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Notre Dame lands 4-star PF Ven-Allen Lubin, adds to impressive 2022 class

In a year where Mike Brey and his staff needed to make a splash on the recruiting trail, Notre Dame is in position to sign one of the highest-ranked classes of his tenure.

Four-star Orlando (Fla.) Christian Prep forward Ven-Allen Lubin’s Tuesday commitment gave the Irish’s 2022 haul the final push into rare heights. The 6-7, 205-pound Lubin is Rivals’ No. 8 power forward and No. 63 overall player in the 2022 cycle. He picked Notre Dame over Clemson, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.

With Lubin in the fold, Notre Dame will head into signing day Wednesday with three four-star commits. All of them are ranked in the top 100. Only once since 2005 have the Irish signed three top-100 recruits in the same year (2018). It all amounts to the nation’s No. 18-ranked class, per Rivals.

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball 2022 forward commit Ven-Allen Lubin
Lubin is the third top-100 player to commit to Notre Dame’s 2022 class. (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Lubin joins four-star forward Dom Campbell out of Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H., and four-star guard J.J. Starling out of La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere in the class. He took an official visit to Notre Dame the weekend of Oct. 9, following September trips to the other three finalists. Notre Dame had the chance to make the final impression on Lubin. It turned out to be the best one.

Notre Dame’s pursuit of Lubin began later than the other two. Campbell popped onto the Irish’s radar this spring, while Starling was a top target since June 2020. Campbell jump-started the Irish’s 2022 class when he committed July 21. Starling, the nation’s No. 40 overall recruit, gave it a centerpiece with his Oct. 12 commitment.

Notre Dame wanted one more player around them. It has that now in Lubin, who didn’t become a priority until he added an offer this summer.

Brey and Notre Dame’s staff watched Lubin play in person in July on the adidas 3SSB circuit for Southeast Elite. Lubin averaged 21.6 points, which ranked fifth among 3SSB players this year. He also averaged 10.0 rebounds (seventh) and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the floor.

The summer breakout built on a strong junior season at Orlando Christian Prep, in which Lubin averaged 12.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game for a 27-0 team, per MaxPreps.

All told, Lubin was one of the summer’s biggest risers. He jumped from No. 119 in the Rivals150 to 63rd, a 56-spot ascent. He collected more than 15 offers from late June to late July, with Notre Dame among them. The Irish stood out enough to land in his top seven and earn a visit.

A month after that visit, Lubin joined the class and gave Brey one of the best recruiting hauls in his 22-year run at Notre Dame. It’s arguably his most important one in a long time, too.

Notre Dame is potentially staring at several departures after this season from a roster than includes seven academic seniors and graduate students. All except forward Paul Atkinson Jr. have eligibility beyond this season thanks to the COVID-19 blanket waiver, but it’s not yet clear how many will use it. There’s a real possibility, though, Notre Dame loses 80 percent of its starting lineup.

Brey couldn’t afford a drop-off after such an exodus. Especially if this season doesn’t end in the NCAA tournament, which he and everyone else acknowledge is the “line in the sand” for this season. A fifth straight year where Notre Dame doesn’t appear in the field of 68 might not earn him a chance to prevent that streak from reaching six.

But if the Irish return to the tournament, they’ll head into the offseason with some feeling of sustainability and momentum with this class of newcomers. Notre Dame might add to it in the spring by dipping into the transfer portal. If the senior departures are widespread, a transfer addition or two is all but guaranteed.

As it stands, Notre Dame has 11 scholarship players for 2022-23 who had eligibility that season before the COVID-19 waiver. Three more — guard Prentiss Hubb, guard Dane Goodwin and forward Nate Laszewski — have eligibility in 2022-23 because of the waiver.

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