Will Sheehey, No. 131 recruit in 2010 class, chooses IU

IU coach Tom Crean’s recruiting class just beefed up a bit.

Will Sheehey, the No. 131 player in the class of 2010, gave a verbal commitment to IU on Monday and plans to sign a letter of intent at some point this week. He is Crean’s second commitment for 2010, along with the No. 133 recruit in the nation, Victor Oladipo.

Sheehey, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Weston, Fla., averaged 24.6 points and 10 rebounds per game as a junior at South Fork High School last year, according to the Miami Herald.

He also had offers from Stanford and George Washington, but Sheehey said IU stood out because of its rich basketball history.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “There are not too many places in the country that have the kind of talent and history of Indiana. They’re in the rebounding stage right now, but I think that by the time I get there they are going to be getting it turned around.”

Jerry Meyer, a recruiting analyst for www.rivals.com, said Sheehey is a “solid pick-up” for the Hoosiers, and he expects him to contribute right away.

“I’m sure Coach Crean would have loved to have Jelan Kendrick,” said Meyer, citing the No. 8 player in the nation and IU prospect’s signing with Memphis Saturday. “But Will is a very nice player. I think he has a bright future. Will had some moments this summer where he looked extremely good, and I expect him to only get better. He’s a competitor, plays hard – he’s really a Coach Crean-type of player.”

Sheehey made an official visit to Bloomington the weekend of Nov. 7 and said he loved the campus’ atmosphere.

He wanted a school that had it all, and Sheehey said he felt IU was that school.

“Just the combination of basketball, academics and the overall atmosphere really put me over the edge,” he said. “The tradition at IU really stands out and the coaching staff. Tom Crean is an intense guy. Every practice is going to be intense. He’s just all about player development and getting to the next level. Its academics might not measure up to all the other schools, but in a basketball sense, I mean, it’s Indiana.”

While Sheehey might not be an impact player right away for the Hoosiers, Meyer believes he has the tools to fight for minutes.

“I like his versatility – I think he can guard different positions on the court,” Meyer said. “I think he rebounds his position well as a wing player, and he loves to attack the basket. He needs to improve his outside shot, but I think he has the tools to contribute right away.”