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What does new commit J.R. Konieczny bring to Notre Dame Basketball?

By Mason Plummer

SOUTH BEND, IN - JANUARY 28: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish leprechaun mascot reacts after rolling in a 90-foot putt during a timeout promotion for the 2019 U.S. Senior Open in the first half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Purcell Pavilion on January 28, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - JANUARY 28: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish leprechaun mascot reacts after rolling in a 90-foot putt during a timeout promotion for the 2019 U.S. Senior Open in the first half of the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Purcell Pavilion on January 28, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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New Notre Dame basketball commit J.R. Konieczny decided earlier this week that he would play his college ball just down the street from where he plays now.

A native of South Bend, Indiana and a current student at South Bend Saint Joseph High School, Konieczny decided last week that he would commit to Mike Brey and the Notre Dame basketball program.

Listed at 6’6″, 170-pounds, Konieczny is a long, skinny wing who fits Notre Dame and Mike Brey’s scheme to a ‘T’.

Konieczny has been running with the highly-touted Indiana Elite squad this summer, and it was his head coach Mark Adams who informed reporters that his player had committed to Notre Dame.

“J.R. is just a very skilled kid,” said Adams. “I know some doubt that a guy who is 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7 would have guard skills, but he really has guard skills. He can shoot it well, and he also is a good ball handler who moves his feet well.”

“I think as he gets older, he is only going to get a lot better. Notre Dame is going to have a player that fits in really well with what they like to do.”

Konieczny is currently ranked as a 3-star player on both Rivals and 247sports. 247 lists him as the 128th best player in the nation, 28th small forward and the 7th best player in the state of Indiana, which means quite a bit considering how stacked the 2020 and 2021 Indiana basketball classes are talent-wise.

Notre Dame fans will not get to see Konieczny touch the floor for the Irish until 2021 at the earliest, however he is a big-time recruit that fans should be excited about. He had offers from Purdue, Iowa and Butler among others.

Everyone around Konieczny fully believes his ranking should skyrocket this winter, as he is just now coming into his junior season of high school basketball. This is a kid who is still maturing and getting better at his craft.

It is entirely possible that Konieczny ends up a top-100 player by the spring.

By the time Konieczny is ready to play for the Irish, he will be a polished wing-player who can drive it, shoot the 3 and play lockdown defense.

Next. Irish No. 9 in AP Top 25. dark

For Notre Dame basketball fans in the South Bend area, if you want to see Konieczny play first-hand, he plays for South Bend St. Joseph’s high school — which is just a few block from Notre Dame’s campus.

Go show some love for the new recruit!