Oak Ridge High (Florida) senior shooting guard Antonio Blakeney committed to LSU on Friday evening. Blakeney picked the Tigers over Kentucky and Missouri.
The 6-foot-3 Blakeney is listed as the No. 13 overall player in the Class of 2015, according to Rivals. Ben Simmons, the nation’s top recruit and Blakeney’s AAU teammate, had committed to LSU in 2013.
Blakeney is coming off a terrific summer on the grassroots circuit with Each 1 Teach 1, averaging 19.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22 games in the Nike EYBL. He initially ended his recruitment in early September, committing to Louisville. He was set to be the highest-rated recruit on arguably the best recruiting class in the nation, alongside guard Donovan Mitchell and forwards Deng Adel and Raymond Spalding, all of whom are top-5o overall recruits.
However, 11 days after he pledged to the Cardinals, he decommitted. The reason for Blakeney reopening his recruitment is believed to be shoe company related. Louisville wears adidas, while the other five finalists for his services -- Florida State, Kentucky LSU, Missouri and Oregon -- all are Nike schools. Blakeney recently announced he’d decide between Kentucky, LSU and Missouri.
Simmons and Blakeney are the only two commits in LSU’s incoming class. They are both regarded as five-star recruits. Since 2013, LSU head coach Johnny Jones has landed three five-star prospects with sophomore forward Jarell Martin as the other. Martin and fellow sophomore forward Jordan Mickey are the Tigers top two scorers and rebounders. If one, or both, can avoid the NBA Draft for another season, the Tigers will have a talented core to work with in 2015-16.