In just their second recruiting class at Nebraska, head coach Fred Hoiberg and his staff made history by landing a commitment from 2021 Greenville (S.C.) Legacy Early College guard Bryce McGowens on Friday.
A five-star recruit rated the No. 23 overall player in the '21 class, McGowens became the Huskers' highest-rated and first five-star high school commit of the Rivals era (2002-present).
The 6-foot-6 former Florida State commit chose NU over Georgia, as well as other suitors LSU and Michigan.
"I chose Nebraska because of how much trust I have in the program and coaching staff," McGowens said via text message. "Coach Hoiberg has a proven track record of getting guys ready and help getting them to the NBA. Also having a opportunity to play with my older brother is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
Nebraska had several draws for McGowens, including Hoiberg's appealing style of play, NBA background, and track record of producing NBA draft picks during his time at Iowa State.
There was also his longstanding relationship with NU assistant Matt Abdelmassih, which dated back to when McGowens was in eighth grade.
But the most obvious connection was the fact that his older brother, Trey McGowens, is currently a junior guard for the Huskers.
“I have a great relationship with their staff," McGowens told Rivals last month. "My brother plays there and would love to play alongside him one day. They play fast and with pace and space that will give me freedom to make plays on and off the ball.
"Coach Hoiberg has 19 years of NBA experience and should be able to help me accomplish my goals.”
"I believe that signing Bryce changes the whole trajectory of our program," Hoiberg said in a statement. "He is the centerpiece of what I believe is the strongest class that Nebraska basketball has ever signed. Since I've been here, we have talked about building a program that can have sustained success, and adding a player of Bryce's caliber shows that we building something special here. It shows that Nebraska can compete for some of the top players in the country. It also says a lot about the type of person that Bryce is. He wanted to go to a place where he can create a legacy and help Nebraska basketball reach new heights.
"As a player, Bryce is an elite scorer, a perimeter player who is efficient from all three levels," Hoiberg said. "He uses his size well to create mismatches and possesses the athletic ability to play a number of spots in our system. His skill set meshes with the up-tempo style we play, and he has the ability and potential to flourish in the system. Bryce comes from a great family, and we are pleased to add him to our roster next year. The only person in our program who may be more excited than me today is his older brother Trey, as they will have an opportunity to play together at this level."
McGowens averaged 25.3 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game last season as a junior and has shot better than 40 percent from 3-point range during his high school career.
McGowens initially committed to Florida State over roughly two dozen other offers back in February but decided to re-open his recruitment eight months later.
Given his lofty recruiting profile, college basketball's most prominent names immediately came calling as soon as he went back on the market. McGowens picked up new offers from Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, Arizona, Oregon, and many more.
In the end, McGowens narrowed down his final five schools to Nebraska, Georgia, Florida State, LSU, and Michigan.
As many expected from the moment he backed off his pledge to FSU, McGowens followed his older brother to Lincoln.
Jamie Shaw of the South Carolina-based Rivals.com preps site, PalmettoHoops.com, has seen McGowens play many times and wrote this recent evaluation:
"A lengthy guard who can handle like a primary initiator, shoot with deep range and pass the ball very unselfishly. Standing 6-foot-6, he has the size, and ability, to both see over the defense and finish among the trees.
"As he continues to put on weight, the sky is the limit with his upside. He has a great foundation of skill with a prototypical wing's frame. There have been some comparisons thrown around with Devin Booker, Will Barton, and even Malcolm Brogden at the same stage."
McGowens joins Ranger (Texas) College sophomore guard Keisei Tominaga and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei center Wilhelm Breidenbach, who both signed on Wednesday, in Nebraska's 2021 class.
It should be noted that McGowens' commitment currently puts the Huskers one over their 13-scholarship limit for the 2021-22 season.
