The 2024 Miami basketball Class is ranked sixth nationally, led by five-star shooting guard Jalil Bethea. Bethea is mentioned among “College basketball recruiting’s 10 best fits entering the early signing period for the class of 2024” by Brandon Jenkins of 247 Sports. The 2024 Miami class is the highest-ranked in program history.
The 247 Sports Composite rankings rate Bethea as the seventh-best prospect, third PG and top player in Pennsylvania. Bethea will team in a future star-studded backcourt with four-star 2024 Miami commit Austin Swartz. The Miami basketball program also has a commitment from three-star small forward Isaiah Johnson-Arigu.
Max Preps named Bethea a third-team preseason All-American. Bethea averaged 24.8 points per game, 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a junior in 2022-23 leading Archbishop Wood in Warminster, Pennsylvania to the 6A State Semifinals. Carlos Boozer’s son Cameron from Miami Columbus was named to Max Preps’ first team.
Bethea should fit in perfectly with the guard-dominant system preferred by Jim Larranaga. Miami has sent guards to the NBA dating to the 2013 ACC Regular Season and Tournament Championship team led by Shane Larkin to Bruce Brown and Lonnie Walker who are currently in the Association.
"JALIL BETHEA, 5-STAR SG | MIAMI COMMIT Ranking: No. 7 overall he fits: Jim Larranaga has a loud, recent history of success at the two-guard spot with Isaiah Wong winning ACC Player of the Year and being selected in the NBA Draft. With Jalil Bethea locked in, Miami has its highest-rated recruit in the database era. It also got a shotmaker who is consistently competitive and productive. Larranaga is used to playing with multiple ball-in-hand players on the floor. With Bethea’s rise this summer playing alongside Ahmad Nowell and Rob Wright, his brand of basketball should smoothly translate to the Miami and the ACC.”"Brandon Jenkins, 247Sports
With Nijel Pack potentially leaving for the NBA after the 2023-24 season, Larranaga and his staff are restocking the guard position for Miami. Wooga Poplar could also leave for the NBA with a projected breakout season in 2023-24. Bethea could play immediately for Miami in the 2024-25 season.
The scouting report from Adam Finkelstein of 247 Sports called Bethea one of the best scoring guards and shotmakers in the country. Finkelstein also stated Bethea is a shooter who can make tough threes both on the move and off the dribble. Bethea was praised by Finkelstein for his ability as a passer and defender.
The Elite Eight and Final Four runs in the last two NCAA Tournaments have paid off for Larranaga and the Miami basketball staff in the 2024 Class. Near the end of his career, Larranaga is having his most success on the court and in recruiting at the highest level he has coached at. That should continue for the foreseeable future.