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Jefferson's Wright picks Fordham, passes on Big East
By Zachary Braziller January 29, 2009
Joel (Air Jamaica) Wright dreamed of playing in the Big East one day. It seemed possible after the Thomas Jefferson boys’ basketball star broke out as one of the best sophomore forwards in the city last winter and enjoyed a breakout summer.
But he wanted a memorable college experience, too. Fordham of the Atlantic-10 guaranteed that. So he eschewed the chance to play in what many consider the best conference in the country for the Bronx school, verbally committing to the Rams Thursday afternoon despite their 3-15 record in a rebuilding year.
“They loved me,” he said. “They wanted me so bad.”
Providence and St. John’s also offered Wright, 18, scholarships and West Virginia, the alma mater of Jefferson coaches Lawrence Pollard and Seldon Jefferson, was interested. But Fordham gave him the opportunity to stay close to his Brooklyn home, where he lives with his mother, Diana Wilson, and join familiar faces such as freshman Jio Fontan, formerly of St. Anthony (N.J.), and 2009 commit Lance Brown of Paterson Catholic (N.J.) who Wright played with on the Metrohawks several years ago.
“I know a couple of the guys,” he said. “It feels good. Now I don’t have pressure on me. I can really settle down and play ball. I have a college I’m going to be attending. I can take my time and play well.”
Pollard expects the dynamic 6-foot-6 forward, who is averaging 25 points and 19 rebounds this year for the 14-6 Orange Wave, to eventually turn into an all-Atlantic-10 player.
“A lot of guys from New York City who went to the Big East transferred because they couldn’t make it there,” Pollard said. “The Big East is flooded with talent. Not to say he couldn’t compete or isn’t talented enough, which he is. But the Big East isn’t for everybody.”
“I told him,” the coach continued, “that at the end of the day the only advice you need is to go somewhere where they love you, not where they like you. Fordham put in the work, they got the guy they deserved. … It’s not where you go, it’s what you do where you’re at.”
Wright has blossomed into a star since coming to America at the age of 12 from Kingston, Jamaica. He got his start at Middle School 61, learning the game from Constantine Jean-Pierre, an assistant coach at Lincoln and the coach there. He eventually landed at Jefferson and broke into the starting lineup as a freshman.
He envisioned a career in the Big East, but quickly changed his mind when Fordham, particularly assistant coach Jared Grasso, kept showing up at his games. The family atmosphere coach Dereck Whittenburg promised and the opportunity to start right away intrigued him. It was similar to why he chose Jefferson.
“It felt,” he said, “like home.”
zbraziller@fiveborosports.com
But he wanted a memorable college experience, too. Fordham of the Atlantic-10 guaranteed that. So he eschewed the chance to play in what many consider the best conference in the country for the Bronx school, verbally committing to the Rams Thursday afternoon despite their 3-15 record in a rebuilding year.
“They loved me,” he said. “They wanted me so bad.”
Providence and St. John’s also offered Wright, 18, scholarships and West Virginia, the alma mater of Jefferson coaches Lawrence Pollard and Seldon Jefferson, was interested. But Fordham gave him the opportunity to stay close to his Brooklyn home, where he lives with his mother, Diana Wilson, and join familiar faces such as freshman Jio Fontan, formerly of St. Anthony (N.J.), and 2009 commit Lance Brown of Paterson Catholic (N.J.) who Wright played with on the Metrohawks several years ago.
“I know a couple of the guys,” he said. “It feels good. Now I don’t have pressure on me. I can really settle down and play ball. I have a college I’m going to be attending. I can take my time and play well.”
Pollard expects the dynamic 6-foot-6 forward, who is averaging 25 points and 19 rebounds this year for the 14-6 Orange Wave, to eventually turn into an all-Atlantic-10 player.
“A lot of guys from New York City who went to the Big East transferred because they couldn’t make it there,” Pollard said. “The Big East is flooded with talent. Not to say he couldn’t compete or isn’t talented enough, which he is. But the Big East isn’t for everybody.”
“I told him,” the coach continued, “that at the end of the day the only advice you need is to go somewhere where they love you, not where they like you. Fordham put in the work, they got the guy they deserved. … It’s not where you go, it’s what you do where you’re at.”
Wright has blossomed into a star since coming to America at the age of 12 from Kingston, Jamaica. He got his start at Middle School 61, learning the game from Constantine Jean-Pierre, an assistant coach at Lincoln and the coach there. He eventually landed at Jefferson and broke into the starting lineup as a freshman.
He envisioned a career in the Big East, but quickly changed his mind when Fordham, particularly assistant coach Jared Grasso, kept showing up at his games. The family atmosphere coach Dereck Whittenburg promised and the opportunity to start right away intrigued him. It was similar to why he chose Jefferson.
“It felt,” he said, “like home.”
zbraziller@fiveborosports.com