The University of Houston men’s basketball program got a massive win on Thursday when five-star recruit Jarace Walker committed to the Cougars.
Walker, ranked by 247Sports as the No. 13 overall player and 1 power forward in the class of 2022, is Houston’s first five-star commit since now-NBA player Danuel House chose the program in 2012.
The 6-foot-8 power forward is a star on the IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) basketball team, a traditional powerhouse in the high school realm. He participated in USA Basketball’s 2018 Junior National Team minicamp and two 2019 minicamps.
He can finish strong at the rim and play in the low post and high post alike.
Who’s Next posted videos of the new Houston commit finishing dunks, overpowering opponents on the glass, and hitting an array of shots.
— Who’s Next (@WhosNextHS) November 5, 2021
— Who’s Next (@WhosNextHS) November 5, 2021
He joins a strong Cougars class that includes four-star small forward Terrance Arceneaux and four-star shooting guard Emanuel Sharp. This is Houston’s first class with three commits ranked in ESPN’s top-100 since the database began in 2007, according to the outlet.
Last season, Houston went 28-3 and reached the Final Four. In seven seasons under head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars are 167-64 (72.3%) and have only one losing season.