BOOM!
Louisville Christian Academy (KY) standout George Washington III is Ohio State basketball’s first commitment in the 2023 class.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound wing began his official visit to Columbus last Friday and it was on the drive home when he knew he wanted to be a Buckeye.
“I think it was on the ride back from the visit when me and my parents were in the car and we started talking about it. That night we decided to pray about it and make the decision the next day,” said Washington III
Ohio State has been a fan of Washington III for some time now. Chris Holtmann, Ryan Pedon and Jake Diebler saw him two weekends in a row at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam. Pedon also went down to see him practice on Sept. 9, the first day of the NCAA evaluation period.
The Buckeye also hosted Washington III on June 15 for an unofficial visit. Then he visited again on Sept. 25 for the Ohio State football game against Akron. Finally, he took an official visit this past weekend which sealed the deal for him and his family.
“Well, I‘ve been there three times and every time I go up there I just fall in love with the campus, the vibe of the city and the feel even more,” said Washington III. “I love the coaches, coach Holtmann, coach Pedon, coach Diebler, I mean they all are amazing. The work they all put in is great. The way they play I feel like it fits me and I feel like I can do great things there.”
The son of former college basketball coach, Washington III grew up around the game of basketball and developed quite the basketball IQ. This has helped him feel even more comfortable in his decision after watching a few of Ohio State’s practices this fall.
“When I went I was sitting thinking and everything about their offense, their style of play and game I can see myself fitting in to and being able to make a difference there,” said Washington III
On top of a high basketball IQ, Washington III brings a smooth shooting stroke and slick passing skills with him to an Ohio State program that is built upon good guard play. Below are his highlights from his sophomore season at Louisville Christian Academy:
As for his rankings, Washington III is a consensus four-star prospect and top-100 player.
With Washington III now in the fold, Chris Holtmann and his staff will be able to turn their focus to building out the rest of the 2023 class which may be small after signing five players in 2022.
Finally, now that he is committed, Washington III can’t wait to get to Columbus, and there is one part of his future in particular he is most excited about.
“I think the fan base and the fans there are amazing,” Washington III said. “You see it for football and for us you see it with the basketball team. Just seeing the reactions they get at the football games is eye-opening to the kind of support they get and backing they have from the city. I think it’s something not too many places have.”
