Shaquille Cleare, a top-40 big man from Houston in the Class of 2012, has committed to Maryland basketball, in a move that demonstrates how seriously new coach Mark Turgeon is taking recruiting. Over at SB Nation's Maryland blog Testudo Times, Cleare is already being dubbed Turgeon's top recruit.
This is by far Mark Turgeon's biggest recruiting victory thus far and hopefully it will open the door for other big time players to chose Maryland.
Turgeon's connections in Houston from his time as Texas A&M's head coach undoubtedly help seal the commitment, though Cleare was already strongly considering Maryland before Gary Williams retired. No matter how it all went down, Cleare's commitment should entice other top recruits to join him, giving Maryland much more legitimacy on the recruiting trail.
Turgeon's 2012/13 team is now shaping up as a really strong one. His 2011/12 team may not have enough size to make a ton of noise, but the future of the program is in good hands.