BY ALEJANDRO LOPEZ
NEW YORK — Many recruits coming out of high school dream of going to the basketball Blue Bloods like Duke, Kentucky, or UConn.
Jalen Haralson decided to go in a completely different direction.
The five-star recruit out of La Lumiere (IN) and the Indiana Heat AAU program turned heads after committing to Notre Dame last fall and is looking to turn one of the bottom teams in the ACC around in a big way.
“It’s not the best-looking spot in terms of basketball right now, let’s be honest,” Haralson said Monday at McDonald’s All-American Game media day. “We struggled this year; we had a lot of ups and downs but we’re looking to change that with coach Shrews [Micah Shrewsberry]. We have a great plan with the upcoming guys so we’re ready to make some noise in the ACC.”
Notre Dame went 15-18 this season with an 8-12 conference record. “It wasn’t about the name of the school (or) the brand, you know I want to build my own brand and ultimately help Notre Dame,” Haralson said. “I feel like I picked the correct coaching staff to do that.” Notre Dame’s struggles included a spirited rant by Shrewsberry after a loss to Louisville in February. “You think I should be fired? Good for you,” Shrewsberry told the media after the loss. “You’re allowed to have opinions. A lot of people have given up on this team and given up on me. I don’t really give a damn.” Regardless of whether the fans at Notre Dame gave up on the program this season, Haralson did not, and that should give fans some hope for their chances in the ACC next year. Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on Facebook Follow Alejandro Lopez on TwitterRosters for tonight’s @McDAAG McDonald’s All-American Game.
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) April 1, 2025
9 pm on ESPN pic.twitter.com/DjCYtbzwLZ
