Bosco Institute G/F Jaziah Harper explains why Maryland was the quick pick

Ahmed Ghafir
1 day ago
3 min read

For Bosco Institute guard/forward Jaziah Harper, putting a bow on a year-long recruitment ended in celebration and appreciation around his family and friends on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m so grateful. I’m so blessed,” Harper said.

Two weeks after assistant Steve Roccaforte extended an offer to the 6-foot-7 wing, making Maryland the second Big Ten offer after Indiana under the previous Hoosier staff, the Illinois native became the 13th addition on the 2025-26 roster after he announced his commitment to Maryland, the school he was leaning toward since it became an option.

“We’ve been talking but they’ve known a little bit but it’s been recent, all been happening pretty much this week,” Harper added.

The two sides worked out visit dates for the Illinois native to check out College Park but with the midweek dead period looming, coupled with players beginning to report to campus within the next week, Harper knew he was ultimately trending toward decision time. It helped that there were others in his circle who had relationships with the Terps’ new staff.

“My mentor/boss just knowing Buzz for so long, too, and following Buzz,” head coach Niko Panousis said. “Obviously this year at Texas A&M he had a guy that I had a relationship with in Jace Carter, an under-the-radar guy who instilled Buzz’s culture.”

Behind the relationships that his coaches have with Buzz Williams, Harper did his own research to get comfortable with Maryland as the player development resonated with the projected three-star.

“I heard a lot about the coach. I’ve done my research about them and how winning they are, so having the opportunity to play for that coach means a lot. Winning, a lot of player development, everything along those lines. So I’m just ready to get up there, develop and become the best player that coach [Steve Roccaforte] sees me as,” Harper added.

The quick relationships that Harper built with the newest Terps helped solidify his decision.

“Just the way everything came about. Even the players reaching out to him like ‘hey man, we’re excited’ in the groupchat, getting ready to work,” Panousis added. “He’s been in contact, played against [Maryland signee] Darius Adams the past few years and I know he’s going to there too. So I think having that instant gratification of hey there’s a kid I was playing against, we kind of talked between all of this and I already know someone there already. Just the whole staff, from assistants, coach Roc as well, just making it all very comfortable for them.”

Harper will arrive in College Park later this week ahead of his redshirt season, where he’ll look to add “at least 20 pounds of weight.”

“Just improve my shooting, my ball handling, my defense and then just inherit more of a winning attitude. Just becoming a winner around this special group of guys,” Harper said ahead of year one.

Panousis pointed to Harper’s upside on the defensive end ahead of year one.

“He’s already kind of instilled this – just be an everyday guy on both sides of the court. With the defensive end, you see in the modern day a lot of kids emphasize offense, offense, offense. He definitely has those tools but I think on the defensive side, he hasn’t reached his full potential just being that elite defender with his athleticism. Almost like a Jimmy Butler-type – blocking shots, locking down, being able to guard multiple positions. With this year of help and getting his body together, having those resources at Maryland will just get him ready. Stronger to extend other positions to play and even just guard in general.”

“He has a lot of potential, huge upside. Buzz has a lot of success with these types of players,” Panousis added.

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