Prospect Update: AJ Coons (2020)
When it comes to football and basketball talents in Iowa, very few are a better combo athelte than Solon’s AJ Coons.
The 6-foot-4 guard is currently three games into his junior season with the Solon football team, and is playing well as one of the state’s premier wide-receivers.
He’s also been working plenty since his sophomore season ended to make sure he stays one of the state’s best basketball players, too.
“I’ve been really working on trying to develop those guard skills because in the past I’ve been more of a guard/forward, but now I’m just kind of making that transition into just being a guard,” said Coons. “So handling the ball against pressure, making better passes and better decisions. And being able to guard the guard position.”
Coons has been working to develop that guard skill-set while running with one of the state’s premier 16U squads, Iowa Barnstormers. He says he took on a bit of a different role this season with the team.
“We added (Nebraska-commit) Donovan Williams and he was able to score a lot for us, him and Bowen (Born). So, my role really shifted a lot from the year before,” he said. “I ended up having to guard a lot of different positions. I was just trying to be a team player with that different role, and be more of a glue guy than I was accustomed to doing in year’s past.”
He’ll finish out his fall with the Spartans football team. And then will return to the hardwood where he’ll look to establish himself as one of the state’s best overall hoops prospects.
“Being a sophomore, you’re one of the younger guys on the team. And this year I’ll have more of a leadership role, and I’ll lead rather than be led. And I think that’s about all that will change this year,” said Coons. “I’m looking forward to it.”
With his junior year on the horizon and a big 17U summer to follow, Coons is a guy that could be looking at some serious recruitment coming his way over the next 12 months. It’s already off to a decent start, both his football, and basketball recruitment.
“I was talking to UNI a little bit earlier in the summer, and I went to their camp. And I was talking to Miami of Ohio and I went to their camp. So, I’m in contact with both those schools,” said Coons.
“For football, Iowa State has been talking to me and I’m going to the Oklahoma game this weekend for an unofficial visit.”
He added: “As far as picking basketball or football, it just kind of depends on what’s going to be a better fit for me moving forward to the next level. But I love playing both sports.”