Bruce Guy Jr. felt it was best to commit to Iona
It wasn’t necessarily for Bruce Guy Jr. to make a college decision before the early signing period next month, but he did it anyway.
“I wanted to make it now because I felt like it was the best decision for me and for my family,” Guy said. “I felt like it was the right time.”
Guy announced his commitment to Iona Monday evening via Twitter, a week after taking an official visit to the school. The Gaels’ coaching staff showed Guy and his family a lot of love when they were on campus. The staff made Guy feel comfortable about the situation he’s going to walk into.
Most importantly, Iona’s staff didn’t paint this big glamour picture to Guy. They were honest about how they want to use him in the rotation in 2019. Guy wasn’t promised he was going to start or play right away as a true freshman. He realizes nothing will be given to him, and he has to prove himself all over again at the next level in his basketball career.
“They told me if I put in the work, I will play,” Guy said. “They want to see me work and get better, and they felt like this would be the program for me to work and get better at.”
Luckily for the Gaels, they’re getting a versatile basketball player that can space the floor. Guy can score from the outside. He has improved on his mid-range since he’s been at Cordova High School. At 6-foot-5, Guy plays physical and attacks the glass. He was told by the staff that he will play positions 1-3.
“Today is a position less game so whichever position they put me in, I’m going to be ready,” Guy said.
Coaches from programs such as Ole Miss, Murray State, SMU, Virginia Tech, Memphis, and MTSU were interested in Guy’s services, and other high school basketball players in Guy’s position would have jumped at the chance to play for a big Division 1 basketball program. But Guy wanted to take another route, to show people that playing at a big name school doesn’t guarantee you will be successful.
“The name of the school, and how big it is never matters. It’s all about the work you put in, and the player that you are,” said Guy, who used Portland Trailblazers all-star point guard Damian Lillard’s experience at Weber State University as a prime example. Lillard was a two-time Big Sky Player of the Year winner for the Wildcats during his four-year career with the program.
With his commitment out of the way, Guy is focused on helping the Wolfpack win a state championship. He will joined by senior forward Julian Hibbler and senior guard Andrew Millen, and a talented group of sophomores, which features guards RJ Seals, Bryson Potts, and Calvin Jennings.