Jalen Miller....fast rise up rankings

[NewJerseyHawk]

Since a lot has been made about how basketball rankings can be fluid and change, the first offers aren't always equivalent to the best prospects....it just means those prospects are a little more advanced, either athletically or based on current abilities.

What happens more often than not, is what's missing this spring and summer....no AAU, no spring evaluation to really launch to 50 to 70 prospects each year that go from unknown to ranked in the span of a few months.

I am going to pass most of the credit here, based on the time line of events from mid March 2020 through to August....one of a number of very reliable eyes and ears is Duval Simmonds....Jersey native, but knows his hoops. His tweet here was one of a couple that he made a couple of years ago, when it came to Qudus Wahab.....Wahab was a very raw, not ready for prime time big, who didn't have a couple of offers....landed a couple of mid majors, then SHU, RU and everyone else got on his board....he picked Georgetown and had a very good freshman season for the Hoyas last season.

Now he's been mentioning Jalen Miller, in a similar fashion....so when a Simmonds says "watch out for this prospect", it is usually legit.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Miller's offers have gone from low to mid major to stronger programs all on a schedule from March through August. Without any spring evaluation or summer AAU, it's very difficult for fans to go "old school"....Old school, is not the overhyped summer circuit, the circus of reports where fans aren't allowed to attend and there's no live game footage....

Coaches have to make their own evaluation.

March 16th, Lehigh

March 26, Loyola MD

April 22 Towson

April 30 Elon

May 6th Central Arkansas

June 15th Niagara

June 22 Oral Robert's

June 23rd Rhode Island (HC David Cox from the DMV)

July 7th Wichita State

July 15th Akron

July 23rd James Madison & UNCG

August 5th Rutgers

August 11th Iona (Rick Pitino)

On the surface, since Miller hasn't landed the lengthy list of offers based on his sophomore year of HS and just finished his junior year, it is still somewhat bizarre that to be considered "a legitimate recruit ", you technically have to be on a college radar by the end of your sophomore season.

Miller's timeline is trending towards a ranking that would be much better than where it stands today. Rhode Island, Wichita State, Iona all play very solid, high level basketball in recent years.

RU being Miller's 1st "High Major or Power 5 offer", is pretty remarkable considering there's no spring or summer circuit. To me, this screams out "steal", if RU secures this commitment. It's not just my opinion, but supported by the eyes and ears on the ground, at grass-roots levels.



This rolls all the way back to January 2020, which seems like a long time ago, but it is in recruiting circles...

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

 

[MadRU]

Thanks for posting this. This is what I saw from interviews film and articles on Jalen. He is a leader and a team first guy. With high IQ on and off the court.

 

[shields]

Yes good stuff.

 

[RUPete]

Sounds like a perfect fit with the culture Coach Pike has established at RU.

 

[MadRU]

And he is known to play good defense. Believe he plays on the same team as a SHU recruit who is the big scorer.

 

[Caliknight]

His tape seemed awesome. Not sure how anyone does t think this kid is a player. Seems very obvious.

 

[RU82]

His tape seemed awesome. Not sure how anyone does t think this kid is a player. Seems very obvious.

Agreed. Crafty player who looks comfortable in traffic.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

For whatever the rankings are worth...expect this kid to keep bumping up ...bet he ends up in the 150-175 range when it’s all said and done

really like the player a lot...

 

[Newbrunfus]

What I love most about Jalen’s game from his tape is how well he uses his left hand and how fluid he moves. Excellent vision and court awareness plus nice jumper to boot. Great pickup by Pike with great upside just like when Geo came in.

 

[RUinFla]

From DC. Must be a late bloomer or would have expected a school from the Catholic League in nearby Maryland (De Matha, etc) to land him. Instead, he opts for a Catholic school in Cumberland in western Maryland. It is closer to Morgantown than it is to DC. But it is an entry to the talent-rich Washington-Baltimore area, which I had long hoped RU would be able to tap.

 

[dontestrond]

Kid is fast at going to the rim.

 

[Big boy stan]

@NewJerseyHawk I know last year you were really high on the 2022/23 point guard class. I would guess with the lack of summer ball that nothing has changed on that. How do you think Miller compares with them. Do you think Pike will try to grab a 2022 PG?

 

[ru_upstate]

View embedded media

Sorry if my question shows my age, but what is meant by “lab”? Is he working part time in a scientific or medical lab?

 

[Degaz-RU]

@NewJerseyHawk I know last year you were really high on the 2022/23 point guard class. I would guess with the lack of summer ball that nothing has changed on that. How do you think Miller compares with them. Do you think Pike will try to grab a 2022 PG?

Not Hawk, but we will absolutely be going hard after one or more of the top guards in the 2022 class, e.g. Corey Floyd, Mark Armstrong etc. It’s the best guard crop in the area in a long while, and we will have a deep need for guards for 2022.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

Kid is fast at going to the rim.

Yep... first thing I noticed.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Not Hawk, but we will absolutely be going hard after one or more of the top guards in the 2022 class, e.g. Corey Floyd, Mark Armstrong etc. It’s the best guard crop in the area in a long while, and we will have a deep need for guards for 2022.

I would imagine Miller means we probably still target 2 guards in 2022....my assumption is with Mathis, Caleb coming off scholarship by then and that being Mulcahys senior season, it would be Jaden Jones, Jalen Miller and Paul Mulcahy as your guards and Mawot Mag somewhere as a hybrid guard/forward. I would assume 2 guards at a minimum for 2022....I don't think there's a "point guard" over a guard in general......i would prefer a combo guard over a PG, and the guards mentioned like Jayden Pierre, Mark Armstrong are more combo guards to me.....Corey Floyd is just a guard/wing who just attacks.

Miller is a player who can play PG, but can provide shooting. Even the most dominant guards in recent seasons in the B1G (Purdues Carsen Edward's, Michigan State Cassius Winston), were able to handle the ball and generate their own space and shooting range, while being physically strong/sturdy enough to get to the basket and score through contact.

If you have Miller Jaden Jones, Mulcahy or whomever RU lands in 2022 ( i think there are legitimately 6 bona-fide known products as of now in our region), so I honestly don't think RU will be struggling to find guards who can develop.

The key IMO, is how well can we develop depth behind Ron Harper Jr with either Mag or Palmquist and whatever stretch PF lands with RU in the 2021 class. If that player can be a defensive player first, with ability to help close out on shooters from the wings and baseline, that would be ideal.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

https://www.si.com/college/recruiti...r-rutgers-bishop-walsh-scarlet-knights-commit

 

[Shell21]

I would imagine Miller means we probably still target 2 guards in 2022....my assumption is with Mathis, Caleb coming off scholarship by then and that being Mulcahys senior season, it would be Jaden Jones, Jalen Miller and Paul Mulcahy as your guards and Mawot Mag somewhere as a hybrid guard/forward. I would assume 2 guards at a minimum for 2022....I don't think there's a "point guard" over a guard in general......i would prefer a combo guard over a PG, and the guards mentioned like Jayden Pierre, Mark Armstrong are more combo guards to me.....Corey Floyd is just a guard/wing who just attacks.

Miller is a player who can play PG, but can provide shooting. Even the most dominant guards in recent seasons in the B1G (Purdues Carsen Edward's, Michigan State Cassius Winston), were able to handle the ball and generate their own space and shooting range, while being physically strong/sturdy enough to get to the basket and score through contact.

If you have Miller Jaden Jones, Mulcahy or whomever RU lands in 2022 ( i think there are legitimately 6 bona-fide known products as of now in our region), so I honestly don't think RU will be struggling to find guards who can develop.

The key IMO, is how well can we develop depth behind Ron Harper Jr with either Mag or Palmquist and whatever stretch PF lands with RU in the 2021 class. If that player can be a defensive player first, with ability to help close out on shooters from the wings and baseline, that would be ideal.

Hawk, what stretch power forwards do you think are available with the remaining 21 scholarship that we have a chance with ? I have been paying more attention to the pg situation than a wing or stretch 4.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Hawk, what stretch power forwards do you think are available with the remaining 21 scholarship that we have a chance with ? I have been paying more attention to the pg situation than a wing or stretch 4.

May be too early to know who may wind up as the target there...my guess is it will be a name we have connected with but not yet emerged to the front of the list.

 

[Russ Wood]

Without any spring evaluation or summer AAU,

There has been summer AAU. It hasn't resembled anything we've seen over the past 5-6 years but events have been happening.

 

[zebnatto]

There has been summer AAU. It hasn't resembled anything we've seen over the past 5-6 years but events have been happening.

Speaking of recruiting . . . . How’s Akoldah Gak’s (Sp) recruitment going?

 

[Russ Wood]

Speaking of recruiting . . . . How’s Akoldah Gak’s (Sp) recruitment going?

I'm not sure. Never spoken with him. He has solid offers tho.

 

[RutgersChow]

I would imagine Miller means we probably still target 2 guards in 2022....my assumption is with Mathis, Caleb coming off scholarship by then and that being Mulcahys senior season, it would be Jaden Jones, Jalen Miller and Paul Mulcahy as your guards and Mawot Mag somewhere as a hybrid guard/forward. I would assume 2 guards at a minimum for 2022....I don't think there's a "point guard" over a guard in general......i would prefer a combo guard over a PG, and the guards mentioned like Jayden Pierre, Mark Armstrong are more combo guards to me.....Corey Floyd is just a guard/wing who just attacks.

Miller is a player who can play PG, but can provide shooting. Even the most dominant guards in recent seasons in the B1G (Purdues Carsen Edward's, Michigan State Cassius Winston), were able to handle the ball and generate their own space and shooting range, while being physically strong/sturdy enough to get to the basket and score through contact.

If you have Miller Jaden Jones, Mulcahy or whomever RU lands in 2022 ( i think there are legitimately 6 bona-fide known products as of now in our region), so I honestly don't think RU will be struggling to find guards who can develop.

The key IMO, is how well can we develop depth behind Ron Harper Jr with either Mag or Palmquist and whatever stretch PF lands with RU in the 2021 class. If that player can be a defensive player first, with ability to help close out on shooters from the wings and baseline, that would be ideal.

I see Palmquist as someone who does more than just provide depth behind someone.

 

[Degaz-RU]

I would imagine Miller means we probably still target 2 guards in 2022....my assumption is with Mathis, Caleb coming off scholarship by then and that being Mulcahys senior season, it would be Jaden Jones, Jalen Miller and Paul Mulcahy as your guards and Mawot Mag somewhere as a hybrid guard/forward. I would assume 2 guards at a minimum for 2022....I don't think there's a "point guard" over a guard in general......i would prefer a combo guard over a PG, and the guards mentioned like Jayden Pierre, Mark Armstrong are more combo guards to me.....Corey Floyd is just a guard/wing who just attacks.

Miller is a player who can play PG, but can provide shooting. Even the most dominant guards in recent seasons in the B1G (Purdues Carsen Edward's, Michigan State Cassius Winston), were able to handle the ball and generate their own space and shooting range, while being physically strong/sturdy enough to get to the basket and score through contact.

If you have Miller Jaden Jones, Mulcahy or whomever RU lands in 2022 ( i think there are legitimately 6 bona-fide known products as of now in our region), so I honestly don't think RU will be struggling to find guards who can develop.

The key IMO, is how well can we develop depth behind Ron Harper Jr with either Mag or Palmquist and whatever stretch PF lands with RU in the 2021 class. If that player can be a defensive player first, with ability to help close out on shooters from the wings and baseline, that would be ideal.

I don’t view Jaden Jones as a guard. He’s 6-7 already, and can score anywhere on the floor (including being a really good shooter). I view him as a true WF.

But I agree we will need at least two “guards” for 2022.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

I don’t view Jaden Jones as a guard. He’s 6-7 already, and can score anywhere on the floor (including being a really good shooter). I view him as a true WF.

But I agree we will need at least two “guards” for 2022.

IMO...Jones would team up really well with Corey Floyd skill set as a 2/3 tandem. Floyd is a really a slasher that can shoot. Jones is really a shooter that can slash. Good complements..

and class of 2022 looks to be a complete team...5 to give and want to get one at each position

this is our roster that we are recruiting to add for 2022-2023

.PG-Mulchay (Sr)/Miller (So)
SG-jones (so)
SF-Mag (Jr)
PF-Palmquist (Jr)
C-Omouryi (Jr)/Reiber (Jr)

think we need a complete team in class of 2022...and one more stretch four in the class of 2021