

Brutus was ranked by 247Sports as a four-star prospect as well, along with being tabbed as the No. 141 recruit in the 2026 class.

"Brutus is a big wing with long arms, athleticism, and a high motor," wrote 247Sports director of scouting, Adam Finkelstein, in his evaluation of Brutus on Aug. 27. "He’s a versatile defender with the size, strength, and mobility to be very switchable at the next level. He excels in the open court where he can get downhill and finish explosively above the rim. He’s also a good wing rebounder."

With Brutus off Utah's board, Jensen and company await the decisions of some of their other top targets in the 2026 class to surround their lone commit, Styles Clemmons.

The Runnin' Utes recently hosted Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) product and four-star recruit Antonio Pemberton on a visit to campus. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound prospect checks in as the No. 43 recruit nationally, the No. 11 point guard and the top-ranked player from the state of New Hampshire on 247Sports.

Clemmons, a four-star prospect out of Overtime Elite, pledged himself to Utah on Sept. 16. The 18-year-old checked in as the No. 46-ranked guard in the country according to ESPN100.