Mustapha Heron to Auburn: Tigers Land 5-Star SF Prospect

One of the most explosive and exciting prospects in the class of 2016 is off the market, as wing Mustapha Heron committed to the Auburn Tigers on Sunday.

"I had no idea," Heron told Evan Daniels of Scout.com when asked if he was thinking about committing ahead of his visit to Auburn. "But I got a vibe here that I didn't get at any other schools that I visited. It was a family-oriented thing."

According to 247Sports, the Waterbury, Connecticut, native is a 5-star prospect who rates as the No. 4 small forward and No. 23 overall recruit in the nation.

His recruiting process has been interesting, as he previously committed to the University of Pittsburgh. After surveying his situation, though, Heron ultimately withdrew that commitment in April, per Adam Finkelstein of ESPN Recruiting Nation.

According to Raphielle Johnson of CollegeBasketballTalk, it is believed that Heron had a change of heart due to former Pitt assistant Barry Rohrssen going from the Panthers to Kentucky and now to St. John's. That is significant since Rohrssen and Heron's father played together overseas.

With that in mind, Daniels speculated that Heron might lean heavily toward the Red Storm:

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Even as many factors seemed to point in the direction of St. John's, however, New York Rens AAU head coach Andy Borman claimed that Heron and highly recruited teammate Rawle Alkins were considering all options, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv:

"

Mustapha Heron and Rawle Alkins are wide open. They want to be recruited. They do not have any leaders in the clubhouse at this point in time. Anyone who says these kids are leaning toward a school doesn't know. They want to be recruited.

"

Regardless of how interested Heron was in keeping his options open, there was no shortage of top schools pursuing him.

At 6'5" with an ability to either run the point or play on the wing, the Sacred Heart High School product is among the most versatile and skilled players in the entire 2016 class.

Perhaps no collegiate sport demands more from young players than basketball. With so many guys dominating as freshmen and becoming one-and-done NBA prospects in recent years, Heron will be expected to contribute significantly from Day 1.

The fact that he's just outside the top 20 recruits in the country suggests that he could be an instant difference-maker, and it is clear that several schools felt that way about him as well.

Heron wavered with regard to his college decision, but one can only assume that he now believes he is in an ideal situation to succeed. If that is indeed the case, he will undoubtedly be among the freshmen to watch during the upcoming season.

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