Head coach Kevin Willard is still in search of his first commitment in the 2024 class, and he might not have to wait much longer for news to surface. A source confirms that Mt. Zion four-star guard Malachi Palmer is expected to make his decision this week and it's the Terps who are trending. Palmer made his way to campus for the Rider game back on Nov. 28 and returned to campus last week for an official visit, with the narrow win over Nicholls St. closing out the visit for the 6-foot-5 guard. Palmer tells IBG he doesn't have a set timeframe, but per a source close to Palmer, there's confidence that comes to fruition this week. Oklahoma State, West Virginia are two top competitors while Florida State has shown sporadic interest heading into winter, but Maryland is the lone school that Palmer has taken an official visit to heading down the stretch. Maryland was heavily involved with Palmer under former assistant Tony Skinn, but interest faded through his junior year before contact waned over the summer. That's changed this fall, though, as assistant David Cox has led the way with the four-star guard and been able to watch Palmer in action for a handful of practices through the fall as the mutual interest rose heading into the season. Palmer's interest in staying close to home has been a point in Maryland's favor, but the Terps have also been the most active player in his recruitment while those in Palmer's camp view Maryland as the best fit for him on and off the court. Should Maryland win out, Palmer will add depth to a backcourt that likely returns DeShawn Harris-Smith, Jahn Lamothe and Chance Stephens as the slashing, yet proven scoring guard after scoring his 1,000 career point in last week's win vs. Tri-State Prep. Willard & Co. will still be tasked with replacing its starting point guard in 2024-25 with Jahmir Young exhausting his eligibility while adding three-point shooters will be a repeat storyline next offseason, but Kevin Willard's chances of adding a local prospect to its recruiting class for the third consecutive class are high. With the Terps coming off the latest visit and both sides on board, I've bumped Palmer to 'HOT' on the big board. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Dq3JZnhHg4djlEoSF19yl?si=aedc37d583094ef3 Related Links
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