2025 five-star guard Shelton Henderson has committed to the Miami Hurricanes, choosing UM over offers from power five programs such as Duke, Texas, Texas Tech, Louisville, DePaul, Houston, LSU, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, TCU, and Texas A&M.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound guard announced his commitment on Monday, a game-changing addition for the program. He joins four-star guard Dante Allen and Slovak small forward Timotej Malovec in Miami’s 2022 recruiting class.
What makes this commitment so important for the program? And how will it impact UM's recruiting efforts in the future?
Shelton is the second-highest-ranked recruit in the history of the Miami basketball program. Last year, Miami and coach Jim Larranaga secured their top recruit ever, Jalil Bethea, who is now set to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide, which was ranked the No. 7 player in the 2024 class.
When Jai Lucas took over as head coach at Miami, he told the nation that keeping players in Florida would be a key. He has already made progress by recruiting Dante Allen, Tre Donaldson, Malik Reneau, and Ernest Udeh Jr., all of whom were raised in the state. Today, Lucas added Henderson from Texas, having attended Henderson's high school. Additionally, Andrew Moran played a key role in bringing in the Nightrydas players, including Donaldson, Reneau, and Allen.
Will this create a domino effect for other high-profile prospects to follow in Henderson's footsteps?
Henderson is a defensive bully, being a strong small forward capable of defending both inside and outside the post. His ability to handle smaller guards adds to his versatility. Last season, he recorded an average of 2.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. His physical style of play makes him a dominant force at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, making him a tough opponent on the court to go up against.
Shelton excels at scoring by utilizing his body to make contact with defenders, showing he isn't afraid of contact. He averages 22.3 points per game. His scoring primarily comes from getting downhill and finishing strong at the rim. While he isn't the most accurate shooter from beyond the three-point line, he can occasionally make a shot from there. He also has a solid pull-up jump shot and is a versatile asset on both offense and defense.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound guard announced his commitment on Monday, a game-changing addition for the program. He joins four-star guard Dante Allen and Slovak small forward Timotej Malovec in Miami’s 2022 recruiting class.
What makes this commitment so important for the program? And how will it impact UM's recruiting efforts in the future?
Lucas gets his first top-15 recruit to Miami.
Lucas has brought in tons of talent, including the Boozer Twins, Cayden and Cameron, who are heading to Duke, along with Shaedon Sharpe, Cooper Flagg, and Cason Wallace, whom he recruited to Kentucky, among others who were all ranked in the top 15. However, this marks his first commitment to Miami from a player ranked in the top 15, and there are plenty more recruits expected in the future.Shelton is the second-highest-ranked recruit in the history of the Miami basketball program. Last year, Miami and coach Jim Larranaga secured their top recruit ever, Jalil Bethea, who is now set to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide, which was ranked the No. 7 player in the 2024 class.
The first of many for Miami’s revamped staff
Andrew Moran, Erik Pastrana, and Charlton Young were brought in this offseason to give Miami fresh, new blood on the recruiting trail alongside Jai Lucas.When Jai Lucas took over as head coach at Miami, he told the nation that keeping players in Florida would be a key. He has already made progress by recruiting Dante Allen, Tre Donaldson, Malik Reneau, and Ernest Udeh Jr., all of whom were raised in the state. Today, Lucas added Henderson from Texas, having attended Henderson's high school. Additionally, Andrew Moran played a key role in bringing in the Nightrydas players, including Donaldson, Reneau, and Allen.
Will this create a domino effect for other high-profile prospects to follow in Henderson's footsteps?
High-level defender to match his scoring ability
The new Hurricanes commit is known as a defensive player, while also being considered one of the top scorers among seniors.Henderson is a defensive bully, being a strong small forward capable of defending both inside and outside the post. His ability to handle smaller guards adds to his versatility. Last season, he recorded an average of 2.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. His physical style of play makes him a dominant force at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, making him a tough opponent on the court to go up against.
Shelton excels at scoring by utilizing his body to make contact with defenders, showing he isn't afraid of contact. He averages 22.3 points per game. His scoring primarily comes from getting downhill and finishing strong at the rim. While he isn't the most accurate shooter from beyond the three-point line, he can occasionally make a shot from there. He also has a solid pull-up jump shot and is a versatile asset on both offense and defense.
