VCU Offers Local 2018 Stockriser
The exit of Shaka Smart three years ago was painful for VCU nation because not only did they lose their coach who had taken them to the Final Four, but they also lost the best recruiting class in school history. One of those kids was Top 100 wing Kenny Williams, who eventually committed to UNC.
While Ram Nation went on to experience plenty of success in the two years with Will Wade before he left for LSU, again before a huge class was supposed to come in, they never really put the emphasis on recruiting the local guys the way Smart did.
Well just a few months into the job, new Head Coach Mike Rhoades seems to be putting an emphasis on recruiting Richmond again with his latest offer. Monday night, the new head man at VCU officially offered Jason Wade of Trinity Episcopal.
Wade, who grew up in Hanover County just outside of Richmond, describes it as a dream come true.
“Ever since I was young playing in AAU tournaments at the Siegel Center, I’ve always viewed VCU basketball as a big deal and a cool and fun place to watch and play basketball,” Wade said. “I feel like VCU basketball truly is the heart of the city.”
Wade led Trinity Episcopal to their second state championship in school history last season. The 6’5” combo guard started to draw attention from division one schools during his last year at Hanover, and it only grew at Trinity where he showed he can run a winning team and play against the best competition.
Wade’s style of play in an uptempo system led TES to the VISAA Division 1 State Championship.Ranked #7 in the latest Vantage Hoops Rankings, Wade hasn’t pulled the big name offers that many believe he should have despite starting on a Boo Williams team that is 10-2 in the EYBL. He holds offers from 11 schools, including two A-10 schools in UMASS and La Salle, and a few in state mid majors such as ODU and JMU.
While those schools have seen great success in the past, none have the national recognition or success in March that VCU has had. When asked how he felt about the local school being the first tournament team from last year to offer him, how did you expect him to respond?
“It feels great! Knowing I now have the opportunity to play at a school like VCU and a city like Richmond where basketball is so loved, it is very exciting.”
Not only is Wade a good fit because he’s a local kid, he’s also the perfect fit for the style of play the Rams have become known for. He’s one of the best on ball defenders in the state, and he’s a strong, athletic player that has good feel and gets up and down. This is something VCU fans should be even more excited about, because Wade knows this better than anyone.
“I think I would fit in perfectly there! I get after it defensively and get out in transition and that fits the style of play of Coach Rhoades.’
There’s still a lot of time in the summer, and both Wade and the VCU staff are planning on weighing their options, but it’s hard for VCU nation not to be excited about this one.