High School

McDonald's All-American and NBA Legacy SF Commits to Alabama

Jaxon Richardson an NBA legacy an makes his college commitment.
Conner Lisner|
Jaxon Richardson of the Miami Columbus High School basketball team drives to the basket during the championship game against Montverde at the City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Jaxon Richardson of the Miami Columbus High School basketball team drives to the basket during the championship game against Montverde at the City of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. | Andrew West/The News-Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jaxon Richardson, a McDonald’s All-American and one of the top basketball players in the 2026 class, has announced his commitment. He will be heading to Tuscaloosa to play for head coach Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound Southeastern Prep (Orlando, FL) small forward is ranked as a four-star and the No. 21 player in the nation according to 247Sports rankings.

Alabama Beat Out Some Talented Programs For Richardson

Jaxon Richardson took five official visits during his recruitment and had an extensive list of offers from top programs. The schools he was focusing on were Alabama, Miami, USC, Creighton, and Ole Miss. After weighing his options, Richardson ultimately chose to commit to Alabama, where he’ll join head coach Nate Oats and a talented Crimson Tide roster.

In an interview with 247Sports, Richardson said, "I chose Alabama because of their style of play. They play fast, are defensive-minded, and very analytical. They‘ve been there since my freshman year so that's been important to me."

A Family Full of NBA Stars

Richardson's father, Jason, was a star at Michigan State and won a national championship in 2000 under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo. Jason played 15 years in the NBA and was a career 17.1 points per game scorer and a two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion. Plus, Richardson was a member of the 2002 All-NBA Rookie First Team.

Jaxson's brother, Jase, was a first-round draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. Jase played one season at Michigan State and was a Big Ten All-Freshman Team member. Jase is averaging 4.6 points per game as an NBA rookie.

With Jaxon opting to not go to Michigan State like his dad and older brother he has an oppurtunirty to crarve his own path at Alabama.

Southeastern Prep Academy National Basketball Team is On Fire

The Southeastern Prep basketball team is 38-8 this season and boast a 10-1 record in Disirct play. Southeastern also beat Montverde Academy one of the best programs in the nation year after year. Richardson is averaging 12.1 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assisits, 1,2 steals and a block per game this year.

Alabama Has a Great Recruiting Class in 2026

Richaredosn joins two other four-star prospects in shooting guards Qayden Samuels and Tarris Bouie. Alabama's 2026 class is ranked No. 9 in the counrtry and could go up if Oats deciodes to add more high school talent.

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Conner Linsner
CONNER LISNER

Conner has been covering high school football and basketball recruiting for over five years. In college, he started his own blog covering high school recruiting. Right now, Conner is the Site Expert at All for Tennessee, covering Tennessee Volunteers athletics. He has also been covering college and professional sports on various FanSided sites since 2020. After graduating from Wayne State University in 2024, he decided that his passion for collegiate and professional athletics had driven him to pursue a career in sports media. Conner has been to over half of the Major League Baseball stadiums with his father and plans to hit every single ballpark in the majors. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2026.

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