:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68778154/usa_today_14086101.0.jpg)
It’s been a while since we’ve tooted the basketball recruiting horn. Or, frankly, discussed Archie Miller’s recruiting in a positive context.
But that could change this weekend, around the same time the rest of the country is watching The Weeknd.
Four-star guard C.J. Gunn will be announcing his college choice on Sunday during halftime of the Super Bowl, and right now, IU appears to be the favorite. That’s according to 247 Sports’ Crystal Ball database, where all six predictions as of Friday evening are in IU’s favor.
Xavier, Missouri, Kansas State and Cincinnati are also in the mix for the 6-foot-5 Lawrence North product, who is considered the No. 107 player in the 2022 class, the No. 14 shooting guard nationally and the No. 4 player from the state of Indiana. From 247 Sports’ Jerry Meyer:
Has solid size and smooth athleticism as a 6-5 shooting guard. Strong leaper off two feet which pays off on his pull up jumper and his rebounding. Prefers to go right and is primarily a straight line driver. Is a good three-point shooter. Average ball handler and passer. Is a conscientious defender.
A g-g-g-g-good 3-point shooter? Sign up this blog for that.
Should Gunn pull the trigger for IU, it’d be Archie Miller’s first high school recruiting win since landing 2021 center Logan Duncomb during the first week of April. Since then? Well ... There have been a bunch of whiffs: Trey Kaufman, Mason Miller, Isaac McKneely, Aminu Mohammed, among them.
Look, as a high-major college basketball coach, you can get away with churning out mediocre team after mediocre team if you can at least point to the future. This guy’s coming. That guy’s coming. Help is on the way, right?
We’re not sure what kind of instant impact a prospect like Gunn might have in 2022 on the program that lands him, but he’s a good looking player that a lot of teams would be happy to add. And right now, Archie Miller just needs something — anything — to point to. He needs a win.
On Sunday, not long after IU hosts Iowa at Assembly Hall, we’ll find out if he got one.