O'Dea 5-star forward Paolo Banchero (class of 2021) narrows college decision to six schools

O'Dea five-star junior Paolo Banchero narrowed his list of potential college choices to six on Wednesday. He will decide between Kentucky, Washington, Gonzaga,

O'Dea five-star junior Paolo Banchero narrowed his list of potential college choices to six on Wednesday. He will decide between Kentucky, Washington, Gonzaga, Arizona, Tennessee and Duke.

He will make his choice from the six, and not cut the list down any further, Banchero said in an earlier tweet.

Banchero is the top recruit in the state of Washington and one of the top recruits in the country in the class of 2021. Rivals lists the 6-foot-10 forward No. 2 nationally, while ESPN has him as No. 4.

☏⁶ pic.twitter.com/GT0yiAJkeJ

— Paolo Banchero (@Pp_doesit) April 29, 2020

On the prep stage in Washington, Banchero has been dominant. He won a Washington high school state championship in 2019 as a sophomore, and finished runner-up to Garfield as a junior. He was a Scorebook Live all-classification first team all-state selection this past season.

• RELATED: Paolo Banchero tops Scorebook Live's postseason Top 50

Two of Banchero's final schools, Gonzaga and Washington, are in-state. Banchero has said he's had a longstanding relationship with the Huskies, including many coaches within the program. Those ties run deep.

His mother Rhonda Banchero-Smith was a three-time All-Pac 10 selection for the Huskies as a 6-3 center and was also an All-American in 1995 before playing professionally. A Franklin grad, Banchero-Smith also led several state tournament runs in the late 80s.

Just keep yo ass home for one year then go to the league. Why leave the town when you only going for 7 months https://t.co/Z7rCmgFzfG

— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) April 24, 2020

Former NBA All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, a former Curtis and UW standout, voiced his public support for Banchero, which the O'Dea standout retweeted.

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and assistant Brian Michaelson sat courtside for at least one of Banchero's games at the 3A state tournament in early March in the Tacoma Dome.

"It's funny, coach Few and coach Michaelson were talking to me a little during the game," Banchero told Scorebook Live on March 5. "They were giving me head nods … cheering for me basically. Those are my guys. I got great relationships with both of them. It’s comfortable playing with them right there."