Incoming recruits, Stone and Brantley already bonding

Shortly after five-star center Diamond Stone announced he is committing to Maryland, the Terps' only other recruit so far for the 2015 class, three-star point guard Jaylen Brantley, reached out to his future teammate.

Brantley, a JUCO transfer from Odessa Community College, said he and Stone talked for about 15 minutes via FaceTime after Stone committed. Stone and Brantley took their official visits to College Park together earlier in the season for the Terps' Midnight Madness, and prior to Stone's decision, the two soon-to-be Terps talked almost everyday according to Brantley.

"[Stone] said he feels really happy and excited," Brantley said. "He feels [Maryland] can change his body and make him into a better player."

The expectation that Maryland will return most of its key contributors from this historic season is something Brantley also thinks was very appealing to Stone.

"Just a lot of returning guys so I think he knows we will be really good and he can contribute honestly," Brantley said.

Brantley said he definitely feels like he influenced Stone's decision at least a little bit through their friendly conversations. He even said that Terps' assistant coach Dustin Clark joked with him about having a future in recruiting after basketball.

The addition of Stone is sure to have Maryland fans excited and with high hopes for next year's team. And as someone who will be playing on that team, Brantley is ecstatic about the news as well and eager to get to work.

"I think it's great he's coming to a team that really has aspirations of getting to the Final Four and he can be a big part of that," Brantley said. "And I'm just excited that he is coming and looking forward to getting started toward our one goal."

That goal, of course, is to capture the school's second men's basketball national championship, and Brantley thinks with Stone on the roster that's a very realistic objective.

"I really think we can make a deep run," Brantley said. "And I think [Stone] can win freshman of the year because team success will bring individual awards."