Jordan Walker's next basketball step could have taken him all over the country. He could have opted for a post-grad year at Montverde Academy in Florida. Staying in the class of 2017 was an option as well, with offers from schools ranging from New Jersey to California.

But the star Patrick School guard decided he was ready for college basketball, and to play it in the Garden State. Walker committed to Seton Hall on Monday at a press conference held in the Patrick School gymnasium, becoming the latest Celtic to commit to a college and adding to a strong New Jersey signing class for the Pirates.

"They've been there since I first came to New Jersey," Walker said. "Once I came into The Patrick School, they recruited me really, really hard. Every time I've been to their facilities and their school, it felt like home to me. It felt the same way as when I step into Patrick School."

Walker signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Seton Hall at the end of the ceremony, and Seton Hall is expected to receive it shortly.

A 5-foot-11, 160-pound guard, Walker averaged 11.9 points and 4.8 assists per game for Patrick School as the Celtics retained the No. 1 spot in the NJ.com Top 20 for the entire season and won the Tournament of Champions. He entered the season as a college prospect but boosted his stock majorly with some very impressive performances, including a 31-point, seven-assist outburst versus Linden on Jan. 3. He had 15 points and 12 assists versus Hudson Catholic in the Non-Public B final and then capped the season with a 17-point, five-assist showing in the Tournament of Champions final versus Don Bosco Prep.

Seton Hall assistant coach Shaheen Holloway starred at St. Patrick's, which Patrick School was once known as. Walker said the relationship he's built with the former Celtic was a major reason he picked Seton Hall.

"Sometimes we talk about things that teenagers talk about," Walker said of Holloway. "Sometimes he helps me and mentors me to make the right decisions sometimes."

Walker's list of college offers expanded throughout the season, with Seton Hall and Cal emerging as the finalists. Pitt, UMass, LSU, Oklahoma State, Georgia, VCU, Kansas State and Monmouth were among his other offers. Prep schools were interested in Walker as well, but he felt college was the right choice.

"I felt by me going to prep school, would be me being afraid of taking the challenge of going to college, Walker said. "I feel like by me going to college right now, definitely just shows that I'm ready and able to prove people wrong and I can play college basketball right now."

Seton Hall made it to the Big East Tournament semifinals and returned to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season, but point guard play was problematic throughout the season. Walker is hopeful that he could be the missing piece.

"The way I play, and the way their system is, and the players around me, I feel like we all can really do really great next year," Walker said. "Not just in the Big East Tournament, but the NCAA Tournament."

The addition of Walker makes Seton Hall's 2017 class even stronger after the Pirates previously got commitments from Newark East Side big man Darnell Brodie, shooting guard Myles Cale of Delaware and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili from Montverde.

Walker is the sixth player from this Patrick School class to commit to a Division 1 college. Nick Richards (Kentucky), Jamir Harris (Minnesota), Marcus McClary (Monmouth), along with Buay Koka and Bul Ajang (Tulane) all made their college picks official in the same gym in ceremonies over the past few months.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.