Top 2019 Hoops Target Has Irish Interest

Sidelined with an injury for much of his high school season, Isaiah Stewart took advantage of his downtime to get out to South Bend for an unofficial visit to Notre Dame.

“When I was injured, I took a visit there on Nov. 18th,” the 2019 power forward from Rochester, N.Y., said.

The 6-foot-8, 240-pounder was in town for Notre Dame’s independent game against Loyola (Md.), a contest the Irish won 83-48.

“I got to hang with the coaching staff and got to watch them play,” Stewart said. “When I returned this season, they didn’t get a chance to watch me play. The day I was going to play, they had a game also, so they came up to watch me practice.

“Things have been going from there and me and my family have been in touch with Coach Ryan Ayers a lot and are building a good relationship.”

Stewart, who has a 74.5-inch wingspan, was impressed with his trip to South Bend.

“I thought it was a great place,” he said. “I thought it was a great, great program. I loved the coaches and the school. I got a chance to look at campus and it’s a pretty nice place. I really liked it.”

The McQuaid Jesuit standout is looking forward to having continued contact with Ayers and the Irish.

“I would say just keep building that good relationship and just keeping in contact,” he said.

Stewart already has offers from schools like Syracuse, Georgetown, George Washington, Florida, Wake Forest and Tennessee among others.

An offer from the Irish would be a big one for Stewart.

“That would mean a lot to me because every year they’re one of the top schools in the country,” he said. “They’ve been doing pretty good over the past years.

“To me, they’re a school that isn’t really about one-and-dones and those kinds of things. Their players stay pretty much all four years and grow through their programs and help out the younger players.”

He’d certainly be open to returning to South Bend for another visit, although it may be down the road.

“Oh yeah,” said Stewart. “That would definitely be one of the choices I would make to go back there and visit.

“I’d like to take an official visit to Notre Dame and see how the players bond off the court. When I was there, it seemed like every one of them was pretty close. I’d like to see that and I’d just like to see what goes on outside of basketball.”

In the meantime, Stewart is focusing on improving his game.

“I’m just working on a lot of things, my face-up game, my jumpshot, putting it on the ground a little bit more,” he said. “I’m trying to get stronger and better at everything.”

He’s also taken visits to Virginia, St. Louis, Syracuse and Georgetown, but doesn’t have any current leaders.

“I wouldn’t say anybody is really, really sticking out to me,” he said. “I like every school.”

He isn’t in a rush to make a decision either.

“I’m just taking my time with the process and just enjoying it.”