This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In the end, the family atmosphere mattered most for Ahmad Fields.
A 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Washington DC, Fields committed to the University of Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune learned on Friday. Fields, a three-star recruit who plays at Massanutten Military Academy in Virginia, will sign in the spring.
"I felt comfortable on my visit," Fields told the Tribune. "I had a great visit, and family is an important thing. It's me and my mom, so I wanted to go where I felt a fit, and I felt it at Utah."
Fields chose the Utes over Colorado, USC, St. Joseph's, Drexel, Ole Miss and Miami. His team is currently one of the strongest in the country. He is the fourth starter to commit to a Division I school from a major conference. The other three are committed to Kansas, Miami and Maryland.
Fields is a left-handed slashing guard with good ball-handling skills, length and athleticism. He has the versatility to play and guard multiple positions.
Utah's recruiting class tells the story of a team looking for length and athleticism. Fields, DeLon Wright and East High point guard Parker Van Dyke are all guys with excellent size for their positions. Current freshmen Dakari Tucker and Justin Seymour offer the same attributes.
"The coaches told me that they liked my ability to do different things," Fields said. "Going to school far away from home isn't an issue for me. I'm excited to get to Utah and get started."
Fields visited the Utes with his mother earlier in the week, and was on hand at the Huntsman Center for a stirring win over SMU. He averages 17 points per game with his high school team. He played his AAU basketball with DC Assault, one of the famed grassroots programs in the country.
"I feel close to the guys already," Fields said. "I think I can come in and fit in right away."
Tony Jones