There have been some underwhelming performances this season by George Mason, but none of them are A.J. Wilson.
Wilson, a redshirt sophomore, has been thriving this season and perhaps is the best front court option on the roster. Coming off of the bench in all 11 contest this season, Wilson has 24 blocks (2.18 blocks per game). A high mark for a guy that has averaged under 14 minutes of playing time a game.
Even with the limited time and spot in the regular rotation, Wilson has his goals set high in 2018.
“[This season], I definitely want to break the single-season record and by the time I graduate from here I definitely want to be at least top ten,” Wilson told Giantkiller.
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Top ten on the all-time records shouldn’t be to hard to reach for Wilson. Jalen Jenkins currently sits at 10th with 90 blocks in his career. At his pace, Wilson, 58 blocks in a year and a half, will be right around that mark at season’s end.
On pace for 67 blocks in 2018-19, Wilson still has a good way to go this year for the single-season mark. The record, set by George Evans in the 1998-99 season, stands at 77.
It would require Wilson to increase his blocking rate to 2.48 blocks per game. A postseason run could help as well, as Evans’ team won the CAA Championship and made the NCAA Tournament back in 1999.
There is reason to be optimistic that Wilson can get up to that level. For the past month, the 6-7 forward has been forced to wear a facial mask due to a hit he took from his teammate Goanar Mar.
“I [gave Goanar a hard time] the first couple of days, but we’ve kind of moved past it. It’s kind of a joking matter now,” Wilson said. “It’s definitely challenging playing with [a mask] because it’s kind of like a vision restriction, as far as being able to see out of my peripherals and stuff. I just got to embrace it and wear it as long as I have to wear it and once I get done with it just get back to playing how I’ve been playing.”
Before Wilson had to deal with the mask, he averaged 20 mpg, 9.3 ppg and (most importantly) 3.75 bpg.
With the mask his numbers dipped to 10.2 mpg, 2.2 mpg and 1.33 bpg.
That mask is history now. Against James Madison, Wilson was playing without the mask for the first time in six games. In seven minutes he had four points, four rebounds and a block while battling foul trouble.
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His lower production though, hasn’t let him stop him though from playing his role on this Patriot roster.
“Everybody knows that Justin [Kier], Otis [Livingston II], Jaire [Grayer] and those guys are the captains, but I’m more so behind the scenes, quieter. I take some of the guys off to the side and talk to them off to the side and let them know what’s up and how to approach certain situations,” Wilson said. “[I do it] at any moment that I feel that leadership, outside of our main leaders, is needed.”
If Wilson is able to return to his early season numbers, the fact that he has not started a single game in his career might change relatively soon. The post continues to be a place where Mason has struggled this season.
His rebounding ability, 6.0 rpg before the mask, was second-best on the team. More of that will be needed as Mason is 11th in the Atlantic 10 in terms of rebounds per game.
But, at least at face value, Wilson is not concerned about his minutes on the court.
“Whatever lineup goes best with who’s going to get us the win at that time, even if I’m not in the game then that’s my favorite lineup,” Wilson said. “Whatever gets us a win.”
George Mason (5-6) hosts Navy (3-6) at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
