Maryland basketball just ended a two-week commitment drought in a loud way. The Terps have received a commitment from Darius Adams, a recent UConn de-commit ranked the No. 23 recruit and rated as a five-star in the 247Sports Class of 2025 Composite rankings.

Adams, a 6-5 guard, was the highest-ranked senior prospect still uncommitted. He visited College Park over the weekend, visited Georgetown while in town and was being pursued by Michigan State, UNC, Alabama, Tennessee and several others. 

“Coach Buzz has won everywhere he goes and is a coach that develops guards at the highest level,” Adams told 247Sports. “Maryland has a rich basketball history and can’t wait to show the fans something special in this new era in College Park,” Adams told 247Sports’ Eric Bossi.

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Adams, a Manasquan, N.J., native who played at Indiana prep powerhouse La Lumiere, committed to UConn last September over finalists Tennessee and Michigan State. He changed his mind this month after Dan Hurley added guards Silas Demary Jr. and Malachi Smith from the transfer portal; UConn also has another McDonald’s All-American guard coming in Braylon Mullins, so the backcourt was looking crowded. 

“Since Adams has reopened his recruitment, he’s already heard from nearly 15 schools,” 247Sports’ Travis Branham said last week in the “College Basketball Show” on Tuesday. “That comes as no surprise. He’s a McDonald’s All-American and one of the top high school players in the country.”

Maryland’s backcourt, conversely, was thin after the transfers of standout guards J’Kobi Gillespie nd Rodney Rice. Williams added a proven Big Ten player in Indina transfer Myles Rice, mong others, but needed a starter alongside him. While there’s no guarantee it will be Adams, his profile makes it seem likely.

Adams is the highest-rated recruit for Williams in his brief time at Maryland and the fourth-highest rated Maryland basketball commit of the internet rankings era, behind only Diamond Stone, Derik Queen and Jalen Smith.

“He’s coming off an EYBL season in which he averaged 15 points per game on 40% shooting from the floor, 32% from behind the arc, and 59% from the free-throw line, but is widely considered to be a better shooter than that. As a junior in EYBL Scholastic play, he also averaged 15 points per game, but did it on 43% shooting from the floor and 41% from behind the arc. The long-range shooting projects as the first domino in his individual offense at the next level. He has good touch, a fairly compact and very repeatable release, both as a spot-up threat, and with flashes of movement shooting as well,” 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein wrote.

“Adams can also make reads with the ball, so he can come off screens and get to his mid-range game if that’s how the defense is playing him. Combine that with his reliability as a passer and he has the type of floor game that should fit into offensive structure nicely at the next level. Overall, Adams is skilled, smooth, smart, has good size, and his best basketball still in front of him as he continues to make strides physically.”

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Darius Adams Scouting Report (via Adam Finkelstein):

Adams is a skilled and smooth guard with good positional size at 6-foot-5 and an instinctive feel for the game. He’s a multi-dimensional scoring threat who can make threes and mid-range pull-ups in a variety of different ways.

Where there is untapped potential is in his frame and the amount of sheer force he plays with. He’s still growing into his body a bit and doesn’t always yet have the same amount of athletic burst as other top prospects. Once that frame clicks though, it could unlock new aspects of his attack, help him play through contact more consistently, and make him more efficient in the lane. Right now, he can be fluid with the ball in the open floor, but doesn’t pressure the rim or finish as well in a half-court game.

Defensively, the added physicality can only help as well. His size and intellect are both assets, while he also has very good hands and a high steal rate, but would only add versatility with more power and explosiveness.