As reported last night by the New York Post’s Zach Braziller, four star senior Will Richardson has committed to Fordham Men’s Basketball. The 6-foot 2-inch, 160-pound guard is the team’s second-highest recruit in history, joining Jio Fontan from 2008.

Richardson, a Bergen Catholic high school guard, received an offer from Fordham in September, reportedly committing to the school above national contenders in Vanderbilt University, the University of Maryland, Stanford University, Xavier University and more. He currently sits as 247sports.com’s 21st ranked combo guard in the country, fifth-best in New Jersey.

When asked about the impact of the news, Braziller said, “This is a significant commitment for Fordham, to be able to land a highly rated recruit like this so early in Neptune’s tenure. Positive buzz is very important for a new coach, and Fordham has some on the recruiting train right now.”

Richardson poured in 18 points and scooped up five rebounds and three assists per game during his junior campaign, leading Bergen Catholic to a 7–2 record. He sits at 876 career points, en route to surpass one thousand points across his high school career.

He also plays Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball with the PSA Cardinals, part of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Circuit, which has produced NBA-caliber talent including, most recently, the Orlando Magic’s Mo Bamba.

In addition to his scoring proficiency, Richardson is a valued defensive asset as well, snatching two steals a game last season while also cleaning up the boards. That diverse skillset is likely what caught head coach Kyle Neptune’s eye and the fast style of play he will present.

Neptune, in just his first year in the Bronx, has made an immediate impact on the recruiting front. Joining the Rams’ returning players include eight transfers and a single freshman, Ahmad Harrison. Harrison, too, garnered national attention during his senior season from the likes of Arizona State University, Georgetown University and fellow Atlantic 10 competitor, the University of Massachusetts.

Richardson is not the only high school senior the Rams have pursued either. Neptune has made offers to Moravian Prep’s Juansee Gorosito, Saxby Sunderland of Flint Hill School in Arlington, Virginia and Maurice Odum from Union City, New Jersey. Perhaps Richardson will be the first, most impactful domino to fall to Fordham from the 2022 recruiting class.

The Rams hope he will have an impact similar to Fontan, who had one of the most prolific freshman seasons in Fordham Basketball history. The Paterson, New Jersey native led Atlantic 10 freshman in both scoring and assists, appearing in all 28 games for Fordham, averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game, culminating in the highest point total of any freshman in school history. He was later named to the A-10 All-Rookie Team, at the time, becoming just the fifth Ram to receive the honor.

Despite all that tremendous success, Fontan did not stay with Fordham, transferring to the University of Southern California in December 2010. It is a story that rings throughout Fordham’s recent history, as the talent issue has rarely seemed to be about attracting it, but rather, keeping it.

That is the main hurdle Neptune will need to overcome, but the hope is that he will build a culture to do it. Retaining talented players will take time, perhaps a few years, but the early signs could not be more positive. And the ultimate test, the basketball on the court, is just a few short weeks away.