Crowley says "Vanderbilt is the best place I could be"

Austin Crowley committed to Vanderbilt on August 28. Seventy-eight days passed before he could sign his scholarship papers and be an official member of the Commodores basketball team.

Lots of things could have happened in that two-and-a-half month time span. Another school could have come in and swept him off his feet. He could have gotten cold feet. His parents could have become disenchanted with the decision.

None of that could have been farther from reality. Early Signing Period started Wednesday, and Crowley wasted no time in putting his name on the dotted line. He finalized the deal at a morning signing ceremony at Sunrise Christian Academy.

"I woke up this morning and called my parents, " Crowley told VandySports.com Wednesday night. "They wanted to talk to me about my decision. I told them I felt thankful about it. They have both wore Vanderbilt gear all day long. I also called my coaches and thanked them for everything they have done for me. I told everyone that I talked to that this is one of the best days I have ever had. It's one of the best days ever."

What goes through a player's mind between the commitment and the signing? What does he focus on? Crowley took us into that world as well as sharing with us the staff's personal touch that has made them so successful on the recruiting trail.

"Coach (Bryce) Drew and Coach (Jake) Diebler never stopped calling me. My parents loved Vanderbilt. Coach Drew and Coach Diebler stayed in touch with my family. They recruited my parents as well. That was the breaking point. I never had a second thought. Vanderbilt is the best place I could be."

2018 has been a time of decision for Crowley. He had to make the call to leave his home in West Point, Mississippi for the plains of Kansas for his senior season. Stepping out of the comfort zone to that degree should make choosing a college much easier. If Crowley's choice of a new school is a precursor for things to come, he should have an outstanding career at Vanderbilt.

"When I got to Sunrise, I weighed 167 pounds, " Crowley admitted. "Now I can finish through contact. I can get to the rim easier now. I'm stronger both mentally and physically. The coaches have helped me. Everything that I do here translates to college."

Rivals' Eric Bossi lives in Kansas City, not too far from the Sunrise Christian campus which lies just outside of Wichita. He has seen Crowley play during the fall and has written twice, raving about the noticeable improvements he has made in the past few months.

"On Thursday I watched Vanderbilt-bound shooting guard Austin Crowley work out and, wow, he’s much better than I had realized. He’s always been a smooth scorer, but he’s really gotten much stronger, he’s gotten better off the dribble and he’s improved his all-around game. I felt he would be a good player in Nashville, but he looks more ready to contribute as a freshman than I previously thought."

"I was pretty taken by the strides that Austin Crowley looks to be making. He's always had skill, been a crafty shot maker and capable of playing some stretches at the point. But, he's added strength and it's amazing what 15 pounds does for his confidence. He's playing through contact more, has improved his pick and roll reads and is on track to play minutes as a freshman in Nashville."

Crowley shared that the reason for some of the recent rise in his play is because of the Vanderbilt coaching staff.

"Coach Diebler and Coach Drew talk to my coaches here. They know how I am playing and give me advice. They told Coach Diebler I was settling too much and not being aggressive. Coach Diebler reassured me that I should be more aggressive with the ball. He reassures me and gives me advice."

While Crowley is concentrating on his season at his current school, he is also keeping an eye on the team at his future school.

"I have watched them play both games. They are going to have a great season. Darius (Garland) and Simi (Shittu) are both playmakers. Aaron (Nesmith) and Saben (Lee) are also giving them great guard play. The bigs are doing a good job too. You can't sag off their shooters either. They've got pretty much got it all."

Since he was watched every dribble thus far in Vanderbilt's season, we asked him to give us an educated scouting report of how he will fit into Bryce Drew's system combined with next season's roster.

"I will be able to fit in well. With the style they play, I will have the opportunity to score. I can score on all three levels. Coach Drew told me that was what he liked about my game. I can also be a playmaker there on and off the ball."

Crowley also is planning for a great college career in the classroom as well. The strong student told us he has narrowed down his major to either Sports Medicine of Sports Management.

The addition of Crowley along with Dylan Disu gives Bryce Drew a run of five straight signees out of high school who are at least four-stars and six out of eight. Because Crowley is familiar with all of these players as well as the system he is going into, he not only assured fans they will like the passion he brings, he was also appreciative of their passion toward him in the past few months.

"They can expect a hard worker, that will do whatever the coach needs me to do. I'm also thankful to the Vanderbilt fans for all of the love on social media since I committed. They showed me they care about basketball and they care about me."