Hoops Recruiting: Notre Dame Makes Pitch To Five-Star Isaiah Stewart

Notre Dame sat down with its top target in the Class of 2019 on Wednesday and the Irish made it clear to Isaiah Stewart that's what they were doing.

Head coach Mike Brey and assistant Ryan Ayers made the drive up to La Porte, Ind., to La Lumiere School to visit with Stewart, a five-star forward originally from Rochester, N.Y.

“It went good,” Stewart said of the meeting. “They came and watched me work out and then we sat down and chatted for a little bit.”

Brey and Ayers hit on a couple of themes, according to Stewart.

“Just that I’m their main priority for the 2019 class,” the 6-foot-8, 227-pounder said. “They showed me what their game plan would be for me and showed me what they did with Bonzie (Colson) and the other big guys they have.

“I liked it, I really did. I know Notre Dame is a great place. Coach Brey is a great person. Outside of coaching, he has a great personality. I’m pretty cool with the whole entire staff.”

Stewart acknowledged being at the top of the Irish’s recruiting board is “great.”

“I’ve been to Notre Dame a few times and I love the campus,” he said. “Even before they offered me a scholarship, I went and got up on campus way back. It’s great. I’ve seen everything. For them to tell me I’m the number one recruit in this class is great because I know they really mean that.”

Stewart has become a more versatile player in recent months, which Brey made note of.

“They watched me work out, watched me shoot and all of that,” said Stewart. “He thought I improved so much. The last time he saw me actually do a skill workout was about six months ago. This was the first time he saw me do a skill workout since. He was so impressed with how much I improved since then.

“They showed me film of Bonzie and how they pretty much let him play free and basically go to work.”

Irish assistant Ryan Humphrey didn’t make the trip, but is also playing a key role in his recruitment.

“Coach Humphrey, their guy who works with Bonzie and develops him, talked about how he’d develop me and put that versatility more into my game and getting me comfortable with doing that kind of stuff,” Stewart explained.

Notre Dame recently offered Stewart’s friend and City Rocks AAU teammate, 2019 guard Joe Girard III. Stewart said he’d love the opportunity to play with Girard at the next level.

“Oh man, that would be great,” he said. “He’s a great guy and I love playing with him. Outside of his shooting, he has a really good basketball IQ and can really pass the ball. He’s a great dude to play with. I love playing with him. Me and him are pretty tight, pretty close.”

One of the top prospects in the entire country, Stewart’s offer sheet also includes schools like Duke, Michigan State, Maryland, Georgetown, Indiana, Syracuse, Washington, Tennessee and Louisville among others. In fact, his list is still growing, although it should be shrinking soon.

“I’m going to cut my list soon,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll have made my decision by sometime in the fall, so I can really focus on my senior season and not have to worry about any of that.”

Will the Irish make the cut?

“Oh yeah, for sure. Notre Dame is one of the schools that’s been recruiting me for the longest. They’re definitely going to make that cut because it’s a great school, great place.”