The Baylor Bears received hopefully the first piece of good news for June as they received a verbal commitment from 4-star small forward Matthew Mayer Tuesday evening. A 6-foot-7 wing from Austin Westlake, Mayer chose the Bears over offers from Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Oklahoma State among others.

Mayer is the 60th ranked player in the Scout-100, and the 2nd ranked small forward in the state of Texas, behind fellow Baylor target Gerald Liddell. A very skilled player, Mayer emerged on the scene last year during the Nike Peach Jam. Baylor offered Mayer last year in the fall, and has received multiple visits since then.

During the EYBL regular season, Mayer averaged just 3.9 points a game and played sparingly for the always loaded Houston Hoops. But with Jarred Vanderbilt and Billy Preston on the sidelines, Mayer's role changed at Peach Jam and he took advantage of it. Mayer turned into one of the Hoops' go-to offensive threat, averaging 13 points a game, while also filling the box sheets with 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists through five games.

He is the second commitment for the 2018 class for Baylor, joining point guard Jeremiah Gambrell from Houston, TX. Gambrell is currently unranked. The new could continue to improve for Baylor basketball recruiting, as former 4-star recruit Mario Kegler is on campus this weekend. The Mississippi State transfer has the Bears high on his list, and could make a decision quickly. With three years of eligibility left, Kegler will have to sit out the 2017-18 season, but could join Gambrell and Mayer in forming a strong 2018 class.

EVALUATION

One of the most skilled players in this class, Mayer has experience at multiple positions ranging from point guard to small forward. Great height for a wing player at 6-foot-7, will need to continue to put on weight and strength, especially in the upper body. Moves well for his size, and able to turn the corner and get to the rim. Strong passer with great vision, he can play a point-forward role at times. His jumper looks better than the actual results, with some issues appearing to be caused by the lack of upper body strength. There is room for improvement on defense, especially with lateral quickness.Good rebounder for his size as well. - Tim Watkins