In September, this 17-year-old wrestler from Bishop McCort High School took the mats to storm. He was in his first year eligible for the U20 World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain. And in that very first opportunity, he picked up a bronze!

“I’m so blessed. I’m grateful to be in this moment. I have two more years in the U20 division. I can’t wait to just wreak havoc on everybody over the next two years and sprint through the World Championships. I just can’t wait. It’s already lit a fire and I’m so excited to be back,” the youngster had said back then. Well, he has been keeping his promise.

During the early season, he secured his third Super 32 victory, and a few months later, he achieved his third Ironman Wrestling Tournament title in his career. And if these were not enough, he also picked up his third Powerade Wrestling Tournament title. Here is Bo Bassett, the rising phenom from Pennsylvania, doing all the justice to the state’s rich history in wrestling.

The Powerade event was hosted at Canon-McMillan High School, and it saw wrestlers from Bishop McCort on the top step of the podium. While his teammates Jax Forrest and Melvin Miller shined over their opponents in the 133 lbs division and 160 lbs division, respectively, Bassett put up an exceptional performance in the 145 lbs division. It was Malvern Prep’s Declan O’Byrne, who got pinned down by Bassett in 2:31. The way Bishop McCort’s wrestlers performed, it was an effortless team title win for them, too.

And yes, he’s much more than a wrestler. Owing to his communication skills, he has garnered a large following on social media, hyping up his recruitment process. Indeed, this public stunt has received mixed reviews from the community itself about his anticipation in the NCAA after his generational bout on the mat. At such a young age, Bo Bassett has achieved a lot, and he has his fair share of critics. While some claim that he truly has that steam in him, others believe that he is overhyped. Is that so?

Well, the point is that Bassett is not someone who has shot to fame suddenly. He started to make a name for himself early. Quite early actually. He won his first state title in 2015 at the age of 7. In 2022, he won that honor for the eighth time. In that, he broke a previous record held solely by Nico Cortese from Franklin Regional.

Top Comment by PSU wrestling fan

My best guess is he’ll end up at OK St. He’d be better off at Penn State, winning both individual...more

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Over the course of the three-day tournament, no wrestler went the full length against Bassett. He defeated every opponent he faced by technical fall in the first period. In the first place bout on the 117 lbs mats, Bassett won 19-4 technical fall in the first period. “I take every single tournament seriously like it’s the world championship or the biggest match of my life. The next tournament is always the most important. I’m preparing the best I can every single time. I always do the right things every time I can. Every tournament is the next best thing. I always got to stay focused,” Bassett had said back then.

Indeed, such a mindset showcases the potential that Bassett has in him. Despite the different atmosphere in the NCAA compared to high school, there are still high expectations for the wrestling prodigy. And as always, the community is also divided when it comes to the anticipation regarding him.

The wrestling community stands on parallel sides

Every time there’s a discussion on Bo Bassett, people in the wrestling community are divided. But many fans have hopes for the 17-year-old, as one stated, “He’s an original. Most anticipated ever. Social media era.” Another fan in support of Bassett wrote, “David Taylor is the first one that comes to mind but the anticipation with Bo may be even bigger than that.”

Similarly, one more fan specified the reason for the anticipation, stating, “You can’t compare Bo to anyone else. He is in a class of his own. Not only is he a great wrestler, he is a great entrepreneur. He is great at being a role model to his generation and the upcoming generations. He isn’t afraid to share his faith in Jesus. He is one of a kind.” 

Indeed, there are always opposing viewpoints, but those who are enthusiastic about Bassett have valid reasons. The 17-year-old’s career speaks for itself. He’s no normal wrestler, but someone that many colleges are looking forward to. Yes, he has visited almost all the programs in the NCAA, but there’s still time to make the major decision in his wrestling career.

In October, Bassett gave an update on his college commitment, writing, “I am down to 15 and have some ties to each of those programs. I want to go and check most of them out. I am not in a rush to commit. With Worlds, WNO and Super 32, the process got push back. Now taking some time to do some official visits.”

“I got Iowa, PSU, Ohio St, VT and Oklahoma State over the next few weekends. Then I will ramp it up preparing for Ironman and the season. I plan to get some more visits lined up in the spring. Lots to line up yet.” But some enthusiasts seemed unhappy with all this hype and suspense around his recruitment.

“With all due respect to Bo he may not even be the most anticipated right now.  His ego-centric recruitment process is actually doing more to hurt his perception to be honest.  I think Marcus Blaze and Jax have chance to be better,” one user wrote. Another fan stressed out on a previous NCAA prospect, stating, “Aj Ferrari?! Extreme hype coming into his freshman szn and he delivered winning a chip at 197. There were also a few who mentioned social media being the only reason for his anticipation, as one stated, “Nobody has ever made it more about themselves than him.”

Debatable, isn’t it? Some want to see a youngster give competition to the big names in the sport, but others just see him as another overhyped talent that will go out of contention right after a few seasons of his collegiate career.