Baylor coach Scott Drew landed his highest-ranked recruit in nearly a decade on Wednesday as Langston Love, a top-30 national prospect from basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy, committed to the Bears.
Love, ranked as the No. 4 shooting guard in the country and the 26th overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite for the Class of 2021, chose Baylor over a top 11 of Kansas, UCLA, Villanova, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Illinois and Arkansas.
God is great! #Committed pic.twitter.com/SMSJbKx0h3
— Langston Love (@lhlv4) July 15, 2020
Baylor was the first to offer Love a scholarship in the fall of 2018. He gained more national interest that fall before OU, Houston and Texas A&M offered months later, but the Bears' early persistence paid off.
He gives Baylor its highest-rated signee since 2012 -- when five-star big man Isaiah Austin committed to the Bears -- and its fourth-highest ranked signee in program history if his commitment holds to signing day. Only Austin, Quincy Miller and Perry Jones were ranked higher, per the 247Sports Composite. Austin and Jones combined for three All-Big 12 seasons while Miller was named the Big 12's Rookie of the Year in 2011-2012.
Love should follow in a similar path of success and has real NBA potential because of his size and scoring ability. At 6-foot-4, he can create his own shot and has a smooth release with results to boot. Here's how 247Sports' Jerry Meyer scouted him earlier this year:
Has a tremendous physique with powerful athleticism for a shooting guard. A natural shooter who hits at 90 percent from the free throw line. Legit three level scoring threat. Not a huge playmaker for others but a secure ball handler. Rebounds his position at a high level. Tough defender who has versatility on that end.
Baylor went 26-4 last season and are enrolling a top-30 2020 recruiting class headlined by two promising big men in Dain Dainja and Zach Loveday. Love is the first to join Baylor's 2021 recruiting class.
