Healthy five-star junior Jalen Washington talks recruitment
Jalen Washington is a fighter. A consensus Top-20 prospect who has battled injuries but never settles for anything.
The 6-foot-9 forward out of Gary, Indiana, has faced setbacks over his first two high school seasons.
Washington played in his first game during his freshman year but would end up fracturing his shoulder which had him sidelined for months. He would only end up returning to play in five games after his shoulder injury but obviously, he lost the majority of his season.
Fast forward to his sophomore season, Washington catches another tough break. He tore his ACL and it would force him to miss the entirety of his second high school season. That would sideline Washington for one year, even dating back to this summer he was still rehabbing and recovering.
Now? Jalen Washington tells Stockrisers.com that he’s 100% and is ready to hit the ground running.
His trainer Sean Smith has been working with Washington and is very excited about the progress he’s been making this off-season.
“I am impressed by how mentally strong he has been through this process,” Smith told Stockrisers.com.
Scouting Report: Washington is a 6-foot-9 forward that obviously screams length. He’s a very long prospect that has tons of range on offense and can knock down the long-range three’s at an efficient rate. With his size and oozing potential, it allows Washington to be effective on the boards and a threat to score at the mid-range or the paint.
He discussed his recruitment, his game, and his return to the court with Stockrisers.com.
First and foremost, how are you feeling health-wise, and are you ready to play?
“I’m 100% healed from my ACL injury. I’m confident in my body but I’m still taking precautions to not have any more setbacks.
Now your recruitment, which schools are still heavily involved?
“All of them have been incredibly consistent with keeping in contact but just to name a few you’ve got Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State, and Louisville.”
Who’s the newest school in the mix?
“Illinois is the newest.”
You zoomed with them recently, correct?
“Yes. I had a zoom most recently with Illinois and it was great. They really went into great detail about their player development and I feel like that’s huge for me.”
What are your expectations this season?
“My expectations are to just get better overall and just get a better feel for the game because I haven’t played in about two years. Just reading the game better, playing hard, being a good teammate, and being confident are my goals and expectations.”