Coronado basketball standout commits to Texas Tech

Richard Isaacs has returned to Coronado for his senior season after spending the last two years at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah. But Las Vegas is only a temporary stop for the consensus four-star point guard as he continues his basketball career.

Next stop: Texas Tech.

Isaacs announced his verbal commitment to the Red Raiders via Twitter on Thursday night, ending a recruiting process that began for the scoring floor general in junior high. His commitment is non-binding and won’t be official until he signs a national letter of intent.

Prospective college basketball players can begin signing Nov. 10.

“I have a chance to go there and have the ball in my hands right away. They don’t have a point guard on their roster right now,” said Isaacs, the No. 57 player and No. 7 point guard in the senior class, per 247 Sports. “(It’s about) the trust that coach (Mark) Adams and I have in one another. … It’s just a great relationship.”

Isaacs long has been one of the best players on the West Coast, receiving an offer from Marvin Menzies’ staff at UNLV when he was in eighth grade. He played at Coronado as a freshman in 2018-19 before departing for Wasatch, which plays a national schedule comprised of top high school and prep school opponents.

He solidified his status as one of the country’s best point guards, performing time and time again against some of the best players in the country.

Isaacs fielded scholarship offers from more than two dozen programs before whittling his list to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Arizona State and UNLV.

The Rebels did not recruit Isaacs when T.J. Otzelberger was their head coach. But new coach Kevin Kruger and his staff made a point to recruit the Cougars’ playmaker, who said UNLV was at one time his top option.

“I have nothing but love for UNLV,” Isaacs said. “They didn’t stop recruiting me. We still talked. The communication just died down.”

He ultimately decided between Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.He said he felt like he was at home when visiting the Red Raiders’ campus in Lubbock, Texas, last weekend.

Texas Tech has emerged as one of the best programs in the country, reaching the last three NCAA Tournaments and the national championship game in 2019.

“He made a tough decision on his own with little influence from either parent,” said Isaacs’ father, Richard Sr., who used to coach one of the best grassroots basketball teams in Los Angeles. “Every place we went was fantastic.”

At 6 feet, 2 inches, Isaacs is a natural scorer who is effective at all three levels. His tight handle and quick first step help him beat defenders off the dribble and get into the paint, where he can create offense for himself and his teammates. He’s a capable and confident 3-point shooter as well — both off the catch and off the dribble.

After two years at Wasatch Academy, Isaacs opted to return home to conclude his high school career where it started.

“I hope he beats Bishop Gorman,” the elder Isaacs said with a laugh. “(Coronado) plays a fun, rambunctious style. … I think he’s looking forward to that.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.