UCLA basketball: Top point guard prospect Dominic Artis commits to Bruins

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The Class of 2012 is already shaping up to be full of promise for UCLA.

The Bruins on Sunday received a commitment from Dominic Artis, a 6-foot-1 senior at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., who is considered to be one of the top point guards in the country.

Artis becomes the second highly touted player to commit to UCLA, joining Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy small forward Jordan Adams. And the Bruins are still in the mix for Shabazz Muhammad, the consensus top player in the country.

‘I’m really excited,’ said Artis, who picked UCLA over California, Florida State, Oregon, Georgia Tech, Baylor and Florida International. ‘It could be a great class.’

Artis said he liked Bruins Coach Ben Howland’s history of producing NBA point guards. He also liked that UCLA runs a lot of ball screens, something he said suits his game well, and is already friends with incoming guard De’End Parker.

The prospect of battling North Carolina transfer Larry Drew II for playing time doesn’t intimidate Artis, who said Howland told him the duo would likely be on the floor together at times. And if Artis had to come off the bench?

‘Of course I would want to start,’ Artis said, ‘but if I had to come off the bench and sacrifice for the team, it would be OK.’

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--Ben Bolch in Las Vegas