NCAA Basketball: Examining schools pursuing 2021 4-star Jahmai Mashack
2021 prospect Jahmai Mashack is starting to hear from a lot of high major programs.
Top 100 junior Jahmai Mashack has drawn a lot of attention, but scholarship offers are just starting to roll in. The Rancho Cucamonga native made
several trips to UCLA this past season
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“They are great, Mashack told Rivals. “I pride myself on being a great defender, and they are known for their defense.”
Mashock currently holds eight scholarship offers, with Arizona being the latest as the Wildcats made an overture on April 15. He also has offers from Cal Poly, Colorado, Liberty, Oklahoma, Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara, and Utah. The 6-4 shooting guard has received all the offers in the last month except for UC Santa Barbara and Pepperdine, both of whom offered at the beginning of March. Additionally, Cal, Kansas, Loyola Marymount, Oregon State, Gonzaga Stanford, Texas, and Texas Tech have shown interest.
The Etiwanda High School product, who suffered an injury during this past summer, is a lockdown defender who can create offense off of his defense. He thrives in transition and slashing to the rim. Mashack has also shown potential as a shot-creator and playmaker as well as in pick-n-roll situations.
The four-star prospect is ranked between No 76-81 in the class of 2021 by 247Sports and Rivals. However, ESPN does not have him listed in their rankings.
Mashack spoke to 247Sports’ Josh Gershon, last August, about what he is looking for in a school.
"“I do want to go to a place with coaches who appreciate what I bring. Since I do a lot of things that don’t always show up in the stats, I feel like the coaches who have called and talked about those things value me as a player. That will be important to me.I want to work in basketball after I finish playing, so a school that has programs and coaches who can help with that as well.Also, a school that helps players develop. I know I still have a lot of room to grow. Certain schools get top players who don’t really improve but there are some schools where players really seem to develop.”"
Colorado, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Utah are reportedly showing a lot of interest in Masack. But it is expected that he will attract a lot more offers and attention. So, don’t expect him to make a college decision anytime soon. Maschack has not scheduled any visits but said back in February that he knows that he wants to visit Oklahoma and UCLA will also get a lot of consideration.
Here is a look at some of the schools that have shown interest in him
Colorado: Colorado has been keeping in touch with Mashack regularly, he told Adam Munsterteiger of 247Sports.
"“Colorado has an amazing, amazing staff. I like having conversations with them. They have a great, great program from what I have seen. I haven’t been able to take a visit there, but the pictures I have seen of their campus are amazing with beautiful scenery. I like the area around the school with the town of Boulder right there, and their coaches are great. Their coaches are all together like one voice, and they are really honest and straight to the point with me, which is great. It is exactly what I would want from a coaching staff. They have let me know they want me.”"
Colorado will lose starting point guard McKinley Wright IV and reserve guard Maddox Daniels after this upcoming season. However, the Buffaloes have brought in three-star Dominque Clifford and 6-8 wing Luke O’Brien as part of the 2020 class. The Buffs currently have one firm commitment from the class of 2021 in 7-0 center Lawson Lovering.
Oklahoma: Mashack had a virtual visit with Oklahoma recently. The Sooners will lose starting point guard Austin Reeves and reserve guard Alondes Williams after the upcoming campaign. OU did bring in three-star shooting guard Trey Phipps along with transfers Elijah Harkless and Umoja Gibson. Both players will have to sit out the 2020-21 season and will have two years of eligibility left. Harkless is from Mashack’s hometown of Rancho Cucamonga and played at Etiwanda.
“Oklahoma has probably been on me the hardest, Mashack told Dan McDonald of Rivals. “They’re an amazing program. Coach [Lon] Kruger has talked to me a couple times, and he’s an easy guy to talk to. He has a lot of experience and is nothing but honest with me, which is great. Coach [Carlin] Hartman has built a relationship with not just me but my parents as well. Their facility is nice, and they have a lot to offer.
Utah: “With Utah, I have talked to the head coach [Larry Krystkowiak] a lot, and he has talked to my parents,” Maschack said. “He is great, as well. He knows how to keep a conversation going, and he is honest with everything that he does. They love me and what I can do on defense and being all over the court, knowing that I am still growing as a player. I haven’t gotten to see their campus yet, but I do plan to take a visit there in the future to see their campus.”
Utah is very young and loaded at guard with Rylan Jones being among the top returnees in 2020 and the Utes have brought in four-star shooting guard Ian Martinez as part of their 2020 recruiting class. However, Alfonso Plummer will graduate after the completion of the season, and Both Gach is currently testing the NBA waters, so who knows what will happen.
Arizona: There is still a lot of uncertainty with the Wildcats roster in 2020-21. But Machack’s older brother Kwasi Mashack played defensive back for the Wildcats’ football team from 2014-17.
UCLA: Mashak says he communicates with UCLA a lot. “I love coach [Mick] Cronin,” he told Evan Daniels of 247Sports. “I look at his interviews every time after the game just to see what his thoughts are on the game. He really priorities toughness and defense, which is what I pride myself on.”
The Bruins still have some work to solidify their 2020-21 roster, although Cronin has already brought in Kentucky transfer Johnny Juzang and 2020 point guard Daishen Nix as well as 6-5 wing Jaylen Clark. Clark is a former high school teammate of Mashack. Additionally, UCLA has a verbal commitment from 2021 point guard Will McClendon.
Next. Head coaches on hot seat for 2020-21. dark
Cal: Mashack says Cal texts him daily. While the Bears 2020-21 roster is still influx, grad transfer Ryan Betley will have exhausted his eligibility after this year, leaving just Matt Bradley and along with Joel Brown, who struggled this past year, as well as incoming 2020 three-star shooting guard Jalen Celestine in the backcourt. Plus, Maschack’s mom graduated from Cal.