Unsigned Senior Spotlight: Jalen Bryant
In this article:
The year of 2021 continues and there is still no answer on if there will be a high school basketball season in Baltimore due to COVID restrictions. This has a ripple effect that expands much further than you can imagine, but one of the most important factors it impacts is the recruitment of the senior class. John Carroll senior point guard Jalen Bryant Jalen Bryant 5'11" | PG John Carroll | 2021 State MD was primed for a productive senior season after averaging 17 points, five rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals as a junior and helping lead the Patriots to a 21-11 overall record.
Bryant’s name began generating buzz after the high school season, but any chance of proving his worth on the AAU circuit was stripped from him when COVID really took its course. It forced the 5-foot-11 guard into unprecedented times.
“My spring and summer was definitely different because of the pandemic I was really quarantined until the beginning of May when I started going to Sweat Performance,” Bryant told Prep Hoops. “Then the East Coast Bump was getting runs in during the summer so I played in that. Other than that I was in the weight room trying to get stronger. At the the end of my junior year I was at 152 and now I’m at about 172. I increased my vertical by a couple inches as well, so really just focusing on being in the gym and doing two-a-days and stuff like that.”
I had the chance to see Bryant live this summer at East Coast Bump and it was clear he added size to his frame, which has brought other strengths to his game that he didn’t have prior.
“I’m way better at taking contact when I’m driving down the lane taking bumps and bruises and stuff like that. I feel like I have more control when those bumps come and I can stay balanced and on my feet more,” Bryant said.
Bryant has always been a sniper from deep, which naturally brings driving opportunities his way as defenders sprint to close out on him. He’s shown ability to finish in the painted area with craft to avoid shot blockers, but adding the needed size to take on contact was a must to translate at the college level. He still seems to have the same shiftiness about him despite picking up 20 pounds and Bryant credits it to his mixture of explosive workouts throughout his training.
John Carroll had the majority of their production from last season returning with Bryant being a major piece to their championship puzzle. Again, it remains unknown whether or not we will have any sort of season, but Bryant is staying ready.
“I think we’re ready to shock a lot of people this year. You know, my sophomore year we were one of the worst teams in the league and we really turned that around last year. People still weren’t believing in us after last year, still. We all have a chip on our shoulder and everyone got bigger, stronger, faster and more mature. As a senior I know I have to be more vocal. I know my teammates feed off the way I play, but if I’m more vocal it’s going to go that much further,” Bryant said.
On the recruiting front, Bryant has heard from programs at every level. Most recently, some Division I programs have become consistent callers.
“At the beginning of fall I was hearing a lot from Merrimack, Gannon and VMI. They aren’t offering at the moment with everything that COVID has brought and they won’t know what they really need. I’ll say over the past month or so I was hearing a lot from Army and then Mount St. Mary’s reached out a couple days ago just to check in.”
Does Bryant have a priority list in his college search?
“I want to play at the highest level. Division I. That’s the goal. I’ll definitely take Division II because all of these Division I’s have different plans but that’s a discussion that me and my parents have to sit down and have,” Bryant concluded.