Notre Dame Basketball Lands First Two Commits in the 2026 Class
- Jhett Garrett
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Notre Dame men’s basketball picked up its first two commitments in the 2026 class in four-star point guard Jonathan Sanderson and four-star center Gan-Erdene Solongo. After compiling the number five-ranked class in the 2025 cycle, head coach Micah Shrewsberry is still looking towards the future.
Photo via Jonathan Sanderson
The two brothers will join their father, Jon Sanderson, who was hired as the Director of Men's Basketball Strength and Conditioning back on May 9 of this year. After a season at Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee, the two will make the jump to La Lumiere School, where incoming freshman and 18th-ranked player in the 2025 class, Jalen Haralson, played his senior season.
Sanderson, a 6’2” native of La Porte, Indiana, was the first of the two to commit to the Irish on June 8. He is the top-ranked player in the state, holding offers from Indiana University, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and several other Division I programs.
Following a transfer to Ensworth School for his junior season, after spending his first two years of high school at Saline High School in Saline, Michigan, Sanderson’s play reached new heights. He led his team to the state semifinals, averaging 24 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and an impressive 1.8 steals as well. This play was good enough to earn Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year honors, and he is now the ninth-ranked point guard in the 2026 class according to 247 Sports.
Sanderson is one of the best shooters you will find in the 2026 class with his ability to get a shot up, even with little space available. He’s lethal from the wings, but also attacks the corners, making him versatile on the perimeter. While playmaking and ballhandling aren’t his first traits, he is still able to make the smart kick out or pass to the open shooter and is a high-level break starter and finisher.
In the transition, Sanderson can do it all, whether that be finding the open man, finishing at the rim, or knocking down the three. His play style will fit well with the 2025 class as well as the remaining pieces that are expected to be on the roster when he arrives in South Bend.
There will be no lack of chemistry on the court between Solongo and Sanderson, especially after their run to the state semifinals together. Solongo, a seven-footer originally from Mongolia, whom the Sanderson family adopted, averaged 12.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 1.3 blocks during his junior season at Ensworth. He held offers from Indiana, Illinois, Arizona State University, Ohio State University, and other Division I schools.
Photo via Gan-Erdene Solongo
Size was one of the predominant issues for the Irish over the past two seasons under Shrewsberry. With the addition of Solongo, who is believed to be the tallest living person from Mongolia, the Irish should be able to compete with anyone in the post.
Solongo can do anything with the ball in the low-post/short corner when fed the ball, whether it be making a move to score, or finding the open shooter out of a double team. He is also elite above the rim on offense and defense, catching lobs while finding the opening on the baseline and finishing. There were plenty of times during his junior season when he found himself catching a lob from his brother, something that Irish fans can get used to seeing.
The Irish have had stellar point guard play since the beginning of the Shrewsberry Era, with rising junior Markus Burton already establishing himself and Jalen Haralson looking to do the same. Now, the Irish look to dip into the post with recruiting, adding the first seven-footer in Shrewsberry's tenure. Notre Dame has kicked off 2026 with two huge gets that are going to benefit the future of the program greatly.
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