Already one of the most heavily recruited players in the class of 2020, five-star forward Jaemyn Brakefield has seen things take off since college coaches could begin making direct contact in mid June.
With size, athleticism and big-time scoring ability from inside and outside, Brakefield is the ideal big man for the current age of basketball and it shows in the offers.
Since the middle of the month he's added offers from Oklahoma State, Ohio State, West Virginia, Kansas, Mississippi State, Xavier, Cal, Florida, Florida State and Alabama among others. They join UCLA, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Illinois, UNLV, Wake Forest, Georgetown, South Carolina, Baylor and Houston, who have already offered.
While they haven't offered yet, Kentucky and Michigan are among the others who have been involved.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Brakefield is still very early in his recruitment and just starting to form relationships with coaches, especially all of those who have offered in the past few weeks. He spoke about where things stand with a few of the schools that he's been able to get to know for a bit more than a few weeks.
Ole Miss: “The old staff, I didn’t really talk to them that much. Now they just make me feel important and they just gave me some inside stuff on the new coaching staff and what they have done at other stops in the past.”
Kentucky: “They just tell me to keep working and that they’ll be watching. They like what I do but want to see me some more.”
UCLA: “They stay in touch with me a lot. I call them and they want to get me out there and visit.”
RIVALS' REACTION, WHAT'S NEXT?
Already one of the most heavily recruited players in 2020, things will only get crazier for Brakefield from here on out. The class of 2020 is becoming an increasingly important class for top end programs with the growing likelihood that the NBA will end the one-and-done rule for the class of 2021 and not 2020 as the feel had been for the last few months.
There are no leaders yet and no rush to squeeze in a bunch of visits. Instead, Brakefield is focused on developing his skill and doing the early work in finding a program and coach that will push him.
“A school that is going to push me beyond basketball. Not somebody who is going to tell me I’m good but somebody who is going to really push me.”
