Four-star Totino-Grace guard Taison Chatman, the No. 1 basketball senior in Minnesota, announced on Tuesday night he will attend Ohio State.
As the 31st-ranked player in the 2023 class by 247sports.com, Chatman's five finalists were Ohio State, Kansas, Xavier, Virginia and the Gophers.
The 6-4, 180-pound floor general took official visits to Ohio State, Kansas and Xavier, but the Buckeyes made a strong impression on his visit earlier this month.
"A huge factor that played into it was my relationship with the coaching staff," Chatman told 247Sports.com after announcing his decision live on YouTube. "When I went on my visit it felt right. It felt like home. I bonded with the players, too."
After leading Totino-Grace to the Class 3A title in March, Chatman proved why he's the next big thing from Minnesota.
Kansas coach Bill Self, who won an NCAA title last season, showed up in the Twin Cities in April to offer Chatman a scholarship. But Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann and his staff made Chatman among their top targets after offering him in June.
Chatman was one of the top scoring point guards and playmakers on the Adidas AAU circuit playing for D1 Minnesota before a knee injury sidelined him in the summer.
If not for the injury, Chatman could have possibly been ranked even higher in the 2023 class. He was once considered a five-star talent, so "the sky's the limit for that kid," Totino-Grace coach Nick Carroll said.
"He's going to have an opportunity to play at the highest level," Carroll said. "If he continues on the path that he is and maintains the habits he has to continue to grow. ... I anticipate he's going to have a big senior year."
The last No. 1 player from Minnesota to stay home to play for the Gophers was Amir Coffey in 2016. Last year, Cretin-Derham Hall's Tre Holloman signed with Michigan State. Minnehaha Academy sent back-to-back five-star prospects and future NBA draft picks to Gonzaga with Jalen Suggs and Chet Holmgren in 2019 and 2020.
The home state Gophers recruited Chatman heavily this summer, but they didn't get an official visit. Ben Johnson's pursuit of Chatman changed after receiving a commitment from four-star guard Cameron Christie, the No. 1 senior in Illinois.
Two of the top three basketball seniors in Minnesota are now off the board. Chatman's D1 Minnesota AAU teammate Boden Kapke, a 6-11 Holy Family center, committed to Butler.
Lakeville North forward Nolan Winter, the No. 2 senior in the state, is expected to make his decision this fall between the Gophers and Wisconsin.
