Dan Gadzuric, considered one of the top high school centers in the country, will be at Sunday’s GW men’s basketball game against Temple as part of a recruiting visit, according to Gadzuric’s high school coach Steve Metz.
The GW Athletic Department also confirmed that Gadzuric – a 6-11, 250-pound native of the Netherlands – will visit GW Sunday.
GW will be the fourth school Gadzuric officially has visited. He already made trips to UCLA, Kansas and Kentucky.
Gadzuric is attending Governor Dummer Academy in Byfield, Mass. and was not heavily recruited until he attended ABCD Camp last summer. Gadzuric caught the attention of college scouts at the camp, averaging 12.5 points and eight rebounds per game against some of the best high school players in the nation.
Metz said Mike Jarvis and the GW coaching staff heard about Gadzuric while in the Netherlands recruiting current GW sophmore forward Francisco de Miranda. Jarvis suggested Gadzuric leave the Netherlands and attend Governor Dummer.
“I’ve known Mike Jarvis since his days coaching in Boston and he suggested Dan come here,” Metz said.
Gadzuric has other connections to GW. He and de Miranda are friends – and Metz said GW’s history with international players, particularly centers, could attract Gadzuric to GW.
“This isn’t just a courtesy call,” Metz said of the recruiting visit. “We wouldn’t come down if he wasn’t serious about attending GW. International players have certain needs, and the school and the coaching staff is experienced with international players. Also, D.C. is an international city. These are things I think would be attractive to Dan, but each school has pros and cons.”
“(Choosing a college) is very difficult for a person coming from another country,” Gadzuric told USA Today. “You don’t know about the colleges. You have to study what they have to offer and that is a long process.”
Gadzuric averaged 24 points, 15.6 rebounds and 6.7 blocks last season for Governor Dummer. Metz said Gadzuric has a strong inside game, but is surprisingly athletic.
“For a guy 6-11, he’s a terrific athlete. He’s very strong, but agile, has good hands and runs the floor well.”
Gadzuric’s post moves are not fluid Metz said, because Gadzuric only has been playing basketball for five years. Time will improve him, Metz added.
“His upside is huge,” Metz said. “He’ll improve dramatically his freshman year in college.”
Metz said he thinks Gadzuric will visit one more college before deciding on a school in late March. In addition to GW, UCLA, Kentucky and Kansas, USA Today reported that Connecticut, Wake Forest and California also are recruiting Gadzuric.
