What Edgerrin Jizzle James commitment means for Cincinnatis basketball program -

CINCINNATI — Wes Miller and the Cincinnati Bearcats landed a commitment from Edgerrin “Jizzle” James Jr., a four-star point guard out of Orlando’s Olympia High School in the 2023 recruiting class.

He announced his decision via social media on Tuesday evening. He is ranked 53rd overall in the 2023 class according to the 247Sports Composite rating and is ninth among point guards.

James took an official visit to Cincinnati during the weekend of Sept. 23-25, attending the UC football game against Indiana on Sept. 24 with fellow four-star target Arrinten Page. James joins Rayvon Griffith, a Cincinnati native and 2023 four-star wing who announced his commitment to the Bearcats in May.

“It’s just about fit. (Jizzle) developed a great relationship with the head coach as well as the assistants, but it was his relationship with Coach Wes that I think sealed the deal for him,” said Steven Reece, who has coached James with the grassroots program Florida Rebels since James was in middle school. “He liked the environment (on his visit), the culture, the guys on the team. He felt like it was a family atmosphere.”

Adding James to the program gives Miller a tough, athletic ball-handling option as the Bearcats are set to join the Big 12. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder is quick and strong, with the ability to play in transition, get downhill to the rim and defend. He has a consistent mid-range jumper, is working on his 3-point shot and has shown an increasing ability to create as a lead guard.

“Jizzle is all work. He didn’t come to us as a polished kid. He’s gotten better every year, and he’s seeing that the work is paying off,” Reece said. “This year on the EYBL (Nike grassroots circuit), he showed he can also play-make for others. In high school there were games where he scored 30, 40 points playing on the biggest stage. The step he took at EYBL (this summer) was being able to create for his teammates. Through about 75 percent of EYBL he was in the top three in assists.”

#Bearcats MBB lands a commitment from 4-star PG Jizzle James.
⁰James, son of NFL HoFer Edgerrin James, joins Rayvon Griffith to give Cincinnati a pair of top-55 commits in the 2023 class. Head coach Wes Miller and assistant Chad Dollar led the recruitment for James. https://t.co/yJNAoEYrxg

— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) October 5, 2022

The Bearcats offered James in May and have prioritized him for months, with Miller and recently promoted associate head coach Chad Dollar leading the recruitment. James has the potential to be the type of two-way guard Miller covets as a player who can push the pace in transition, attack the paint on offense and apply suffocating full-court pressure on defense.

“The coaching staff, Coach Dollar has done an unbelievable job recruiting him. They were at every game (on the grassroots circuit),” Reece said. “And I think Wes is an incredible hire for the city of Cincinnati and the Bearcats. Wes has done a good job building that relationship with Jizzle.”

Reece, a Cincinnati native, describes James as fitting “that retro Cincinnati Bearcats persona” from the Bob Huggins era, a mentality Reece attributed to James’ father, NFL Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James.

“It all stems from his dad. His dad is a Hall of Famer but he was a blue-collar, hard-nosed guy too,” Reece said. “His dad doesn’t get in the way, and he’s all about work. Low key. He pulls no punches with his kids.”

James’ commitment comes as Miller and the Bearcats continue to pursue five-star Isaiah Collier, the top-rated point guard in 2023 and teammate of Page at Georgia’s Wheeler High School. Sources confirmed that the Cincinnati staff would love to add James and Collier to the class (which is hardly surprising) and that the coaches believe the two could definitely play together.

Last week, at a news conference to mark the start of preseason practice for the 2022-23 season, Miller talked about his current roster about his preference to have multiple, capable ball-handlers on the roster and even on the floor at the same.

“The one thing you always want on a roster is ball handling and decision making,” Miller said. “You always want four guys you feel can play point guard.”

Reece said prior to James’ official visit that the Bearcats recruiting Collier simultaneously was not an issue for James, stating: “It don’t bother him. Isaiah is a super talent, but Jizzle don’t get caught up in that. He feels like the work is going to show, and if he do what he’s supposed to do, they could both play together. That’s his mentality.”

Collier recently announced a commitment date of Nov. 16 and a top four of Cincinnati, Michigan, UCLA and USC. Wheeler head coach Larry Thompson said that surrounding talent will factor heavily into Collier’s decision.

“When he makes his decision, he’s making it based on who has the roster and pieces in place to help him and the team be successful,” Thompson said. “It’s a very mature decision that he’s going to make in terms of not caring as much about himself, but the whole totality of a program and team.”

Page is expected to make his decision in the coming days, having visited USC after his trip to Cincinnati.

Paired with Griffith, James’ commitment gives Cincinnati two four-star, top-55 prospects in the 2023 class, both of whom would currently rate as top-10 Bearcats recruits in the 247Sports Composite era.

“He’s an extremely hard worker and a winner. The kid just wants to win,” Reece said. “He’s a great teammate and a great leader.”

(Photo courtesy of Jizzle James / @thejizzlejames)

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