Class of ’23 wing Ross commits to UConn
Jayden Ross, a 6-foot-7, Class of 2023 wing from Virginia, has committed to the UConn men’s basketball team.
Ross, who attends St. James School in Sharpsburg, Md., chose the Huskies over Virginia Tech, Temple, Penn State and George Mason. DePaul, Boston College and Iona also showed interest.
“I feel awesome,” he told Hearst Connecticut Media on Monday. “I took a lot of time, had a lot of good schools recruiting me. I feel great about my decision. I feel like I made the right one, that this will be the best one for me.”
Ross is rated as the No. 136 recruit in the nation in his class by 247Sports.com, and No. 27 among small forwards.
“I feel like offensively, I’m a three-level scorer,” he said. “I can play whatever role they need me to win. I’d say I’m a good team player, a good teammate. I’ll do whatever’s necessary to win games and benefits the team. I can shoot. Defensively, I can use my athleticism and length to my advantage. They just see a lot of potential in me.
Ross has sprouted up about nine inches since his freshman year.
UConn head coach Dan Hurley has said that the team was looking at players with upside to fill the 12th and, potentially, 13th scholarships on this upcoming season’s roster.
That’s led to speculation that Ross could reclassify to 2022 and join the Huskies for this season, as Corey Floyd Jr. (who has since transferred to Providence) did last season. Incoming freshman Alex Karaban also reclassified and spent the second half of the season with the Huskies, but like Floyd did not play.
However, Ross said he is only looking to transfer to a new high school next year — likely either Long Island Lutheran (LuHi) or Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He plans to attend school with his brother Jacob, a 2025 recruit.
As for a reclass?
“No, probably not. That’s something we talked about. I just don’t feel like it’s the best option for me right now.”
Ross took an official visit to UConn two weeks ago. He is UConn’s second 2023 commit, joining Stephon Castle, a 6-6 guard from Atlanta.