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Writer's pictureAhmed Ghafir

Jamie Kaiser to Maryland: How It Happened, What it Means, What's Next

How it happened…four-star guard/forward Jamie Kaiser, the former football and basketball star has now ended a recruitment that began with several questions, first being which sport he would play. Ironically, it was Maryland who became the first Power Five offer for Kaiser on the gridiron and had he opted for football, Kaiser would have long committed to the Terps to become the second quarterback in the 2023 class. But the underlying desire to play and focus on basketball shifted his focus in the spring, leading to several Power Five schools to gradually offer. Maryland assistant David Cox began tracking Kaiser early in his high school career, giving Maryland an ‘in’ from the beginning and when the staff offered back on May 16, the Terps immediately became a prominent contender. From Kaiser’s perspective, gaining comfort with the University of Maryland itself was never as much of a focus as was learning about his fit and style of play heading into year one under head coach Kevin Willard. That’s why Kaiser opted for a one-day official back on June 8, pushing Maryland to the top even with Virginia and Wisconsin in strong pursuit. After the official, Kaiser’s father spent time gathering feedback from those close to Willard and some who played under Willard to ensure the pitch matched the results. Meanwhile, the staff remained in consistent contact with Kaiser’s mother to build a tight-knit bond in an effort that was driven by the entire staff, including Willard. The consistency and effort positioned Kaiser to become a Terp at the end of June with the staff very confident in their chances of landing the dynamic 6-foot-6 guard/forward, but after shining during the live period, new schools like UCLA, Kentucky and Auburn were among the schools to begin showing interest which prompted Kaiser and his family to remain patient to see what unfolds next. That didn’t deter Maryland, who were front and center for Kaiser at the DMV Live at DeMatha and live periods through July. With Wisconsin then Virginia the initial early challengers to Maryland, suitors shifted through the summer and a July official to Indiana vaulted the Hoosiers into the second spot. But with new schools showing interest and a looming desire to visit more schools, the question remained: when would Kaiser officially announce? Established relationships played a big role in Kaiser’s decision to pull the trigger on a late summer decision. Outside of his recruitment, roughly 13 schools were working to get Kaiser on board for his senior season before the four-star and his family opted for IMG Academy. “That’s where we felt he’d develop best just with the coaching staff and facilities,” Kaiser Sr. told Inside the Black and Gold last week. With Kaiser set to move into IMG on August 21, Maryland then turned to getting him on campus one last time to see just when Kaiser would make his decision which led to he and his dad making the short trip to campus last Thursday. After roughly two hours on campus where the two got a chance to watch film and analyze his role in Willard’s style, the decision had been made to play his college ball at the University of Maryland and thus giving Willard and the staff a second key piece in the backcourt alongside St. Frances guard Jahnathan Lamothe.

What it means…With Kaiser in the fold, he fills the role of a versatile guard/wing in Maryland’s 2023 class. During Maryland’s push to land the highly talented IMG transfer, Kaiser got a chance to watch film with Willard and get an in-depth understanding of how he could help them win. “More like a 2 or 3, an interchangeable guard that can play on the wing too because they got Jahnathan Lamothe, and they’re like you guys are interchangeable, can play off guard, small forward even for me,” Kaiser added.

While Lamothe fits the role of a combo guard, Kaiser fits the role of a wing with guard traits, making him a versatile piece in Willard's backcourt. After making the decision to stick with basketball, arguably no prospect in the country saw their stock rise as much as Kaiser did over the summer. A big-bodied backcourt option, Kaiser’s size and athleticism makes him a capable slasher at the rim but has also shown he has the handles and improved outside touch to create his own shot at all three levels, whether it's off ball screens or stand up jumpers. Kaiser also showed during the live periods and DMV Live at DeMatha that he uses his physicality to his advantage to crash the boards, a trait coveted by Maryland. His football background accentuates his toughness in the paint and is reason why he's an efficient slashing guard. Switching back and forth between the wing and two-guard positions will work to Kaiser’s benefit because it will allow him to become more versatile on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he can use his length and size to guard bigger players and capitalize on mismatches offensively and his IQ and feel for the game positions him for steals turning into easy buckets on the fastbreak.

Another trait frequently heard surrounding Kaiser’s rise was his dedication to practice and his craft, part of the reason why the initial trip to UCLA never came to fruition. Kaiser’s character and dedication to improving his game is a big reason why he’s considered to have such a high ceiling.

What’s next…with Kaiser on board and two of Maryland’s five spots in the 2023 class secured, all eyes turn to Paul VI (VA) four-star guard DeShawn Harris-Smith, who is targeting a late August decision. The local priority included Indiana, Maryland, Penn State, Villanova and Xavier in his final five but confidence isn’t high with the Hoosiers and Xavier added four-star point guard Trey Green on Saturday. Penn State was the initial program frequently mentioned for Harris-Smith with the staff after him longer than his remaining finalists, but this is shaping up to be a Maryland-Villanova battle with assistant Tony Skinn leading the charge for the Terps. It helps that Maryland has a pair of friends in Kaiser and Lamothe in the fold, that Willard is emphasizing his need for local talent and that his mom is a supporter of Harris-Smith staying closer to home at the next level. Another bonus that gives Maryland a good chance is their decision to recruit Harris-Smith as a point guard, something that Villanova isn’t doing but is open to. But the Team Takeover product comes from a program with strong Villanova connections as the two teams battle it out in the ensuing weeks. Maryland’s frontcourt will likely take the longest to settle as they remain in pursuit of big men Mike Nwoko and Papa Kante, but backcourt could be settled heading into the new school year. Harris-Smith is worth keeping close tabs on as Willard and the staff work the close. Harris-Smith and four-star guard Elmarko Jackson are the priorities in the backcourt given both can run the point, but Harris-Smith's imminent timeline gives the staff a chance to run full steam ahead. Nonetheless, the addition of Kaiser only bolsters Maryland's recruiting efforts for Harris-Smith as they work to close. Maryland's staff, including head coach Kevin Willard, have been in constant contact with the family but for now, the local four-star is listed as WARM on the big board but could be a mover to WARMER shortly.

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