Perez believes MU will be a good fit
Marquette newcomer Jose Perez has always found a way to get to the next level.
When Perez graduated from Wings Academy in New York in 2017, he had only a couple scholarship offers to play NCAA Division I basketball.
So Perez went to prep school for a year at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, hoping to attract more attention. The 6-foot-5 guard landed at mid-major Gardner-Webb, where he averaged 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists over two seasons.
When Perez decided to transfer, he had well over 30 high-major coaches reach out. Perez chose MU, where he will have two seasons of eligibility.
“The people there are just great,” Perez said. “So I feel like I picked the right school.”
With in-person visits halted because of the coronavirus pandemic, Perez committed to MU sight unseen. He is home in New York, waiting until students can return to campus.
“I feel like I’m taking my game to the next step,” he said. “I’ve been working out every day. Still have gym access. Been running the track. Feel like I’m going to be ready when the time comes.”
Here is a closer look at Perez:
Background
Perez was born and raised in the Bronx, not far from Yankee Stadium.
“I was always a baseball player,” Perez said. “I started playing basketball at 14.”
His hoops education took off when he hooked up with the AAU powerhouse team PSA Cardinals. Program director Terrance “Munch” Williams became a mentor to Perez.
Perez’s parents are from the Dominican Republic. Perez played for that country’s U17 and U18 junior national basketball teams alongside St. John’s standout L.J. Figueroa.
How will he fit in at MU?
During the recruiting process, Perez developed a quick bond with MU head coach Steve Wojciechowski and assistant Dwayne Killings.
“They were calling me twice a day,” Perez said. “You’re talking to somebody twice a day, in a 10-30 minute span, you get to know them really fast. They were asking me questions and I would ask questions back. It clicked right off the rip.”
Perez also strongly considered Georgia Tech, Memphis, Illinois and Iowa State.
“I felt like in the long run, let’s say five to seven years from now, I feel like Coach DK and Woj would still have my back,” Perez said.
Perez said the MU staff saw him as a versatile player like Sacar Anim, who was a valuable glue guy over his final three seasons with the Golden Eagles.
“Play-make, shoot, put it on the floor, make my teammates better,” Perez said. “Dive on the floor. Take a charge. Guard the best player on the other team.”
Perez has already been in touch with all the players on next season’s roster.
“The way we bond in the chat is we post a picture of what we’re doing,” Perez said. “So when we work out, we post a picture to encourage one another.”
Offensive scouting report
Perez’s game doesn’t rely on speed, but his rhythm seems to knock defenders off balance. He had 19 points in a first-round loss to eventual national champion Virginia in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
“People call me ‘Slow-Mo,’ “he said. “I’m just a player who picks his spots. I like getting to my spots, whether it’s off the post, off the dribble, off the screen.”
Perez’s assist rate – the percentage of field goals made by his team while he was on the floor – jumped from 18.9 as a freshman at Gardner-Webb to 24.1 as a sophomore.
“Everybody calls me a better passer than what I think I am,” he said. “Very good playmaker. I see plays two plays ahead.”
Perez’s three-point shooting dipped to 25% as a sophomore after he connected on 38.1% his freshman season.
“Started trying to expand my game and went away from shooting the threeball in my workouts,” Perez said. “I feel like that affected it. But I’m including that in my workouts more and more.”
Defensive scouting report
Going from the Big South to the Big East will be a challenge. The caliber of athlete Perez will have to guard is higher. His defensive numbers at GardnerWebb were modest (0.8 steals and 0.2 blocks per game), but Perez has good length and some feistiness.
“I communicate well with my teammates,” he said. “So I feed off that energy. I consider myself like a (Golden State Warriors big man) Draymond Green. I can guard somebody 1-4, maybe 5 depending on the matchup if they’re playing small-ball.
“Just being able to read the offensive scheme. Like I read what they’re going to do just because I watch so much film so I know what’s coming.”
When will Perez be able play?
A proposed NCAA rule change to allow immediate eligibility for transfers was tabled until January, meaning Perez will have to seek a waiver to play next season.
“We really haven’t approached any of that yet,” Perez said.
“If I have to sit out, if that’s what they think is best for me, that’s fine. Getting a waiver and producing right away, that would be fine.”
What would Perez work on during a redshirt season?
“There’s always room for improvement on and off the court,” he said. “Just building relationships and learning the system.
“If you learn the system and you come in that next year, I’ll be like 22. I’ll be a grown man, so I’ll have a little advantage.”