Five-star SF Jalen Haralson commits to Notre Dame men's basketball
Notre Dame men’s basketball has made its biggest splash — so far — of the Micah Shrewsberry era. Five-star small forward Jalen Haralson has committed to the Irish on Wednesday.
Standing at 6-foot-6, Haralson is the No. 13 player in the On3 Industry Ranking. The La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere prospect chose Notre Dame over Indiana and Michigan State. He’s the top-ranked recruit to commit to the Irish since the dawn of internet recruiting rankings.
“When I went on my visit, I just connected with the coaching staff, the players,” Haralson said. “I trust Coach Shrews with my game. He had a vision for me that I couldn’t turn down. And ultimately, I trust him to get to my end goal.”
The Hoosiers were long considered the favorite to land Haralson, but the Irish were right there with them the entire time. They built a strong relationship with Haralson, even traveling to Turkey to watch him compete with the USA Basketball U17 Junior National Team.
The Irish also sold him on playing a “big guard” role and surrounding him with shooters. Additionally, Notre Dame’s effort to convince Haralson that it was his best choice for his basketball future paid off.
“Coach Shrews was [Boston Celtics stars] Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s shooting coach, and that’s something I feel like I need to take the next step in my game, so I trust him to help me get there,” Haralson said. “But also, the ACC, it’s a big-time conference, and I feel like it’s the conference that translates the most to the NBA. So overall, it was a good decision.”
Haralson played with fellow Notre Dame commit Brady Koehler on the AAU circuit with Indy Heat this past spring and summer. He, Koehler and four-star SF Ryder Frost visited South Bend together the weekend of Sept. 7.
Koehler committed to Notre Dame on Monday, kick-starting the 2025 recruiting class. Frost commits at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, and Notre Dame is a finalist alongside Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Virginia Tech and Syracuse.
If Frost joins Koehler and Haralson, the weekend of Sept. 7 may become one of the most transformative recruiting events in Notre Dame men’s basketball history.
“I’m looking to come in and win,” Haralson said. “That’s my main thing. I want to come in, win, change the culture and do my thing.”
Scouting report on Notre Dame SF commit Jalen Haralson
“Jalen Haralson has a sturdy frame, one that should take well to strength and conditioning programs without losing athleticism as he continues to move forward. He has good length as well. There are interesting aspects to Haralson’s game as a point-forward type. He has a solid handle as a mismatch forward, able to get his team into sets or push the break. He is also capable of initiating offense from different levels of the court. He is a quick processor with good floor vision. Haralson is a solid straight-line athlete. He has an understanding of team defense and angles. There are questions about his lateral quickness and his burst. The jump shot can be a weapon at this point, but he needs to continue drilling down its consistency. Some unique tools with his size and feel.”
— On3 national basketball recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw
