We won’t know for certain just yet, but this week may prove to be a turning point for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish program.
The team secured a commitment from 4-star forward Brady Koehler, and later in the week, they landed an even more significant commitment from one of Koehler’s AAU teammates, another highly-regarded prospect from the Indianapolis area.
Jalen Haralson, a 5-star wing from La Lumiere School (also the alma mater of JJ Starling), has officially committed to play for Micah Shrewsberry and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Standing 6’7″ and weighing 210 pounds, Haralson is ranked 13th in the 2025 class composite rankings on 247Sports (#2 small forward, #1 player in Indiana). Individually, he’s ranked #14 by 247Sports, #17 by Rivals, #13 by On3, and #10 by ESPN.
Haralson’s 0.9953 composite rating on 247Sports makes him the highest-rated recruit in Notre Dame’s 247Sports recruiting era, surpassing previous top commits JJ Starling, Demetrius Jackson, and Cam Biedscheid. He chose Notre Dame over Michigan State and Indiana, despite holding offers from elite programs like Duke, Kansas, Auburn, Purdue, Gonzaga, Michigan, Ohio State, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
Originally from Fishers, Indiana, Haralson began his high school career at Fishers High School before transferring to La Lumiere, where many top prospects go to compete at the highest high school level. This past summer, he also played for the USA Basketball U17 National Team, helping secure gold in Istanbul, averaging 11.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
With two major Indianapolis-area prospects—Haralson and 4-star forward Brady Koehler—committing in just three days, it’s clear that Shrewsberry’s connections to Indiana, along with assistant coach Ryan Owens’ ties to the AAU circuit, are paying off.
Haralson is the type of athlete Notre Dame has traditionally struggled to attract. He’s long, athletic, and excels at attacking the basket with strength and body control. Known for his calm, controlled playmaking, Haralson makes tough plays look easy. With his physical tools and Shrewsberry’s defensive system, he has the potential to become an elite perimeter defender at the college level.
With two top Indianapolis-area prospects committing to Notre Dame in just three days, it’s evident that Micah Shrewsberry’s connections, along with assistant coach Ryan Owens’ strong ties to the Indiana AAU scene, are proving to be a significant asset for the program.
Jalen Haralson is exactly the type of player Notre Dame has traditionally struggled to recruit. He’s a long, athletic player with exceptional ability to attack the basket, using his strength and body control to finish at the rim. Haralson plays with remarkable poise, often making difficult plays look effortless.
Given his physical attributes and the defensive system Shrewsberry and his staff are building, Haralson has the potential to develop into an elite perimeter defender at the college level.
Haralson is already a solid shooter but has room to improve at the next level. If he can further develop this aspect of his game, combined with his finishing ability, ball-handling skills, and size, he could have all the tools to become a first-round NBA prospect.
Haralson officially visited Notre Dame on September 7th for the Northern Illinois football game, along with his AAU teammate Brady Koehler. Despite a disappointing result on the field, it clearly didn’t sway these two top basketball prospects, as both committed to the Irish just weeks later.
The significance of this recruiting week for Notre Dame basketball is hard to overstate, particularly with the addition of an elite talent like Haralson. Given the rebuilding project Micah Shrewsberry took on last year, landing a player of Haralson’s caliber marks a huge turning point. Combined with the strong 2024 class (Sir Mohammed, Cole Certa, Garrett Sundra), and now Haralson and Koehler for 2025, the program’s talent level is set to rise significantly.
And the Irish aren’t finished with 2025 recruiting either. Four-star forward Ryder Frost is set to announce his commitment this Friday, and according to predictions, Notre Dame is the favorite to land him. If Frost joins, the Irish could have commitments from three top-100 forwards, including Haralson, an elite 5-star.
Additionally, Notre Dame remains in the hunt for top-50 point guard Kayden Mingo and other prospects. The recent surge of commitments from Koehler and Haralson, and potentially Frost, could inspire another top target to follow suit. Haralson’s commitment, in particular, could serve as a cornerstone for this momentum.
The Irish now have a wave of recruiting momentum, which is promising for Shrewsberry’s efforts to transform the program into a tournament contender in the next couple of years. It’s an exciting time for Irish fans—welcome Jalen to the family, and here’s to more good news on the way!
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