In a decision that took many Wisconsiners by surprise, highly heralded center Diamond Stone committed to Maryland over his hometown Badgers via twitter on Friday night. The 6-10 Milwaukee senior was also considering UConn and Oklahoma State.
I Am Committing To The University Of Maryland🐢⚫️🔴 #Terps
— All Eyes On Me (@Diamond_Stone33) March 28, 2015
More from the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel:
Diamond Stone had made up his mind.
On Friday the Dominican High School senior told his father, Bob, that he’d decided where he wanted to play his college basketball. Bob Stone suggested his son sleep on it, but Diamond said he was sure. Bob Stone asked his son if he wanted to make the announcement at school in front of his classmates, but Diamond wasn’t interested.
“He didn’t want none of the fanfare; he just wanted to make his decision and he was emphatic,” Bob Stone said. “I always told him we picked four real good schools (as finalists), and I always told him that whatever school you pick I’ll be supportive.”
And so at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Diamond Stone took to his Twitter account (All Eyes on Me@Diamond_Stone33) and sent the following:
I Am Committing To The University Of Maryland #Terps.
And then, according to Bob Stone, Diamond went to hang out with his friends and wasn’t available for comment. On Saturday, he heads to Chicago to take part in the McDonald’s All-American game festivities.
Stone’s final four schools also included Wisconsin, Connecticut and Oklahoma State. He can make his commitment binding during the spring signing period, which begins April 15.
The announcement ends the recruitment of one of the best prep players the state has produced, a two-time gold medalist with USA Basketball who led Dominican to its fourth straight Division 4 state title last week.
He averaged 24.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, three blocks and 1.4 assists per game for the Knights, who finished 25-3.
For the Badgers, the announcement marked another time when they’ve come close to oh-so-close to getting a commitment from an elite prospect from the area. Last year, McDonald’s All-American Kevon Looney (Milwaukee Hamilton) chose UCLA, and three years ago, Menomonee Falls’ J.P. Tokoto chose North Carolina.
There has been some speculation that academic reasons would keep Stone from UW, an assertion that Bob Stone denied.
“As of tonight until Diamond told me he was going to make his decision, UW was still on the table,” Bob Stone said. “They were in full effect.”
