Iona lands three-star center Trey James
Rick Pitino has never struggled to succeed on the recruiting trial which has continued during his early days as the head coach at Iona. After constructing his roster for the upcoming season, Pitino landed arguably his biggest pick-up yet since taking over the MAAC program on Friday thanks to the commitment of Trey James.
“Iona just felt like the best fit and thought it’d be the best situation for me,” James told Rivals.com. “Playing for Coach (Rick) Pitino has always been a dream and it’s great to have this opportunity.”
A former Wake Forest recruit that backed off his commitment following the coaching change this spring, James quickly became a must-get for Iona. He chose the Gaels over Appalachian State and Iowa, though a bevy of regional high-majors were beginning to show interest. Sitting as a quality three-star prospect in the frontcourt, James comes in as the 39th best center in America.
James is not an overly explosive athlete but does get up and down the floor decently. He has soft hands on the glass that, along with quality timing and instincts, can impact both sides of the boards. Capable of scoring over his left shoulder in the post, can play some facing the basket, and act as a solid defensive stopper at the goal, James should make an early mark at Iona.
A Kentucky native that grew up a fan of Pitino’s dating back to his time overseeing the nearby Louisville program, James is a tremendous haul for the Gaels. He should immediately stabilize its frontcourt from day one and be someone that is built around as a central ingredient for future success in New Rochelle.