In perhaps the most remarkable recruiting accomplishment at the school in years, Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley has landed an early commitment from MaxPreps.com's 2016-17 National Freshman of the Year.

Kyree Walker a 6-foot-6 wing who is among the best 2020 prospects in the country, committed to the Sun Devils on Friday. He also had early scholarship offers from Arizona and St. John's, and broad interest from high profile programs across the country.

"It was really a family thing," Walker said. "My dad liked the decision, my mom did. A lot of people, my uncle. It's a coming together, that's all it is. It's a family. I can go there, do what I need to do, and that's it."

Scout.com has yet to release an initial ranking of top players in the 2020 class, but Walker has been given an initial four-star designation. Several other media outlets, including ESPN, have ranked Walker among the top five overall prospects in the class nationally.

As a freshman last season, Walker averaged 21.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists for Moreau Catholic in Hayward, California. The Eagles went 25-10 and lost in the Division II state championship game.

Walker announced via twitter on May 22 that he is transferring to Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, where he will join a loaded roster featuring Scout100 2019 national recruits Josh Green and Markese Jacobs, and several other Division I prospects. Walker's family, including father Kahari Walker, who will be an assistant coach at Hillcrest, is already living in the Phoenix-area.

Since arriving in Phoenix, Walker has been aggressively recruited by ASU's staff, led by Hurley. Even though it's only been a few weeks, the connection is strong according to Walker and his father, a natural fit.

"He's going to make me see the floor more," Walker said of his burgeoning relationship with Hurley. "I can see the floor a lot a lot but he's going to show me the ins and outs of the floor. On the court he's about to show me where can I throw the ball, where can I not throw the ball. Me picking his mind from a point guard mindset and I'm an all-around player, it's going to help me a lot."

When he is ranked, Walker will immediately be among the top commitments in ASU history. The best regarded Scout.com recruits to sign with the Sun Devils is NBA star James Harden, who was No. 23 in the 2007 class. Harden is followed by Jahii Carson, who was No. 34 in the 2011 class, and Kimani Lawrence, who signed with the Sun Devils last year as the No. 54 ranked prospect nationally.

"He decided this on his own, and we totally support it and think it's great," Kahari Walker said. "With the recruiting process, a lot of kids tend to get caught up and then they're more worried about what colleges want to see them and recruiting than getting better. Elite players can go to pretty much whatever school they want to. So not going to the school that people might think you'd typically go to as elite recruit, Kyree is not normal. We're tried to teach him to make your own way, forge your own path. Other schools are great, but what legacy can Kyree have on his own at ASU. Look at James Harden. It worked out great for him."

Walker's commitment could lead to additional reverberations locally in a rapidly evolving Arizona prep school landscape. He has previously played with Green on the summer circuit, and they'll now be teammates at Hillcrest. Green, a 6-foot-6 small forward, is the No. 32 overall prospect in the 2019 class.

"Looking at it as a family, we were just like, let's get it over with," Walker's father said. "Kyree is not a normal kid, he's not a typical kid. His preparation and path is different than everybody else. The relationship that coach Hurley and Kyree will have, I think it will be really special. Coach Hurley likes to compete. I've watched him since he was in high school. He comes from a legendary pedigree. We're just trying to get the most information to prepare Kyree from coach Hurley and the rest of the staff and being local here will able to help a lot with that. Even though we're new to Arizona, we love it here and want to represent the state."

A high visibility recruit on the grassroots basketball scene, highlight videos of Walker have garnered millions of views on YouTube alone. In March, Walker had 28 points and 10 rebounds in a 72-65 loss to Esperanza in the state title game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, with video of the game racking up over 400,000 views to date.

In the last couple years, Hurley and the Sun Devils have recruited at a higher level than at any point in recent decades at the school. In the 2016 and 2017 classes they signed a total of five prospects with a four-star rating, which is more than any similar period in recent decades. Two of those highly touted prospects, Sam Cunliffe and Jethro Tshisumpa, have since transferred, but Scout100 recruits Romello White, Kimani Lawrence and Remy Martin will play as freshmen for the Sun Devils this year.

Additionally, former four-star Scout100 recruits Carlton Bragg and Zylan Cheatham, have transferred into the program recently from Kansas and San Diego State, respectively. Both will have to sit out this season.

ASU is expected to be improved this season, Hurley's third with the program, with some early forecasts suggesting a team that could content for NCAA Tournament consideration. Senior starting guards Tra Holder, Shannon Evans and Kodi Justice return and the Sun Devils have several newcomers expected to make a significant immediate contribution, including Lawrence and White.

Walker is still several years removed from playing in college, but his commitment should help the Sun Devils continue what has already been an impressive recruiting run relative to the history of the program.

"I'm overjoyed as a parent," Kahari said. "He's put in so much work over the years. He deserves this. It's what he wants to do. We're kind of like watching the paint dry now, we know what's coming. It makes it hard that it's still a few yeas out, but it's like the pot of treasure at the end of the rainbow."