INDIANAPOLIS — With the firing of Tom Crean at Indiana, Class of 2017 wing Jordan Tucker is no longer considering the Hoosiers, his father told ZAGSBLOG on Friday.
Lou Tucker, the player’s father, said Indiana is out and that his son is now considering Villanova, Oregon and Georgia Tech.
They will take an official visit to Oregon after the NCAA Tournament. Oregon beat Iona in a first-round game on Friday in Sacramento, Calif.
Oregon head coach Dana Altman and assistant Tony Stubblefield recently watched the 6-foot-7 Tucker play his final high school game at Marietta (GA) Wheeler, a 75-60 state playoff loss to McEachern. Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner was also in attendance.
As first reported here in January, Oregon got involved late after Tucker, ranked No. 40 on the 2017 ESPN 100, had initially narrowed his focus to Villanova and Indiana.
“Oregon is trying to get in the mix, trying to make a late run based on relationships,” Lou Tucker said then.
Oregon likes Tucker’s versatility.
“They like his ability to shoot the ball and [his] versatility,” Lou said. “Somebody who can pass, shoot and make plays, and that’s pretty much what they’re selling. They allow all their 2s, 3s and 4s to make basketball plays and push the ball. Get it and push it, as opposed to waiting for the point guard.”
Meantime, Tucker took officials to Indiana in November and Villanova in December.
Villanova head coach Jay Wright has also been in to see Tucker, who transferred during the summer from White Plains (N.Y.) Archbishop Stepinac.
“Villanova’s saying that in their system, they feel he’s going to strive,” Lou said. “They have good guard play and with them losing two players to graduation [Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins] there’s going to be a lot of time and a lot of opportunity for him to showcase his skillset.”
Tucker was initially planning to announce in February, but that obviously didn’t happen. When he commits, he will join fellow NY Rens Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky), Jordan Nwora (Louisville), Jose Alvarado (Georgia Tech), Jake Klores (Columbia) and Samson George (Iona).
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