Madison Prep junior Jarrell Martin doesn’t mind the attention he gets as a big-time college basketball recruit.
He also doesn’t pay any attention to it.
“Focusing on everything can be tough, but my schoolwork comes first right now,” said Martin. “After I take care of the books, then I can play basketball. I’m barely looking at colleges right now.”
Colleges are definitely looking at him.
The 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward has made a name for himself in the last year as Louisiana’s premier 2013 recruit and one of the most coveted players in the South.
Despite only one year of varsity basketball under his belt, Martin is a unanimous four-star prospect and attracting the attention of power programs as far away as Arizona and Georgetown.
“The big draw about Jarrell is he’s a growing power forward, but he has the skills of a three with his dribbling and mid-range shooting,” said ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep.
The hype ramped up last summer, when Martin threw down a highlight-reel between-the-legs dunk with the New Orleans Elite AAU squad during the Las Vegas Fab 48 tournament.
He was academically ineligible for his freshman year before transferring to Madison Prep – a three-year-old charter school located in north Baton Rouge - where he sat out the 2010-11 season.
Martin roared onto the Louisiana scene this spring, averaging 19.5 points and 13 rebounds per game while leading the upstart Chargers to an undefeated district record and the Top 28 as a junior.
Madison coach Jeff Jones said Martin’s inexperience means he’s just scratching the surface with his skills.
“He never took basketball that serious until the last few years,” Jones said. “Jarrell’s a low-key kid, anyway, and he actually liked football better. He kind of outgrew football.”
Teammates and coaches say they’re especially impressed with the junior’s demeanor, on and off the floor.
“He’s a humble kid and hard-working,” Jones said. “Jarrell’s definitely not the norm for the type of athlete he is. He doesn’t react to the recruiting because he’s self-driven.”
According to Jones, “60 or 70” schools are actively recruiting Martin, who declined to list his top schools but has been spotted around town wearing Oklahoma State gear.
Jones said the two talked recently and narrowed down potential programs, specifically mentioning Louisville,
Baylor, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and LSU.
With new coach Johnny Jones arriving at LSU, the Tigers’ recruiting expectations are on the rise. While Martin admitted that he doesn’t know much about the new coach, he said LSU is still on his radar after the hiring.
“I definitely like to play fast,” Martin said in reference to Jones’ reputation as an offensive coach. “I have talked to Coach (Johnny) Jones once. I liked him.”
Telep believes Martin’s rapid ascent to recruiting acclaim may help LSU to potentially land the combo forward.
“It’s a unique circumstance,” Telep said. “His recruitment isn’t so far along that LSU couldn’t make a big push. I’d imagine Johnny Jones has already invested a significant amount to time trying to establish a relationship with Jarrell.”
According to those around him, Martin’s academics are no longer an issue, and Jones said his player’s GPA is just shy of a 3.0 at last glance, with the ACT on the horizon.
While he’s taking care of business in the classroom, Martin said he isn’t content with his game yet.
“I need to play more physical and finish more plays near the rim,” he said. “All over the court, I can improve. I want to develop my game, and win a state title for Madison. That’s my goal - just being better - before any of the recruiting stuff.”
—- Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected].