6-foot-5 7th-grader gets D-I hoops offers from OSU, UK, more
COLUMBUS, Ohio (BVM) 鈥� Jayden McClain is a 6-foot-5 seventh-grade girls basketball player who already holds multiple Division-I college basketball offers.聽
The middle schooler鈥檚 first verbal D-I offer was secured in early October from the By late October, she received an offer from head women鈥檚 basketball coach Sam Purcell. The head women鈥檚 coach at followed with an offer in November. Now McClain is closing out 2023 with recent offers from the and also from head coach Kyra Elzy.聽
Here are the rules for recruiting that are specific to young basketball players, according to :听
鈥淚f the coach is truly interested in that recruit, they can extend a verbal scholarship offer. A verbal offer is a non-legally binding scholarship offer, and college coaches can extend verbal offers to a recruit of any age. It鈥檚 essentially a way for the coach to say, 鈥業鈥檓 reserving a spot on my team for you.鈥� However, because verbal offers aren鈥檛 legally binding, coaches 鈥� and athletes 鈥� can back out of them at any point.
McClain is attracting national attention at a young age because in Kentucky. 1.5 points and 4.2 rebounds for the Raiders who are so far this season.聽
鈥淓lite shooting for a D-I post at all three levels,鈥� wrote Thomas More University鈥檚 assistant coach about McClain鈥檚 talents. 鈥淟egitimate three-level scorer. Elite shot blocker. Excellent height and elite length for a D-I post. Anticipates extremely well. Excellent offensive rebounder and finisher at the rim. Excellent screener. Runs the floor well in transition on both ends.鈥澛�
Class of 2029 6鈥�5 Jayden McClain shoutout / video credits to for the video from gybc circuit
— Samantha A McClain (@SMcClain24)
鈥淏locking shots come to me most (naturally) because of my height,鈥� 鈥淚 like defense more than offense.鈥澛�
Overall, McClain is expected to be a top storyline by the time her senior season rolls around in 2029. She is currently ranked by Elite48 Worldwide as the for her class behind who holds one D-I offer from Texas A&M.聽
