Stanford gets top recruit in nation
The Stanford women’s basketball team doesn’t play again until Sunday at Gonzaga, but the Cardinal pulled off a huge win Wednesday nonetheless.
They landed the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Haley Jones of Mitty.
After landing the fifthranked recruiting class in 2017 and the No. 10 class this year, Stanford will have the No. 2 class next fall, behind only South Carolina. The addition of Jones bumped the Cardinal up from No. 4.
“She’s very versatile; she can play ‘1’ through ‘4,’ ” head coach Tara VanDerveer said. “She has really good vision, takes the ball to the basket and is an excellent passer. She rebounds, defends and has really good instincts. She’s a team player, too, very unselfish. She really wants to win.”
VanDerveer likened her to Nicole Powell, a three-time
All-American at Stanford (2000-04). “She’s big, can pass and play multiple positions,” she said.
Jones, who is 6-foot-1, is the first No. 1 prospect to sign with Stanford since Chiney Ogwumike in November 2009. Ogwumike was an All-American at Stanford and the first overall pick in the 2014 WNBA draft. She is a power forward for the Connecticut Sun.
Next year’s group, ranked second nationally by espnW HoopGurls, also includes Fran Belibi of Aurora, Colo., Hannah Jump of Los Altos Hills and Ashten Prechtel of Colorado Springs.
To make the future even brighter for Stanford, the second-ranked recruit for 2020, 6-4 post player Cameron Brink of Portland, Ore., already verbally has committed to Stanford. She plays on the same club team as Jones and Jump.
The influx of talent makes it clear that, after 32 seasons at Stanford and 39 years as a head coach, VanDerveer isn’t about to retire anytime soon.
“That’s safe to say,” she said. “I’ve very energized and very excited.”
Jones said her decision was about more than basketball. “The education I’ll receive, the larger university community I’ll be a part of and everything Stanford offers off the court were opportunities I couldn’t pass up.”
It was believed that her final choice was between Stanford and Connecticut, although Notre Dame was also in the hunt and Oregon made a late charge.
She had come to a basketball camp at Stanford when she was 10, and that long familiarity apparently aided the Cardinal in recruiting her.
“She’s been on our radar since she was a very young player,” VanDerveer said, adding that her current players really wanted to add Jones. “I’ve never seen such buy-in of wanting a (high school) player from parents and players. Everyone wanted her at Stanford. She’s a very special young lady.”
Clay Kallam, national girls basketball editor for MaxPreps, said geography probably played a large role in Jones’ decision. “Would you rather go a thousand miles away or 45 minutes up the road?” he said.
Jones averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a junior at Mitty and was named California Gatorade Player of the Year.
Last summer, she won a gold medal with the U.S. at the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Belarus, playing with Belibi. Jones was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
Kelly Sopak, who coached Jones, Jump and Brink on the Cal Stars club team, said Jones “is one of the most complete players to come out of Northern California in a long time. She’s the complete package.
“The best part about her, and it’s an understated thing, is she’s one of the best teammates you could have. She’s always helping the other players and giving them encouragement.”
The Stars went 51-1 two years ago but lost seven games last summer when Jones and Brink were with Team USA.