Four-star junior DJ Jefferson talks his busy recruitment
Hailing from Richardson, Texas is four-star prospect DJ Jefferson. The 6-foot-4 guard announced his intention to transfer to St. Paul (Minn.) Minnesota Preparatory Academy to complete his illustrious high school career.
The reason I used the word illustrious for a high school junior? Jefferson is an excellent athlete who prides himself on involving his teammates and making them unnoticeable IQ plays on the floor. He’s also a film junkie, clearly. Watching him this season, last week to be exact, Jefferson has such terrific vision on both ends, and his ability to read defenses has bolstered his scoring ability.
In a four-game tournament recently, he averaged 21 points per game, seven rebounds, and four assists. His ceiling and recent play on the floor have led to rising recruitment which includes many schools.
In addition, in the recent Grind Session tournament, Jefferson shot over 50% from the field and reeled in over 20+ points per game. Jefferson has asserted himself as a three-level scorer who also rebounds the ball really well.
He will give you consistency and efficiency, as his overall shooting percentage for the entire season stands at 56%.
Jefferson talked about his game, along with who’s involved with his recruitment, who’s new, and when he plans to cut his list and/or announce his college decision with Stockrisers.com in a sit-down.
Which programs are heavily involved in your recruitment?
“Nearly every school that has offered me is still heavily in the mix (Creighton, Iowa State, Georgetown, Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Oregon, etc.).”
Who are your newest interests to enter the mix?
“My newest interests are UConn, USC, Nebraska, and Minnesota.”
Creighton has been involved for quite some time, thoughts on them?
“Creighton is having a really great year and they’ve been in contact nearly every day. They have a great offense and talk about how my scoring abilities would fit them as well. They also develop pros and think I can be one of those guys.”
How about out West in the Pac-12? Arizona State has been on you hard.
“Arizona State plays fast and says I’m similar to Josh Christopher, who’s having a good freshman year. They think I can come in and be an immediate impact on the wing.”
And how about a program like Iowa State, where do things stand?
“Iowa State is struggling this year but Coach Prohm develops pros and thinks I can be one of those guys. They see me coming in and making an impact immediately if I choose to attend there.”
How have you been able to evolve your game to the level you’re playing at?
“I’m a completely different player this semester than I’ve ever been. I’m just becoming a better defender every day and my offensive game is getting more complete every day as I continue to watch film and work on mastering my craft.”
Areas of improvement?
“I want to improve all aspects of my game and continue to get better overall.”
Next steps?
“I want to start trimming my list this summer and commit before my senior year starts so I can play freely and focus on winning The Grind Session World Championship.”