Cal basketball portal visits: Colgate guard Braeden Smith, USF big Mike Sharavjamts
Two potential huge targets for Mark Madsen and the California Golden Bears are in play.
With the decommitment of Jeff Nwankwo (who recently committed to Oklahoma), there are two scholarships available for the Bears to fill out Mark Madsen’s 2024-25 team. Two potential visitors could fill those spots.
Colgate transfer Braeden Smith --- the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year --- tells me that he visited Davidson over the weekend and also plans to visit Washington, Gonzaga, and Cal in the next week. A return to Colgate is also an option.
The 6’0” guard started 35 games last year, putting up averages oof 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.9 steals. For leading the conference in assists and steals per game, Smith was named Patriot League Player of The Year.
These are formidable names Cal is competing against, but being in the mix for a visit from a top prospect like Smith is very nice to hear. Highlights here:
A local prospect that is also in play is Mongolian Mike from across the Bay. Via Jeff Borzello:
Twist in the Mike Sharavjamts recruitment: the San Francisco transfer is visiting Cal today, source told ESPN.
The 6-8 Don guard averaged 7.7 points and 2.7 assists this past season while shooting 36% from 3. As the first Mongolian to earn an NCAA DI scholarship + the son of a Harlem Globetrotter, Sharavjamts showcases impressive playmaking skills while also providing an intriguing size package that can flash defensively.
Sharavjamts was initially reported as being down to Saint Mary’s, Illinois and Utah according to ESPN, so Cal getting a visit this late in the cycle is intriguing.
There’s a lot of competition for both players, but if these two are visiting Berkeley, we are in the mix. Hopefully Cal can close here and get closer to locking down their team for next year!
Cal sports report has a nice article on Tyson accepting less NIL money to play for Madsen and his coaching staff, and how it paid off for him. That's a ringing endorsement of coach Madsen and young men who take the long view will listen.
Thanks Avi.
Interesting. Smith’s a Washington native, so it could be tough to beat out UW or the Zags…he would absolutely make an impact at Cal though, so fingers crossed.
Sharavjamts is intriguing…showed glimpses at USF, but what position would he play at Cal, and can he defend in the ACC…is he guarding wings? Bigs? Think he’d have his hands full. Would probably at least work his way into the rotation because he can catch and shoot, but what else is he doing well v a UNC, a Duke, a Miami? And he really disappeared down the stretch for the Dons, so he’s really not a game changer, tho there are not many of those left at this stage of the recruiting process.