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Mass. Gatorade Player of the Year commits to Providence basketball; who is he?

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Mass. Gatorade Player of the Year commits to Providence basketball; who is he?

Monday night proved worth the wait for the Providence College men’s basketball team. 

The Friars men picked up a commitment from Massachusetts wing Jaylen Harrell. He made his announcement on a live stream with On3 Recruits. 

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Harrell was the state Gatorade Player of the Year last season with CATS Academy in suburban Boston. He’s a four-star prospect in the Class of 2025 and adds to a Providence group that also includes consensus top-50 national prospect Jamier Jones.  

“It was a tough decision,” Harrell said. “There were three big schools that really wanted me. It really came down to the wire, and that’s what I was looking for.” 

Harrell selected the Friars ahead of fellow finalists Xavier, Rutgers, Kansas, Alabama and Virginia Tech. He was initially scheduled to announce his commitment in late May but paused his timeline after taking an official visit with the Musketeers. Harrell also took an official visit with the Scarlet Knights and was a frequent guest in Providence, including for a pair of March home games at Amica Mutual Pavilion against Villanova and Connecticut. 

“It was long, but you’re going to miss it,” Harrell said. “Being recruited by one of the top teams in the country, there’s nothing like it.  

“Going on visits, seeing what it’s like and how different it is from high school — those are the main takeaways I have.” 

Harrell had already cut the likes of Wake Forest, Washington, Georgetown and Massachusetts from his initial list of suitors. The Friars seemed in solid position until a last visit to a Big East rival offered a bit of doubt. Harrell announced on social media soon after returning from Cincinnati that he would take more time.  

“My college decision has been much harder than anticipated,” Harrell wrote. “Due to this, I will be postponing my commitment to a later date. Whatever decision I make, I want to make sure it’s the right choice for me and my family.” 

Harrell is a strong 6-foot-5 and impressed this spring on the Nike grassroots circuit with Expressions Elite. He averaged 17.6 points per game at the Memphis session and made a small jump to 19.0 points per game at the Atlanta session. Harrell should be a key piece for a program looking to make a splash at the signature Peach Jam later this month. 

“Don’t stop working,” Harrell said. “Keep working all the time. The grind is going to show.  

“At first I was just a fat, chubby kid who wanted to be great.” 

Harrell and Jones lost a member of their class last month, but for a good reason if you’re a Friars fan. Oswin Erhunmwunse reclassified and enrolled immediately, giving Providence another consensus top-50 national pledge who will offer frontcourt help in 2024-25. The Friars are being rewarded for their pivot forward to this group after largely using the transfer portal to replenish their 2023-24 roster. 

“A program that really believed in me,” Harrell said. “That really believed what I could be for their program. A winning mindset — a coaching staff that can build even after I’m done with college.” 

Providence seems to be focused on adding a point guard to its next class, a ball-handler alongside Jones and Harrell to help replace Bensley Joseph and learn from Jayden Pierre. The Friars have offers out to seniors like Lino Mark, Nyk Lewis, Jerry Easter II and Jalen Reece, who shares the floor with Jones at Florida power Oak Ridge. Providence has also started actively recruiting 2026 point guards, including Massachusetts native Amir Jenkins, Deron Rippey Jr., Jermel Thomas and Dylan Mingo. 

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25 

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