Center Jalen Washington of Gary West Side Leadership Academy announced on Twitter on Friday that he has committed to North Carolina.
Washington, the No. 21 player nationally in the Class of 2022 according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings and the top player in the state of Indiana in the class, had offers from Indiana and Purdue among others. However, North Carolina strongly indicated that Washington was a priority two weeks ago when it sent its entire coaching staff, including head coach Hubert Davis, to see Washington at the IBCA/IHSAA Charles Hughes Memorial Tournament in Carmel.
Washington averaged 12.7 points per game for Gary West Side this season, leading the program to its first regional title in 16 years before it fell to eventual Class 4A state champion Carmel in Semi-State.
With Washington off the board, every top 150 player at an IHSAA school in the Class of 2022 is now committed. Fort Wayne Homestead’s Fletcher Loyer (129) is committed to Purdue. Warren Central’s Tae Davis (No. 137) is committed to Louisville and Lawrence North’s C.J. Gunn (143) is committed to Indiana. There are three top 100 players at La Lumiere, but that program recruits nationally and plays a national schedule.
