UConn men get commitment from 6-7 German forward

UConn headed overseas to land its latest men's basketball recruit.

Leon Tolksdorf, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward from Berlin, gave the Huskies a verbal commitment after visiting UConn earlier this week.

Tolksdorf, 18, will be the third German player on the roster, joining Niels Giffey and Enosch Wolf.

Giffey served as Tolksdorf's host during a visit to Storrs that started Sunday and ended Tuesday. They once played together on a youth team in Germany.

Tolksdorf is considered a point forward type, blessed with good passing skills, a high basketball IQ and a nice perimeter shooting touch. He averaged about 17 points and 12 rebounds for his high school team and 5.2 points and 14.2 minutes for ALBA Berlin II, a club team.

He also is a candidate to play for his country's U20 national team this summer.

After suffering heavy frontcourt losses with the departure of Alex Oriakhi (transfer), Roscoe Smith (transfer), Michael Bradley (transfer) and Andre Drummond (NBA draft), the Huskies will shift their emphasis to the perimeter next season. Guard Jeremy Lamb also left for the NBA.

Tolksdorf joins a recruiting class that includes 6-4 guard Omar Calhoun of Christ the King in New York, 6-9 forward Phillip Nolan of Milwaukee and 6-3 guard R.J. Evans, a Norwich Free Academy graduate and former Holy Cross player.

There's a possibility that the UConn coaching staff could bring in one more recruit for next season but only if the right frontcourt player is available.

- Gavin Keefe