Virginia Tech Lands Three-Star Guard Nahiem Alleyne; Adds to 2019 Recruiting Class

On Sunday morning, Mike Young added Nahiem Alleyne to the Hokies’ 2019 recruiting class, a 6’3” two-guard from Lawrenceville, GA. He will join Jalen Cone and Hunter Cattoor as incoming freshmen to Blacksburg this fall. Alleyne, ranked as a three-star recruit by 247sports, had offers from Nebraska, Hofstra, St. Johns, and USF. Alleyne is a 2020 prospect that appears to be reclassifying into the 2019 class, which will put him in Blacksburg this fall.

With both Jalen Cone and Nahiem Alleyne reclassifying a year early, Tech will field one of the youngest backcourts in the country.

At Wofford, Young’s teams excelled when equipped with a proficient scoring backcourt, and it appears he has one poised for success in Blacksburg with the quartet of Alleyne, Cone, Cattoor, and incumbent Landers Nolley. Perhaps more importantly, he has four guys with the natural ability to create shots off the bounce that do not need much space to pull the trigger.

Alleyne has a solid athletic profile as well. Although listed at 6’3”, 170 pounds, he has a longer wingspan which will be crucial as a defender. He has the requisite quickness and bounce to get by defenders on his way to the cup. Alleyne does not have elite explosion to simply blow by defenders, but instead does it with skill. He possesses a tight handle to keep defenders off-balance combined with a feathery touch around the basket. Alleyne’s ability to elevate after a series of moves is very good and he combines that with a quick release.

Every move the Hokies’ latest commit makes is deliberate, and there is little wasted movement – Alleyne has clearly put the work in to refine his game and that should translate to the next level. However, he needs to be more comfortable finishing with his right hand. Similar to RJ Barrett, Alleyne is reliant on finishing with his dominant left hand which can lead to some awkward finishes. But Alleyne doesn’t have the frame or talent of Barrett, so he needs to become more adept using his off-hand.

Mike Young landed this commitment during Alleyne’s official visit to Blacksburg. While this instance may not be a prime representation, it is encouraging that Young has the ability to finish sales on campus. Recruiting was one of the few questions with this hire, but Young has done a solid job thus far given the circumstances.

The 2019 class, should Alleyne’s reclassification request be approved now has five names: G Hunter Cattoor, G Jalen Cone, G Nyhiem Alleyne, PF/C Branden Johnson (transfer from Arizona State), and SF Keve Aluma (transfer from Wofford).