Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Cade Cunningham, one of the top high school basketball recruits in the country, has committed to play at Oklahoma State.
Cunningham announced his decision to play for the Cowboys Tuesday on Instagram. The Montverde Academy (Fla.) senior is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He is the No. 2 player in the 2020 ESPN 100 recruiting rankings. He also is No. 2 in the 2020 Top 247 rankings.
Oklahoma State hired Cunningham's brother, Cannen Cunningham, as an assistant coach in June.
The 6-foot-7 point guard from Texas averaged 23.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring. He also won a gold medal with the USA Basketball U19 national team.
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Cunningham had been considering North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky and Washington, in addition to Oklahoma State. He said he "loved" all of the schools he visited.
"To be honest, I was this close to picking a different school, but blood is always thicker than water. Go Pokes [Oklahoma State]," Cunningham said in his Instagram video, before revealing a Cowboys shirt under his jacket.
Cunningham called the process of selecting a school "stressful."
"When my brother took a job at Oklahoma State, most people assumed my decision had been made for me," he said. "But my family encouraged me to explore my options and make my own decision, based on what I feel is best for me."
Cunningham is Oklahoma State's first five-star prospect since Marcus Smart in 2012. Oklahoma State tweeted out a video of coach Mike Boynton excitedly screaming in the gym shortly after Cunningham's post, likely referencing the commitment.
