Four-star forward RJ Jones set to decide on Monday
RJ Jones is fully aware that his mental state is a bit atypical at this stage in the recruitment process, but from the beginning he was dead set on keeping his sanity throughout.
On Monday at 6 p.m. ET, Jones will announce whether Florida or Virginia Tech will earn his commitment and despite feeling the customary pressure in the 11th hour, Jones maintains that he’s “still having fun with it.”
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“I never wanted to be stressed out and worried because I know that a lot of guys get to that point,” said Jones, a forward who is ranked No. 67 overall in the Rivals150. “I just look at it like, no matter what, I’m in a position that most players don’t get to be in, so I’m thankful to have these options.”
Earlier this week, Jones cut LSU, Miami, Xavier, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Louisville from his list, leaving the Gators and the Hokies to duke it out.
That move makes sense as those were the only two programs to host the versatile 6-foot-9 forward on an official visit.
“I enjoyed both visits,” Jones said. “I would say that Florida and Virginia Tech have kept in touch with me the most throughout the past two years, so just to get down there and see all that the campus had to offer was really cool. It’s a tough decision, but I always knew that it would be tough.”
This past summer, Jones dominated the PUMA The PRO16 and NXT League, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game to lead Team Judah Nation.
Jones thrived as the offensive catalyst all summer, where he used his quickness and agility to out-maneuver slower bigs on the low block and elite footwork to score in a variety of different ways.
To that end, he was clear on his desire to be in a system that runs their offense through their forwards and allows freedom to operate and make decisions in the paint.
“I’m not a guy who has to have the ball every time, but I want to be somewhere where the coaches trust me to make decisions out there and where I can use my full skill set,” Jones said. “I’m doing a lot of prayer to be honest. It’s a big decision, but this is what I’ve worked for ever since I started playing ball. Every player wants to earn big scholarships so they can get closer to all of our ultimate goals, which is the NBA. I know it will be a big load off my shoulders when I finally announce; then I’ll be able to focus on taking my game to the next level even more.”