Maryland keeping tabs on former ACC commit
- Ahmed Ghafir
- Jun 18, 2023
- 2 min read
Four-star forward AJ Swinton helped guide Bishop O’Connell (VA) to a perfect 4-0 record at DMV Live, ending the weekend with a 16-point win over Bullis. The 6-foot-5 wing helped O’Connell facilitate the offense, crash the boards and was efficient around the rim in his limited opportunities on the offensive end as he prepares to maintain momentum heading into session two next weekend.
“Definitely just being able to run the offense and being able to beat my man in the halfcourt,” Swinton told IBG. “I’m already able to create for others a lot but now sometimes I can create for myself.”
Swinton did so with Marquette, Virginia Tech, UConn and Kansas State along the sideline while Maryland head coach Kevin Willard arrived just in time to watch O’Connell take on Georgetown Prep, ending in a 16-point win for O’Connell.
Swinton originally shut down his recruitment with a commitment to Virginia Tech back in February, but after assistant Mike Jones made the move from Blacksburg to College Park, the four-star took a step back and has been hearing from a steady group of schools.
“I think it’s going super smoothly right now. I was just at West Virginia for a visit. I’ve been talking to Georgetown, Boston College, VCU, Penn State a little bit.”
The Mountaineers will have to regroup after head coach Bob Huggins resigned following a DUI arrest, but Swinton made his way to Morgantown last Wednesday as they’ve been persistent since the change in his recruitment. “Coach DerMarr Johnson, that’s my guy. He and my mom go way back. The campus was great, it’s is kind of interesting. It’s all spread out but still packed in. Plus I was able to enjoy the crab feast. Every Wednesday you can go and crab is my favorite food, so that was great,” Swinton added.
Mike Jones, meanwhile, has kept an open line of communication between the two sides as Maryland monitors the local product. “I’ve talked to them a few times, that connection is still there but me and him have just kept in touch. It hasn’t been anything super serious.” Whether Swinton does end up at Maryland, he knows the relationship between he and Jones goes beyond basketball to give the Terps a tight knit connection.
“He believes in me. He’s helped me to get to where I’m at now my freshman and sophomore year. So did Jordan Hawkins. He helped build me as a person.”
Swinton is rated a three-star and an 89 overall by On3, checking in as the 111th-best prospect in the country. On3 has Swinton as a four-star composite prospect with both Rivals and ESPN rating Swinton as a four-star in their respective rankings.Related Links
