ST. GEORGE, UT - Sophomore point guard Jordan Ross was one of the top players at the Pangos All-Star Freshman/Sophomore Camp last weekend. He was the MVP of the Top 30 game and played well all weekend with his shifty moves in the lane and impressive passes in transition. Ross has focused on getting stronger during this quarantine break and work on his shot selection the last six months.
"I’ve been in the gym during this whole quarantine time just really trying to elevate my skill level and the biggest improvement to my game has been physically," Ross said. "I’ve put on 15 pounds since the high school season and I’m just working on getting stronger."
Ross received his first two major D1 offers last month after one of the first high school tournaments of the season. Utah and Washington State offered and there are a few other schools showing interest. He's also been in the gym with potential NBA first round draft pick Nico Mannion.
"The workouts with Nico were fun. There’s always some trash talking and good competition. I’m competitive, he’s competitive so it was good to be in the gym with him," Ross added.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
The 6-foot-1 point breaks down his recent offers from Utah and Washington State and is also seeing interest from Stanford, LSU, Wake Forest, Utah State and BYU.
UTAH: "I got the Utah offer a few weeks ago after coach (Larry) Krystkowiak saw me play. I like the program a lot. It’s in the Pac-12, close to home, great competition with UCLA, USC, Oregon and other schools."
WASHINGTON STATE: "I love Washington State. The coaching staff likes the control I have on offense and how I don’t necessarily try to force any plays and how I create for others."
STANFORD: "Coach (Adam) Cohen reached out and told me they’re going to be watching me closely. I really like Stanford too. Their message to me is just keep being aggressive and they want to see what I do this high school season."
BYU: "They're also close to home and a great program. They've had good guards come through like Yoeli Childs and the WCC is getting stronger each year with Gonzaga and other teams. They haven't offered yet but said they'd be watching me this season."
WHAT'S NEXT?
After his performance this past weekend, more schools will take notice of Ross and put him on their radar for 2023 guards. His passing is exceptional and he has a strong pick-and-roll game at the top of the key. Ross will have a somewhat normal high school season since Utah is not a restrictive COVID-19 state. He has plenty of time to navigate the recruitment process but isn't afraid to commit early if it's the right school.
"It all depends on the school, to be honest. If it’s the right fit, then I’ll commit early," Ross said.
RIVALS REACTION
There were 250 players at the Pangos West camp and with his consistency and poise, Ross is emerging as a guard to watch out west. Expect more Pac-12 schools to get involved in the next year for the rising point guard. The hometown school Utah might have the edge right now after getting in early but Stanford isn't far behind and academics are a priority at the next level as he maintains a 4.0 GPA. A Pac-12 school will be hard to beat but it's still too early to make any predictions for the young guard out of Utah.
