Kinkaid forward Jaedon LeDee picks Ohio State during fall signing period.
Forward is latest in a growing line of area players bound for out-of-state programs
All Jaedon LeDee has to do is check the first game on the schedule for all the motivation he needs.
There lies Yates in the RCS Sports Season Opener on Saturday at the Campbell Center.
“When they told us that, that’s all I’ve really been thinking about,” the Kinkaid star forward said. “Every day, going hard. The first game, it’s definitely that time. It’s kill season. Whoever we play is going to get the same treatment no matter if we play them first or last.”
That kind of bravado is needed at the Season Opener — a showcase that matches the city’s best teams and best players against each other.
And LeDee is yet another bigtime basketball product from the Houston-area carrying that same swagger out of state, too.
He made it official with Ohio State by signing his national letter of intent on Wednesday.
One of the class jewels
For those who may miss Southwest Preparatory Conference basketball or the AAU circuit, LeDee is one of the jewels of this 2018 basketball class for Houston.
A 6-9, 230-pound athletic wing who can shoot and slash his way to the basket and pound the glass religiously, he has a chance to help bring Ohio State back to prominence.
“We wanted a home away from home,” LeDee said, referring to what led him to Buckeye country. “Once we knew that, we knew it was the right place to be.”
Houston’s best on the court keep getting better and the blue-chip programs from around the country keep noticing and making headway.
The in-state programs aren’t missing out by any means. North Shore’s Kerwin Roach, Yates’ Jacob Young, Aldine Davis’ Royce Hamm and Westfield’s Jase Febres are among the notables at Texas. Same is said for Alvin’s Savion Flagg, Cypress Woods’ JJ Caldwell and Cinco Ranch’s Jay Jay Chandler at Texas A&M.
Sooners land Bieniemy
But in the same breath, while LeDee signed with Ohio State on Wednesday, Tompkins forward Jamal Bieniemy signed with Oklahoma. The Sooners have Bellaire product Christian James and Seven Lakes product Kameron McGusty on the roster.
Miller Kopp, a 6-6, 200-pound forward from Houston Christian, signed with Northwestern. Jacobi Gordon from Fallbrook College Prep signed with Cal.
The biggest prize currently available is College Park’s Quentin Grimes — the state’s top overall player in most circles. He could very well do as some of his predecessors have done and choose Kentucky or Kansas.
Some of the city’s brightest stars have carried the Houston basketball reputation elsewhere. Cypress Lakes’ De’Aaron Fox enjoyed success at Kentucky before becoming a rising rookie with the Sacramento Kings.
In fact, it seems like Kentucky has a direct pipeline to Houston. Fort Bend Travis’ Aaron and Andrew Harrison picked the Wildcats before their NBA careers. Victory Prep’s Jarred Vanderbilt was the big fish last year. He’s currently at Kentucky.
St. John’s Justice Winslow went to Duke before landing with the Miami Heat. Tomball native Justin Jackson arrived with the Kings, too, by way of North Carolina and Homeschool Christian Youth Association.
Atascocita’s Carsen Edwards is coming off a wonder season as a freshman at Purdue.
LeDee believes he can put a bow on what’s been a special preps career and go on to have the same kind of success Houston’s recent hoops stars have had. He understands the increasingly strong legacy. LeDee played on the AAU circuit with Fox, who he calls a mentor of sorts. He played with Vanderbilt on the AAU circuit, too, on Houston Hoops as a sophomore.
Seeking best situation
LeDee believes there isn’t much correlation between Houston’s best hoopers choosing the blue-chip teams out of state. Only players wanting the best situation.
“If it’s best for them to stay in the state, they’ll stay in the state,” LeDee said. “If it’s best for them to leave the state, they’ll leave the state. Whatever helps you and your family get to where y’all need to get to.”
Kinkaid coach Larry Wilkins tends to agree with his star but says Houston-area talent landing elsewhere is more a sign of how much of a basketball hotbed the city continues to be — as nontraditional as it seems.
“I’m not sure if the rest of the nation realizes that but we’ve been very fortunate to have quality basketball players in this area,” Wilkins said. “It obviously helps everybody involved because it helps everybody elevate their game in order to compete.”