Five-star junior AJ Casey Jr. updates his recruitment
Peers in his area call him a ‘generational’ talent, that is the expectation of five-star junior AJ Casey Jr. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks this past season but the five-star prospect will not return to Tinley Park. According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, the dynamic forward will attend another high school next season.
This hasn’t and will not change the busy recruitment of the big man. Casey Jr. told Stockrisers.com that he is being pursued by “Illinois, Gonzaga, DePaul, Ohio State, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Kansas, and Purdue.”
In an update with Casey Jr. that was taken on August 27th, he said that he’s talked with Michigan’s Juwan Howard, Gonzaga’s Rodger Powell, and Illinois’ Chin Coleman. Although, he said he’s been in touch with pretty much all the programs that have offered him and have shown serious interest.
He adds that the newest program that’s in the mix in his recruitment is Ohio State. The Buckeyes hosted Casey Jr. and his family for a zoom call on August 25th. Chris Holtmann and his staff would end up extending an offer to him and have instantly entered the mix along with plenty of their Big Ten opponents.
Another program in the Big Ten making a push at Casey Jr. is none other than Illinois. The hometown school, the local program, has been making a major push at him. Stockrisers.com had the report that Brad Underwood completed a zoom call on the evening of August 26th
“[each coach] They love my athletic ability, the versatility in my game, my jump shot, defense and looking to play as a wing and be a positionless player,” Casey Jr. said.
Despite having pretty much the same schools in the mix and not much shift in his recruitment, I expect more programs to take a look at Casey Jr. He is a special talent ranked amongst the Top-25 prospects in the class of 2022. If blue blood programs entered the mix it wouldn’t be any type of surprise for me.
Casey Jr. has no timetable to cut his list and/or make any type of college decision.