The announcement caps a wild ride to stardom for Fultz.
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Fultz played on Dematha’s JV team as a sophomore, but blossomed into the WCAC player of the year last season as a junior, and is now regarded as one of the best scoring guards in his class. He’ll be able to sign a binding national letter of intent during the early signing period in November. Fultz had gone as far as calling Kentucky his dream school in the past and talked of taking an official visit right up until the day he committed. He made his decision Friday afternoon at the 10th annual Under Armour Elite24 event.
“My relationship with him is unbelievable”, Fultz said on television Friday night.
The timing of Fultz’s arrival is favorable for Washington and coach Lorenzo Romar, who has come under scrutiny in recent years as the Huskies’ performance has dipped. Williams-Goss gave Washington 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in his freshman season, but struggled from beyond the arc.
Fultz told Sporting News in July that he “didn’t know (he) would be this good” after a series of brilliant spring and summer performances with his AAU team, the DC Blue Devils, catalyzed his rise up the Class of 2016 ranking. What should Washington fans expect from Fultz? Though he doesn’t possess eye-popping athleticism, Fultz is adept at rocking defenders off balance and driving past them. He said his goal is to start at point guard for the Huskies, even though most recruiting websites now list him as a shooting guard.
Fultz, the best player in the state of Maryland in 2016 per 247Sports, chose the Huskies over Arizona, Kentucky, and Louisville, and is Washington’s first 2016 commit. The program is set to bring in a strong 2015 class (ranked ninth nationally by Rivals.com) headlined by shooting guard Dejounte Murray and big men Noah Dickerson and Marquese Chriss.
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“Take your time”, Fultz said during the telecast. The most intriguing part of his recruitment, though, is that Kentucky never became a bigger player.
