Four-star guard Jamie Kaiser committed to Maryland roughly six weeks ago, but it’s been just over one month since he settled into IMG Academy for his senior season. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard is taking full advantage of the added facilities and chance to evolve ahead of college.
“It’s really nice. The weather is always nice, we’re training all the time so I really love it out here,” Kaiser told Inside the Black and Gold. “We only go to school until about 11:15 [AM] then we go to lunch then start working out around one o’clock and get out the gym around 5:30, 6. Third or fourth period is basketball and lifting then you’ve got practice afterward so we’re always in the gym compared to other places.”
Kaiser became arguably the fastest rising prospect in the country thanks to his play through the live periods this summer. Point Guard Eyes credited his frame and “increasingly polished three-point scorer” who excels from the perimeter, while Kaiser flashed his bounce at the UA Next Elite 24. Kaiser shot 6-for-9 for 15 points to go along with four assists, six rebounds in 14 minutes but he knows where he wants to grow this season.
“I really want to get more comfortable in that mid-range area because I shoot the three ball pretty well and I can get to the cup really when I want to but really protecting that midrange area and mastering that. Especially at my size and position, I feel like I kind of take advantage of mismatches and different settings of the game to get to my spots.”
The bulk of Kaiser’s summer was spent on the circuit and taking official visits and though he’s able to take five as a senior, his schedule likely won’t make that possible. That made his visit this past weekend even more enjoyable as he was able to reconnect with his future coaches and teammates. “It was pretty fun. Went to tailgate, talk with the coaches, talked with Jahn [Lamothe] and Deshawn [Harris-Smith] then they had Mo [Dioubte] and Papa [Kante] up there so we were kind of just taking it in then we went to the football game, too.”
Kaiser even got a chance to soak in the fanbase. “I feel so great. I feel like it’s a weight off my shoulders and I feel all the support from all the fans who were at the game and tailgate. There were a lot of fans asking for pictures and stuff and it was just reassuring to me that I picked the right school.”
After Kaiser committed, Paul VI (VA) four-star guard Deshawn Harris-Smith became the third verbal in Maryland’s 2023 class to give head coach Kevin Willard a consensus top-25 class. For Kaiser, that decision hit home as a longtime friend and competitor will suit up alongside him at the next level. “It’s always good to see them. I’ve known DeShawn for a while now, we hang outside of basketball too and Jahn, I hadn’t talked to him in a minute face-to-face, but I always text him, but it was great to chop it up with him,” Kaiser added. “It’s real exciting because sometimes you don’t know how well it’s going to work out. It’s fun, it’s a dream so just talking to him day by day, I was just so excited they got that done.”
Kaiser got a chance to pitch into Maryland’s recruiting efforts for both Kante and Dioubate.
“They were at the tailgate with us, lots of people. We were just letting them know that we want a five-man class and that they were going to be a huge part of it. And that they’re the next priorities.”
Kaiser is rated a four-star prospect and a 95 overall by On3, sitting as the 37th-best prospect nationally.
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