Forward Chris Nulli, No. 41 in ESPN 100, commits to Rutgers

Top-50 forward Chris Nulli announced his commitment to Rutgers on Sunday, giving the Scarlet Knights their first ESPN 100 prospect in the 2025 class.

Steve Pikiell’s program didn’t get involved in Nulli’s recruitment until recently, extending a scholarship offer in late September after Nulli was not included in his list of six final schools in August.

“I chose Rutgers because I love the way the coaching staff has welcomed me and the East Coast is where I want to be,” Nulley told ESPN. “I love the energy of the staff. Coach Pikiell breathes basketball, and he cares about his players. He’s tough on his guys in practice and encourages them to be better players and people.”

A 6-foot-7 forward, Nwuli is ranked No. 41 on the ESPN 100 for the Class of 2025.

Nulley is one of the more explosive athletes in the senior class. He has great burst and quick-twitch ability to get off the ground high, and his second jump is useful as it enables him to get easy points on putbacks or blocked shots at the other end. He’s a lob threat, especially in transition, and he’s versatile defensively with his lateral quickness and ground-covering ability.

Nuuli, who transferred to Sierra Canyon School (Calif.) this past spring and summer, played on the Nike EYBL circuit with the Oakland Warriors alongside top recruits AJ DiBantsa and Tyrann Stokes. He averaged 9.5 points and 5.9 rebounds during the regular season and then averaged 12.5 points and 4.4 rebounds at the Nike Pitch Jam in July. He also showed some range on the perimeter, shooting better than 47% from behind the arc on low scores — but he made a pair of 3s in the Pitch Jam title game.

In 2024, the Scarlet Knights landed elite prospects Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper along with Nuli Pikiell and Rutgers their third top-50 recruit. He joins a Class of 2025 that includes three-star centers Gevonte Ware, Lino Mark and Caden. power