Four-star forward Matthew Gilhool commits to LSU
LSU has its first commitment of the 2025 class and it comes from Matthew Gilhool, a 6-foot-10 forward from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Matt McMahon and the Tigers hosted Gilhool over the weekend and on Monday he said he would be announcing on Tuesday, shutting down his recruitment.
Gilhool also had interest from Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Iowa, and Mississippi State, but chose the Tigers on Tuesday night as the coaching staff sold him on their playstyle, competing in the SEC, and development in the coming years.
“They always tell me to keep on doing my thing,” Gilhool said of LSU during his recruitment. “They’re big on me, and I hear from them just about every day. I talk with Coach (Matt) McMahon and he lets me know how much they like their forwards to be versatile and be able to play through them. I’m not SEC size yet, I have to put weight on, but that will come.”
Gilhool played with Team Final on Nike’s EYBL Circuit. Through Peach Jam, Gilhool averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks on 55.2 percent shooting. With exceptional shooting and handling for a player his size, Gilhool is intriguing to several coaches. He’s ranked as the No. 76 player in the country and No. 1 player in Pennsylvania for the 2025 class.
“I try to play a versatile forward role,” Gilhool told On3. “I rebound, block shots, and can make shots. I’ve been playing with a lot of confidence this summer. I’m playing with coaches who believe in me, and that goes a long way.”
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Gilhool fits the mold McMahon wants in a forward at LSU with his skillset resembling KJ Williams and Jalen Reed who can both play the four or the five and create for themselves off the bounce when necessary. McMahon has also shown the ability to develop and increase the usage of players he retains year over year and Gilhool projects as a multi-year player in his program moving forward.
“I want to go to a school and play for a coach that believes in me,” Gilhool said. “I want to play for a team that will win, that is big for me. A team that is not going to be satisfied, and with that a coach who will push me to be able to get to the next level.
“I don’t want to be a traditional big, strictly have my back to the basket. I want to play for a coach who knows how to use my versatility and will continue to grow me on and off the court.”
