Daron “Fatts” Russell, a 5-foot-10 point guard from Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep Institute and the Team Final AAU program, committed to Rhode Island and head coach Dan Hurley on Tuesday.
Ranked the No. 44 point guard in the Class of 2017 by 247 Sports.com, Russell also visited Grand Canyon, La Salle and Western Kentucky. Seton Hall was also in the mix.
“Coach Hurley’s vision for him was second to none,” said Tahar Sutton, Russell’s stepdad and assistant coach. “The other schools were recruiting point guards. Danny was recruiting Daron. He was determined to get him, not just the position.”
“Daron is an ultimate competitor and his upside is tremendous,” Team Final coach Aaron Burt said. “He has an infectious personality that makes people flock to him, want to play with him and compete as hard as he does. He’s very coachable, is a quick learner and loves to compete.
“He has unlimited range, is a big-time playmaker and is not afraid of the big moment. He will lead your backfield or backcourt. Any coach that gets him is gonna win a lot of games and have a very upset player on their hands. He will do whatever is asked of him to win and uplift a program.”
Russell Tweeted his commitment with a preseason poll showing Hurley’s group at No. 24 nationally.
New home���� #rhody Rams pic.twitter.com/0NrpFIq0eq
– fatts (@daron_russell) September 20, 2016