Notre Dame commit J.J. Starling makes U.S. team for Nike Hoop Summit

A big month is coming up for a future Notre Dame player.

J.J. Starling, the most anticipated Notre Dame commit in years, is going to be very busy over the next month. In the last week of March, he will take part in the McDonald’s All-American Game in Chicago. A week-and-a-half later, he will get the opportunity to represent the U.S. in competition for the first time. That’s because he has been selected to play for his country in the Nike Hoop Summit, an annual game between the best U.S. players and the best international players ages 19 or younger.

Starling, who attends La Lumiere in La Porte and participated in a 2019 U.S. junior national minicamp, will be part of the first Nike Hoop Summit since 2019. COVID-19 has forced the event’s cancelation over the past two years. The international roster for the game, which is taking place in Portland, Oregon, will be announced later.

Starling is believed to be taking the roster spot of Cason Wallace, who signed a letter of intent with Kentucky in November.

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Legendary Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz tests positive for COVID-19

Former Notre Dame head coach and 1988 national champion Lou Holtz has tested positive for COVID-19.

One of the greatest coaches Notre Dame has ever seen has now tested positive for COVID-19 according to a report from ABC Columbia on Thursday.

The 83-year-old Holtz took over as Notre Dame’s head coach in 1986 and by 1988 turned the Fighting Irish into national champions.

Notre Dame wound up with five top-five finishes in the AP Poll during the 11 seasons Holtz spent as head coach of Notre Dame.

The Irish ultimately won 100 games during those 11 seasons, a feat only bettered by Knute Rockne in the entire history of the program.  It’s worth pointing out that Brian Kelly did tie Holtz as he recorded his 100th win at Notre Dame this past weekend.

“I don’t have a lot of energy right now” Holtz said to ABC Columbia, something I don’t think anyone who has ever followed his career has thought possible.

All the best to Lou as he is just one of many working to recover from this virus.