Junior college power forward Dominique Elliott (Athens, Texas/Trinity Valley CC) chose Oklahoma as his first official visit last weekend because he thought he would have the best time there.
He did and said he was close to committing, but he still wanted to take more official visits. Turns out he didn’t need any more.
Elliott confirmed he committed to the Sooners during an in-home visit by OU coaches Lon Kruger and Chris Crutchfield on Wednesday night.
“Coach Kruger is one of the best in the nation, if you ask me,” Elliott said. "He keeps it real, and I like being around guys like that. He’s going to stay on you and bring out the best in you.”
Elliott was supposed to take an official visit to Southern Mississippi this weekend but said that visit and his other scheduled official visits are most likely canceled because he doesn’t want to waste anybody’s time.
Elliott, who said he is 6-foot-8 and 247 pounds, was so focused on his visit and his decision last weekend that he had no idea the OU football team was playing its home opener on the same weekend.
“I didn’t know. That was crazy. That atmosphere was awesome,” Elliott said. “And I could see how OU supports every sport. Everybody was there cheering for the football team. It was cool.”
On the basketball side of things, it was also a special weekend as former OU great Blake Griffin was in town. Elliott was a little starstruck because he said he has looked up to Griffin for a long time but enjoyed meeting the NBA star.
“He said some good things to me,” Elliott said. “He said staying in shape is key and to keep working on my mid-range jumper.”
The week was an intense one for Elliott as coaches were allowed to make in-home visits once again. He said in the span of the last four days coaches from Tennessee, Marshall, Oklahoma State, Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State, Houston and Clemson visited the school.
But he knew after the OU visit, he was going to call Norman his future home and told Kruger and Crutchfield during their Wednesday visit.
“He jumped in the air. Well, he tried to,” Elliott said. “You know he can’t get that high. But he was sitting with his legs crossed and got real excited and shook my hand and welcomed me to the OU family. I’m excited, too.”
Elliott’s host last weekend was Andrew Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald told Elliott his game would fit in well with what Kruger is trying to do with the Sooners. Now we’ll find out.
He is the second commit of OU’s 2013 class, joining four-star point guard Jordan Woodard (Edmond, Okla./Memorial).