Zimmerman officially signs with UNLV

In the end, after four years of being courted by college basketball coaches from all over the country, Stephen Zimmerman took the first scholarship offer to come his way. The decision made him even more popular in his hometown.

The 7-footer from Bishop Gorman High School signed with UNLV on Monday, four days after he made the announcement on Twitter.

He reached a conclusion last week, he said, while in New York to play in the Jordan Brand Classic all-star game.

“It really went down to the wire,” he said. “I have a great relationship with the UNLV coaches, and being home is a big plus. It helped just being able to sit down with my parents and talk about it all.”

The Rebels prevailed against most of the nation’s elite programs. The other four finalists on Zimmerman’s list were Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and UCLA. He said he sent the coaches of those teams text messages to express his appreciation for the time spent recruiting him.

UNLV coach Dave Rice, the first to offer Zimmerman a scholarship before his freshman year, and assistant Ryan Miller, who has developed a strong bond with the Zimmerman family, received phone calls with the news they hoped to hear.

Zimmerman said his long relationship with Rice and his faith in Miller were major factors in his decision. Miller was being pursued last week by New Mexico, where he was an assistant from 2007 to 2012, but he opted to stay in Las Vegas for a second year, and his decision was linked to Zimmerman’s commitment.

But Zimmerman said he was not pressured into staying home, and when he arrived at a decision, it was his call.

“It’s about my future,” he said. “It seemed UNLV was the place for me.”

Zimmerman signed a financial aid agreement — instead of a binding letter of intent — and plans to enroll in classes at UNLV this summer.

When he signed Monday in an office at the Thomas &Mack Center, Zimmerman posed for a photo — posted to Twitter by his stepmother, Lori Stevens — with Rice, Miller and Rebels assistants Stacey Augmon and Todd Simon.

Although the recruiting whirlwind became “annoying at the end,” Zimmerman said the experience as a whole was a thrill for his family.

“It’s obviously a blessing,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”

As a senior, Zimmerman averaged 14.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.4 blocks as the Gaels finished 27-6 and won their fourth straight state championship. He played for Gorman coach Grant Rice, Dave Rice’s younger brother.

“We are excited to have Stephen join our program,” Dave Rice said. “He is a highly skilled big that has the versatility to make plays from all over the court. Stephen is a great passer and rebounder and will have an immediate impact on our team. He is a winner.”

In four years, Zimmerman played a part in 114 victories, making him the winningest player in Gorman history.

He headlines a UNLV recruiting class ranked in the nation’s top 10. Rice previously signed Jalen Poyser, a 6-4 point guard from Toronto who is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in Canada this year, and Derrick Jones, a 6-6 forward from Radnor, Pa., who has been labeled the best high school dunker in the nation.

Junior forward Ben Carter, an Oregon transfer and Gorman product, and senior point guard Jerome Seagears, a Rutgers transfer, were redshirts for the Rebels last season. Zimmerman said his friendships with Carter and Seagears made him feel more comfortable at UNLV.

Zimmerman is the third McDonald’s All-American to commit to the Rebels out of high school in the past four years, following Anthony Bennett and Rashad Vaughn from Findlay Prep. Vaughn, the team’s leading scorer as a freshman, recently declared for the NBA Draft.

Chris Wood, a 6-11 sophomore forward, is considering entering the draft and faces a Sunday deadline. If he stays in school, he and Zimmerman would lead one of the nation’s tallest and most talented front lines.

“He said it’s a hard decision,” Zimmerman said. “I would love for him to come back.”

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.