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Tampa Prep power forward Juwan Durham commits to UConn

 
Juwan Durham, a 6-foot-9 power forward, is working his way back from an ACL tear, which didn’t derail his recruiting.
Juwan Durham, a 6-foot-9 power forward, is working his way back from an ACL tear, which didn’t derail his recruiting.
Published Sept. 1, 2015

One of the top basketball prospects in the nation ended his recruiting process on Tuesday afternoon.

Tampa Prep senior Juwan Durham announced via Twitter that he has committed to Connecticut.

Initially, Durham, a 6-foot-9 power forward, was going to name a list of his top five schools this week. But he made his decision after taking an official visit to the school over the weekend and after having a lengthy discussion with his family.

"I wanted to go to a school that felt like a close-knit family and I got that at UConn when I was there," Durham said. "Coach (Kevin) Ollie is great, and I know he can get the job done and help me get to that next level."

Durham is ranked a four-star recruit and a top 25 prospect in the 2016 class by nearly every major recruiting service. He is one of the rare bay area basketball stars who has committed to a national title contender in the past decade.

Others in that elite group include former Gibbs/Admiral Farragut star Marreese Speights (Florida 2006-08), former Plant standout Michael Frazier (Florida 2012-15) and former Sickles star John Henson (North Carolina 2009-12).

Durham picked the Huskies over offers from more than a dozen major schools, including Indiana, Florida, Florida State, Miami and Louisville. UConn has won four national titles, the last coming in 2014.

Now Durham is focusing on getting back to full strength after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Feb. 17. He is going through shooting drills and waiting for doctors to clear him to make cuts on the floor. That will likely happen in October, Terrapins coach Joe Fenlon said.

"The goal is to have him ready by the time the district tournament rolls around, not at the beginning of the season," Fenlon said. "If he is ready then, that's great. But he's at a good pace now and we're not going to rush him. He has a long career ahead of him."