Head coach Kevin Willard has secured his first commitment in the 2023 class.
St. Frances guard Jahnathan Lamothe has announced his commitment to Maryland, giving the Terps their second commitment from St. Frances over the last three cycles. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard had previously taken official visits to Georgetown, UCF and Ohio State but he and his family made the trip to Maryland beginning June 2, giving his verbal to the staff on Friday before going public on Sunday. Lamothe said the message on his visit was simple. "Just being the hometown kid and coming to make my mark," he told Inside the Black & Gold. Assistant Tony Skinn and director of player personnel Tevon Saddler teamed up to pave the way for the Terps’ newest commitment, but an unofficial visit with his family during the first week of May set the foundation.
“They’re younger. They know us better and their energy is contagious,” Lamothe said at the time. “Coach [Kevin] Willard is with the guys all the time working out, eating and coach [Tony] Skinn, Tevon Saddler, coach [David] Cox all have a lot of energy.” Lamothe’s visit to Ohio State was largely due to the relationship that Skinn had developed when he was with the Buckeyes and the four-star product credited their close connection.
Lamothe told Inside the Black and Gold that he spent time with former high school teammate and current forward Julian Reese on the visit, but getting back to campus with his family helped reaffirm his decision. "Just spending some time with them and being around them a little bit more," Lamothe said on Friday. "They’re guys that I can be around. They’re young, fun guys."
Lamothe added he's "definitely gotten closer" with assistant Tony Skinn since arriving in College Park. “I think it’s more than basketball. I think he can talk to me about anything in my bad times and my good times. Coach Skinn, he’s recruited me from Seton Hall to Ohio State to Maryland so we’ve had that bond for a few years.”
Penn State, Georgetown and UCF rounded out the top group for the St. Frances product, but Willard’s track record as a skill developer helped assure that Lamothe would be in good hands as a Terp. “I like that because he’s a head coach, he could just sit in the office and watch film but I like how he’s involved and develops. Coach Skinn gives you the right feel, just the comparisons to Myles Powell and Isaiah Whitehead and those two guys I really look up to.”
As the newest commitment for Maryland, what's the first thing Lamothe thinks of when he thinks about Maryland basketball? "Just being home. being close to family, the history that I can make."
Lamothe is rated a four-star prospect in the On3 consensus rankings and the second-best prospect in Maryland.
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