Terry Larrier and VCU

One day after taking an official visit to Virginia Commonwealth University, small forward Terry Larrier committed to play for Shaka Smart and the Rams. A fringe top 50 recruit, the 6’7” Larrier becomes Smart’s highest rated recruit throughout his tenure.

This past spring and summer Larrier vaulted up the recruiting rankings as he played for Team Scan on the Nike EYBL circuit. The Bronx native averaged 10.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 17 regular season games and then duplicated his effort with 10.3 points per game throughout the Peach Jam.

A long and lanky wing, Larrier fits the HAVOC style preferred by Smart. He specializes in slashing to the basket for lay-ups and dunks and uses his 6’10” wing span to disrupt opponents on the defensive end. 

During the Dallas EYBL in May, Larrier’s stock rose after a solid performance over a four game period. One month later he was one of the most impressive talents at the Kevin Durant Skills Academy in Washington D.C. While the camp was littered with the top shooting guards and small forwards in the country, Larrier stood out during the scrimmages as he drove time and time again from the left wing for thunderous dunks down the lane.

While Larrier is known for his athletic forays to the basket, he does need to work on his ball-handling and shooting ability. He is more than capable of knocking down jump shots from 15-19 feet but shot only 23% from the three point line during the EYBL regular season. In the Peach Jam he increased his percentage to 36.4% while making one more three in 11 less games. 

With Larrier’s commitment, VCU now has three commitments in the class of 2014. Forward Justin Tillman from Michigan committed over Labor Day weekend and point guard Jonathan Williams declared in May. 

Locking up an athletic small forward was crucial for the VCU coaching staff after several early misses. Small forward Vic Law out of Chicago decided to stay local and play for Northwestern earlier on in the summer while Devin Robinson, a top 30 player nationally left VCU out of his top five. Robinson, a Richmond native had VCU at the top of his list before the AAU season began but after several stellar performances had schools such as Indiana, UConn, and Florida knocking on his door. 

VCU’s HAVOC style of play is perfect for Larrier and his skill set as both parties came to that realization after a timely official visit.