Head coach Mark Turgeon and the Terps hosted a pair of prospects on Tuesday as Mount Zion Prep forward Elijah Jones made it back for his first visit for Maryland. 2023 Gray Academy (SC) four-star power forward Brandon Gardner also made his first visit to Maryland, exactly one day after taking in an unofficial visit to Georgetown. New Maryland assistant Bruce Shingler first connected with Gardner during his time as an assistant at South Carolina as Tuesday marked the first time the two sides were able to meet.
“He recruited me at USC,” Gardner told Inside the Black & Gold. “[Shingler] said he couldn’t say no when he got offered the job.” Gardner, his mother, and godmother took in a campus tour while setting aside some one-on-one time with the coaching staff as the Terps made it known why he’s an offered target. “The length and intensity that I play with, how I just keep developing. They said I’m a perfect fit for what they do.”
Gardner recalls what stuck out about the visit. “My mom and my God mom came with me too so it was like all the coaches there with me. Met the new coaching staff up there. That Maryland M, the coaching staff, and the experience they have, the arena is beautiful. It was pretty good.” Though not the primary recruiter, Maryland has more ammo to sell when it comes to frontcourt recruiting with Danny Manning also joining the program this offseason. The two were able to meet during the trip as Gardner was thoroughly impressed.
“The tall coach, coach [Danny] Manning, he said he played in the NBA for 15 years so he has the experience. I’m always going to remember that.” Gardner admitted Tuesday’s introductory visit painted a positive outlook on the Terps, but there’s one question he still has for the staff as he learns more about the program. “That’s what I haven’t seen. I don’t know how fast they play. I want to know how they play, how the coaches is, and do they yell a lot or stuff like that.”
After visiting both Georgetown and Maryland this week, Gardner added he’s likely done with visits barring a decision to visit LSU “maybe at the end of the month.”
After being cut from his middle school basketball team, Gardner has developed into a high-major recruit with Kentucky, LSU, Virginia, Wake Forest, Memphis, Auburn, and Kansas among the schools showing interest. As a sophomore, Gardner averaged 9.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Gardner is rated a four-star prospect and a 92 overall by 247Sports, sitting as the second-best prospect in South Carolina and the nation’s seventh-best power forward.