Recruiting Report: Julien Wooden (2019)
Jack Herron
The season didn’t end the way that Roanoke powerhouse Northside wanted, being upset in the state semifinals by Western Albemarle after making the state championship last season, but it was a breakout year for the area’s most intriguing prospect in junior wing Julien Wooden.
After making a name for himself as a sophomore last year, Wooden took the reigns for a Northside team that returned all of its starting lineup from lat year before Ferrrum commit Shey Webb was sidelined with a knee injury. Wooden stepped up, leading Northside to an undefeated season before the state semifinals.
Despite all of his success over the last two seasons, Wooden is getting more nibbles than bites from division one colleges. Holds offers three offers from University of Richmond, Hampton University and Radford, and has seen interest expressed to him from Virginia Tech, Temple, George Mason and Liberty, among others.
At 6’6” with long arms and quick and explosive leaping ability, Wooden’s ability to play and guard multiple positions is evident from the first time you see him. He has a good nose for the basketball, thrives in transition, and rebounds well for a wing. His production level has picked up over the past few seasons, and he’s ready to show this summer some of the things that coaches have questioned of him in the past.
“I want to show that I can shoot the basketball more,” Wooden said. “I can do a little bit of everything but I think showing that will really help.”
Wooden is slated to run for Team Loaded VA again this summer, and he’s trying to show that he can do a little bit of everything when he’s given the opportunity to do so. As for what he wants coaches to know about him, it’s simple, he wants to work and he wants to win.
“I’m a hard working dude that will do anything to win. I’m just looking for a good place where I fit in with a good coaching staff I can relate to.”
Expect Wooden to continue to increase his recruitment beyond those three schools, and take it from me, he’s one of the best gems in the western part of the state that we’ve seen in a long time.
