Twenty-six. That’s how many offers George Mason Men’s Basketball has given out to the high school class of 2019. At first, I thought that was a lot for just one year until I looked around to the other schools in the Atlantic 10 and found that the University of Massachusetts has FORTY-SIX offers open for the same class. However, the number of offers is beside the point, obviously, the quality of those offers is what will ultimately make a great recruiting class.
From that list of twenty-six, I pulled out my top recruits. These players would not only make great additions to Mason’s lineup but would also be potential replacements for when the seniors finish their career in the green and gold. The prospect players that have made this list were selected both based on the strength of mutual interest between the player and Mason as well as what they could bring to the table to create a more balanced team suited for making a run at an A-10 Championship.
Let’s get it started.
Disclaimer: All of the rankings below are from 247sports.com unless otherwise noted.
* denotes that the player has made an unofficial visit to Mason.
Commitments
Point Guard:
Xavier Johnson – The 14th ranked player in the state of Virginia checks in at 6-3 and 170 pounds. In a tweet on Septemeber 22nd, Johnson committed to play at Mason to continue his basketball career. In his highlights, he shows his ability to drive through the lane and make the easy two. It’s obvious that he is a great two-way guard, who also isn’t afraid to take control of the game. With his passing ability and smooth jump shot, he will definitely make a great addition to the Mason line-up.
Power Forward:
Josh Oduro* – Standing at 6-8 this Paul VI player is rated a 2-star prospect by ESPN. In a tweet on August 19th, Oduro committed to play in the land of green and gold for his collegiate career. Back on June 17, 2016, Josh took an unofficial visit to George Mason University, and I guess you could say we made a good impression. His highlights on Youtube show that it takes a lot to stop him from going to the basket, he’s great at creating space to shoot his jump shot, and that he is a good defender that reads the play well. For a more in-depth article, check out our article on Oduro here.
Prospects
Hot = Strong Mutual Interest
Warm = Medium Mutual Interest
Cold = Weak Mutual Interest
Hot
Jahmir Young* – PG – Standing at 6-0 and just north of 160 pounds, this point guard from DeMatha High School is rated the 3rd best prospect in the state of Maryland and the 177th best player in the nation. From a tweet on August 16th, Young made an unofficial visit to Mason, showing a strong interest, however, based on a tweet from Sept. 28, George Mason missed the cut for Young’s final five. Based on his highlight reel, Young shows off his great defensive and passing abilities. This guy seems to also be able to shoot the ball from anywhere behind the arc and is not afraid to drive in for an easy bucket. Young fits the bill of an all-around PG and could have possibly filled the shoes of senior Livingston II.
Warm
Gerald Drumgoole, Jr. – SG – This 6-5 shooting guard from Rochester, New York, is ranked as the fifth best player in NY. Weighing in at almost 200 pounds, Drumgoole Jr. is a football and basketball beast. Drumgoole fits the mold of a Dave Paulsen guard who rebounds exceptionally well for their size, a la Marquise Moore or Jaire Grayer. Drumgoole Jr’s explosive speed catches defensive players off guard, allowing him to slip right by for the easy layup. In his highlight reel, Drumgoole Jr. shows off his great sense of awareness in addition to his ability to find passing lanes and ways to the basket, all of these should not be overlooked.
Cold
No cold offers at this time.
Feel free to check out the other prospects Mason has given offers, but I did not list above.
Prospect page links below:
PG:
SG:
SF:
PF:
Out of Contention Players
PG:
Jalen Gaffney, 6-2, 3-star, UCONN
Tyler Bertram, 6-4, 3-star, Charlotte
Caleb Mills, 6-3, 2-star, Houston
Jalen Benjamin, 5-11, 2-star, UAB
Noah Fernandes, 6-0, 3-star, Wichita State
Mika Adams-Woods, 6-2, 3-star, Nebraska
SF:
Yavuz Gultekin, 6-7, 2-star, Uncommitted
Kamari Williams, 6-7, 2-star, Boston College
Toumani Camara, 6-6, 2-star, Georgia
Robbie Beran, 6-8, 2-star, Northwestern
Julien Wooden, 6-6, 2-star, JMU
Michael Christmas, 6-6, 3-star*, JMU
PF:
Robert Jones, 6-10, 2-star, Denver
C:
Brian ‘B.J.’ Mack II, 6-7, 3-star, USF
Qudus Wahab, 6-10, 4-star, Uncommitted
No matter where these players end-up, they’ll make great additions to any team. However, if they come to Mason, they would be on track to make a strong run for the A-10 Championship. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they find a way to the land of the green and gold.
This will be updated as need be.
