Four-star small forward commits to Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech basketball has picked up its first commitment of the 2024 recruiting cycle.

On Friday, Sierra Canyon (Calif.) four-star small forward AJ Swinton announced his commitment to Hokies hoops with a video he shared on his Twitter page.

With the power from the one above I shall conquer all obstacles ❤️‍🩹 #COMMITTED #REMEMBERYOURWHY #THISISHOME 🦃🦃 pic.twitter.com/xziIxCt8qV

— AJ Swinton (@AJ_Swinton23) February 24, 2023

Asked about his decision, Swinton told Joe Tipton at On3 that he trusts Mike Young’s staff to help bring his game to the next level.

“It was a trust factor, as the coaches value what I bring to the game… I have all the confidence that under this coaching staff my game will grow to another level. When I went on my official visit the coaches broke down every aspect of my game and it was identical to VTech’s system; it’s really a seamless fit. The relationship that my family and I have developed with the coaching staff played a significant factor as well.”

Virginia Tech won out over six other schools for his commitment, including Ohio State, Xavier, George Mason, Georgetown, Howard and Maryland.

The scouting report on Swinton (6-foot-5, 180 pounds) is that he’s a long wing who can guard multiple positions and is a quality rebounder for his size. Swinton is currently ranked No. 28 at his position, No. 9 in California and No. 105 overall in his recruiting class.

As for Swinton’s most-famous teammate, 2023 combo guard Bronny James has not yet made his college commitment. He has listed Ohio State, USC and Oregon as his top three.

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