The Portal: CJ Felder becoming a hot commodity in the portal
In 2018, I stumbled into a gym in New Jersey where I was preparing to watch a Grassroots basketball tournament.
I watched the Upward Stars play. The team consisted of four-star recruit Christian Brown and a young Bryce McGowens, who eventually became a five-star prospect. Then there was this freak of nature, dominating on both ends, major athletes had all the intangibles at the five.
His name is CJ Felder.
Felder was a prominent part of the Boston College roster since he stepped foot on campus. His goal headed into college was to prove his worth but also develop each and every season, and oh boy, he did that.
In season one, Felder averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game. One year later, this season, he was able to make major leaps and nearly improved in every statistical category. He finished this season averaging 13.5 points per game and over eight rebounds per 40 minutes of game action which is a significant leap in itself.
We reported Felder entering the portal just days back and we knew at an instant that this would be a name to draw tons of suitors instantly and that’s exactly what has happened here over the last few games.
Plenty of programs are in hot pursuit of the former ACC standout and he discussed his full transfer recruitment process with Stockrisers.com.
So who has reached out to you since you entered the portal?
“UConn, Florida, Xavier, LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, St.Bonaventure, Murray State, Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia, and a few others.”
How about zooms? You’ve had some but what are the upcoming ones?
“I've got zooms planned with Texas A&M again, I got Clemson tomorrow, Cincinnati on Saturday, Ole Miss, my second one with Florida, Texas Tech, and Arkansas zoom date is in the works but coming soon.”
You zoomed with Texas A&M, how did that go, and your overall thoughts?
“The zoom went great. I think I have a great relationship with Buzz and the staff and they really believe in me. They’re definitely one of the schools going the hardest for me with one assistant coach and Buzz himself doing most of the recruiting. They’re definitely making a great impression on me.”
How about your zoom with Florida? What were the pitch and your thoughts?
“Florida is also another school that’s pushing hard for me. One assistant and head coach Mike White are basically leading the recruiting themselves. I really like the campus and facilities they have along with the play style and location. The Gators are also coming off of a postseason bid so that’s a big plus for them as well.”
And your first zoom was with Xavier’s staff, how did that one finish?
“Xavier has also left a great impression on me. They’re going all out as well. Coach Jonas and Steele are leading that recruitment. Before Xavier, I and Coach Jonas had a previous relationship from his prior school so that familiarity is definitely something that I look at as a positive. Their facilities and staff are definitely up there with the best of them which really intrigues me. I like their player development as well.”
Where do things stand as far as a commitment timeline?
“I’m looking at having a firm decision made within the next couple of weeks. Gives me time to field out all the offers, but at the same time, I don’t want to drag it out any longer than it has to be.”
Breakdown your game.
“I believe my game is based on versatility and athleticism. I can do many things on the court at a high level while also being able to play defense with the better of them in the country. Shooting is a skill I had not previously had but I took a big jump this year and plan to keep going in that direction. I had a pretty good year this year, but I know that I’m nowhere near scratching the surface, so a lot can be expected of me in the future.”
Are you fully healthy?
“Currently I am completely healthy with no lingering injuries. With the year we’ve all been through I’m just blessed to be able to say that.”