One of the top NCAA Basketball prospects out of the state of Texas is Jalen Shelley, a four-star true wing from Frisco. He currently plays his high school ball in Missouri at the prestigious Link Academy. He’s 6’8 and over 180 pounds and is an elite athlete that has two-way potential.
Shelley is a capable shooter that thrives in transition but is a good playmaker as well. He’s a top-50 caliber recruit that has gotten plenty of interest among the power conference programs. And now, there are just eight teams in the mix.
Here’s a look at how Shelley fits with each of the eight programs involved.
NEWS: 2024 Top-50 prospect Jalen Shelley tells me he’s down to eight schools.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) July 17, 2023
The 6-8 wing is in the midst of planning five visits: https://t.co/lS0IXz7bZS pic.twitter.com/6rIRpwlsDY
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks had a similar wing of size last season in Jordan Walsh, who was selected in the past NBA Draft. The team doesn’t have a true wing on the roster this season, with incoming transfers, Jeremiah Davenport and Khalif Battle, set to play at those positions. Those two have just one year left so there’s plenty of potential playing time available for Shelley.
Colorado Buffaloes
The starting small forward for Colorado next season is Cody Williams, a five-star prospect and ranked in the top-5 overall. He’s very likely gone after next season, which would leave things open for Shelley the year after. It’ll be interesting to see the development of Williams next season as it could open up a pipeline for future prospects such as Shelley if done well.
Houston Cougars
Houston has been using three-guard lineups while in the AAC but now in the Big 12, there’s a need for more size at the three-spot to compete against the top teams in NCAA Basketball. LJ Cryer, Damian Dunn, and Jamal Shead are all entering their 4th years and could leave so it’s important to have top prospects like Shelley potentially waiting in the wings for the roster in the year after.
Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals have landed several top-100 wings in the past couple of years, including incoming freshmen, Kaleb Gleen and Curtis Williams Jr. Plus, Mike James, one of the long bright spots on last year’s rosters, is back as well. There’s a fairly big logjam for Louisville on the wings with players with multiple years left so it’s hard to see a viable path for Shelley.
LSU Tigers
LSU has been after multiple forwards in the 2024 class to boost the wing position. Vanderbilt transfer Jordan Wright has only one year left and Tyrell Ward and Derek Fountain may not be long-term options for the program. The program isn’t far from where Shelley is from and immediate minutes will be there if that’s a key part of his priorities.
Marquette Golden Eagles
The Eagles have a ton of returning talent, all entering their 4th years. Kam Jones, Tyler Kolek, and Stevie Mitchell could either come back for the 2024-25 or not, which would affect any path for early playing time. Plus, the team already has a pair of four-star commits in the 2024 class in Royce Parham and Damarius Owens. In the end, they may focus on adding another ball-handler or big man in the coming months.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State’s lone commit in the 2024 class right now is John Mobley Jr., a four-star ball-handler. They could get a win but there’s a logjam to consider. Even with Jamison Battle leaving after next season, the Buckeyes still has both Devin Royal and Scotty Middleton, a pair of top-60 incoming freshman. If one of them were to go pro, then Shelley could be a rotational piece when he arrives.
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies are another intriguing local option for Shelley if he wants to stay close to home. They’re on the rise after nearly winning the SEC last season and should be a top-25 team for the upcoming campaign. Plus, both Tyrece Radford and Eli Lawrence only have one year left of eligibility.
The problem is that Texas A&M has already done work in the 2024 class. Among the first three commitments includes Rob Dockery and George Turkson, a pair of four-star small forwards. So it just doesn’t make sense to see the program adding another wing, even though Shelley is a good prospect to want to take.