A four-star combo guard who visited Northwestern chose a different Midwest program for his college experience.
The Northwestern Wildcats have become proactive in bringing in new talent under coach Chris Collins in the past year, seeking to reverse a worrisome trend of missing the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats have had several chances to entertain blue chip prospects including King Kendrick, a wiry-strong and fast four-star point guard who caught the eye of Kyrie Irving, and Jimmy McKinney III, a four-star combo guard who impressed last season in high school.
McKinney III visited Northwestern last September and seemed like a potential fit with Collins' squad in Evanston, but it wasn't meant to be as the promising young prospect chose a different team on Tuesday.
McKinney III Makes College Choice
McKinney III announced that he will play his college ball at Saint Louis University, home to the Billikens men's basketball team coached by Josh Scherz.
Saint Louis advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season before they were eliminated by the Michigan Wolverines, the eventual national champion, by a score of 95-72.
The 6-foot-2 Saint Louis native chose to stay home over Collins' program after playing for Brad Beal Elite this summer and Vashon, Missouri high school this past hoops season.
Wildcats Searching for First Class of 2027 Pledge
The Wildcats are still searching for their first Class of 2027 pledge and are involved with more than ten prospects according to 247Sports.com.
Ten of them are rated four stars or higher according to the scouting website, a positive development for a team looking to take the next step from the middle-to-bottom of the Big Ten all the up toward the top of the conference.
Seven of the Wildcats' top 2027 targets are 6-foot-5 or shorter signaling Collins' pursuit of a program-changing lead guard.
This coming fall, sophomore Jake West is expected to play a lead role at the guard position, bringing toughness and a determined attitude.
Still, the Wildcats appear short at difference makers among the guards heading into the future with Collins' contract running through 2029-2030.
Class of 2026 Looks Promising
The Wildcats basketball Class of 2026 looks promising with two freshmen headed to Evanston along with seven transfers who will combine to re-shape the landscape of Northwestern basketball as we know it.
Four-star small forward Jayden Hodge of Monteverde, Florida's Montverde Academy is the highest-ranked commitment in Wildcats basketball history.
7-foot-3, 210 pound center Symon Ghai has a long road ahead of him in terms of his physical development but rates as a three-star prospect with major upside.
Collins has been forced to make due with less star talent than the vast majority of Big Ten basketball programs, and done a solid job getting the most out of it.
The Wildcats missed out on a potentially great player for 2027, but all signs point to a stronger group of talent occupying the practice and gameday courts in Evanston for the foreseeable future.
