A 5-star point guard recruit actually picked Vanderbilt over Kentucky and Indiana

Bryce Drew has only been in Nashville for a little more than a year, but he’s already done something most Vanderbilt basketball coaches have failed to do. On Monday, he landed a commitment from local five-star point guard Darius Garland, who chose the Commodores over offers from Indiana, Kentucky, and a litany of hardwood powerhouses.

ESPN’s Paul Biancardi broke the news three hours before the blue chip recruit was scheduled to have his official commitment ceremony at Nashville’s Brentwood Academy.

“This was the best fit for me and my family. I can have the best of both worlds in academics and basketball at Vanderbilt. Someday the ball will stop bouncing and I want to prepare myself for that situation. My family put me in position to be successful so I want them to see me play as much as possible,” Garland told ESPN.

“I want to help change the culture at Vandy. We can be a strong basketball program and a top school.”

Indeed, Garland’s choice could be a tide-shifting moment for Vanderbilt. The Commodores were often good but rarely great under 17-year head coach Kevin Stallings. Drew took over the program last spring when Stallings departed for the University of Pittsburgh and rallied an 8-10 team to an at-large spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Garland will step into the spotlight next winter after the graduations of established players like Matthew Fisher-Davis and Jeff Roberson, but he won’t be alone. He joins a recruiting class that also features four-star wing Aaron Nesmith. Some other big names could anchor down in the near future.

Five-star power forward Simisola Shittu appears to be leaning hard toward picking the Commodores after cancelling his official visit to North Carolina earlier this month. Vanderbilt is the only school he’s officially visited; the temptation of joining an all-star playmaker like Garland may be too much to pass up. Five-star shooting guard Romeo Langford recently listed Vandy in his top three schools as well. Bryce Drew would have to beat out Kansas and Indiana to land him.

That seemed like a tall task months ago, but landing Garland proves Drew has Vanderbilt ready to compete with college basketball’s blue bloods. Kentucky, with a pair of five-star guards already signed for 2018, wasn’t a great fit for the dynamic playmaker. Duke and UCLA also cropped up on Garland’s radar, but fell to the wayside as his recruitment progressed.

Indiana was a much bigger threat — especially given the promise of teaming up with with New Albany, Indiana native Langford. Instead, it’s possible the Hoosiers miss out on both while the Commodores ink the most promising class in program history.