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Four-star combo guard verbally commits to SMU

Larry Brown

Larry Brown

AP

Despite having just one senior in his backcourt this season, SMU head coach Larry Brown has continued to add talented pieces as he works towards delivering the program’s first NCAA tournament bid in more than 20 years. Wednesday afternoon SMU landed its third verbal commitment in the Class of 2015, as 6-foot-5 combo guard Shake Milton verbally committed to the school during a press conference at Owasso HS in Owasso, Oklahoma.

Milton, who is ranked 66th in the class by Rivals, picked the Mustangs over Indiana and Oklahoma. He joins point guard Sedrick Barefield and shooting guard Jarrey Foster in SMU’s 2015 recruiting haul to date.

Milton earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Oklahoma last season, averaging 27.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and four assists per game for Owasso HS. He played for the Mokan Elite program, averaging 11.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in Nike EYBL competition.

As for the nickname? It’s been with Milton, whose given first name is Malik, since before he was even born according to a story written back in April by Scott Wright of The Oklahoman.

Milton’s father, Myrion, who passed away two years ago at age 43, picked up the nickname Milkman during his playing days at Texas A&M. And the Milkman’s baby boy, still in the womb, was dubbed Shake — as in Milkshake.

“It just stuck. I’ve been called that my whole life,” Milton said.


Landing Milton gives SMU even more depth on the perimeter, with Ryan Manuel being the lone senior on the 2014-15 roster. Among the players who will have eligibility remaining when Milton arrives on campus are point guard Nic Moore and sophomore shooting guards Sterling Brown and Keith Frazier. The Mustangs will also add Ben Emelogu, who started as a freshman at Virginia Tech in 2013-14.

However they have three seniors in the front court, Cannen Cunningham, Yanick Moreira and Justin Martin. With Texas Tech transfer Jordan Tolbert and Markus Kennedy being seniors in 2015-16, the front court is the area where SMU will need to focus its recruiting efforts as they work to complete their 2015 class.

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