Any word on how good the relationship is, here? He seems perfect for our 4 spot. I wonder if he sees himself as a 4.
Maryland and Georgetown (where his dad played) are two favorites for Jackson right now probably.
Here’s a recent update with him:
Jackson scrolled through his phone after the game while talking to reporters, listing various college coaches who had texted him in the 30 minutes or so after the game. He mentioned Michigan head coach John Beilein and Maryland assistant Cliff Warren among others. Maryland is seen as the early leader for Jackson, who said no schools are standing out to him at the moment.
He did mention that he’s “intrigued” by some of the newer schools that have gotten involved lately, including Kansas and Texas. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to take any visits this month due to numerous commitments in tournaments and showcases.
1 Like
Hahaha no doubt a travel upon further review. I guess i have my NBA goggles on today
Good to hear the staff is keeping in touch. He may be blowing up but since they’ve offered they should redouble efforts to keep him interested. Really nice player.
Jackson feels like a recruitment where nobody knows much, perhaps even the player. Wouldn’t be surprised if he’s waiting to see if Duke/UK/maybe Kansas offer. Seems like he’s gone out of his way to say good things about Michigan though.
Thats what I am hoping for. I hope that because he was our second (or was it first?) offer of the class and that it still is a small offer sheet out there that it signals to him that he is a priority and that we saw his potential prior to everyone else blowing up on him. I am probably naive though…
Kyle Young down to 10 schools
1 Like
Hey Dylan do you by chance recognize the point guard at the end of tillmans video recently posted by mattd? I think it might be Brandon Williams but idk. I’m dying to know.
I thought people were just saying that interest had cooled? Haven’t heard this name in a while.
Yeah, that’s wrong. I assume he’s just looking at his crystal ball on 247 and tweeting that. We went through this one last week.
3 Likes
Does anyone know if Jordan Poole has any particular close friends in aau that he’s working hard on?
Justin Smith is new to the radar and on the Mac Irvin Fire with him.
Yeah Scout insiders say that Poole has been told by the staff to work on recruiting Justin Smith.
FWIW, I saw Smith live in 3 games last weekend playing with his high school team at a shootout in suburban Chicago. Great athlete–runs well, explosive and effortless leaper, very quick first step, above average lateral quickness–but his skills are still a work in progress. His shot doesn’t look bad, but he’s not a consistent or a confident shooter (and hasn’t been throughout his career)–right now, he’s more a GR III level shooter from 3 than anything more than that. He can handle well enough to take the ball baseline, but doesn’t seem to want to handle in the open court (reminds me of THJ when I saw him live in high school). He’s a good passer, though not a great one. He alternates between spurts where he wants to take over and dominate and ones where he’s very willing to defer to others on his team. By all accounts, he’s a great kid and a terrific student, and I think he could be a very good basketball player at the high major level with reasonable development, and a bit more aggression. I’d put him at low 4* status (80-100) with a chance to move up.
In terms of class building, I’d be happy to have him and would take both he and Matthews, but if the latter happens, I think someone else in the class needs to be a shooter–whether Young, Davison, Cain (if we want to take 3 wings), Lawrence, or whomever else becomes available, or an absolute star (Wilkes, Jackson). I like guys like Tillman, Dawson, Gaines (I know Matt didn’t like him, but he’s so productive and efficient that I can’t help thinking he saw him in a bad game), but IMO, those guys wouldn’t quite fit in a class with both Matthews and Smith unless we’re going 5 deep (which we could do if Donnal doesn’t get a fifth year or there is attrition) and adding a shooter with the 5th. I’m all for getting more athletic, but we need two shooters in this class–Poole is one, the other is yet to be determined.
1 Like
Yeah, I’ve seen Smith described as a three-and-D, but he hasn’t really been consistent with his perimeter shot. Interesting part is that he takes them in EYBL whereas someone like Donnie TIllman doesn’t take them.
He took a fair number of them Saturday too. Guys lay off him because he’s more of a threat at the basket, and he hasn’t got a big enough body that if you give him room and he takes a few dribbles, he can back you down the rest of the way (as maybe Tillman can). The shot looks OK–a little flat perhaps, but surely not broken–but he doesn’t look like he really believes in it yet, and he doesn’t make a high percentage, either Saturday or previously. I don’t mean to sound like I’m underselling him–I think he could be a very good player, he’s clearly by orders of magnitude an athletic upgrade, he’s a great kid, and he has a very good offer list–I’d be happy to have him. As a shooter, though, not there yet.
1 Like
Does he project to small ball 4 or more of a 3? Just wondering if he is the same mold as Matthews/Cain/Wikes, or Young/Tillman/Jackson, for our scheme.
Kyle Young was playing with a sports hernia and is going to take June off.
Here’s his quote on Michigan:
“Coach Beilein came for an in-home visit at our house not too long ago. He loves my style of play that I bring and how I would fit well into what they do.”
2 Likes
Livers? He would be a four IMO.
2 Likes