NEW YORK — Jessie Govan says four schools are working hardest to land him.
“Probably Seton Hall, UConn, Louisville and Miami, that’s pretty much it,” the 6-foot-10, 260-pound 2015 big man from Wings Academy told SNY.tv at Madison Square Garden where he watched No. 8 Villanova beat St. John’s, 74-67.
Ranked No. 48 in the Class of 2015 by Rivals, Govan recently attended the Creighton-Seton Hall game and he has a built-in tie to the Pirates because his AAU teammates, Khadeen Carrington and Angel Delgado of the New York Lightning, have both signed with Seton Hall.
“Angel’s talked to me, and Khadeen’s talked to me a lot about coming to Seton Hall,” said Govan, who’s being recruited by head coach Kevin Willard and assistant Oliver Antigua. “I’m close to [Carrington and Delgado]. I played the whole summer with them.”
As for Seton Hall in general, he said: “It’s just a good school in a good conference. It’s close by, so that’s good.
“They have some great big men come from there. Samuel Dalembert came from there, and they had a few others, I can’t remember.”
Seton Hall added 7-2 transfer Chier Ajou for December, but Govan said all the Pirates need is a big man to add to Carrington, Delgado, Isaiah Whitehead and Ismael Sanogo.
“All they’re really missing is a big man in their 2014 class. Angel tells me all the time, they’re missing a big man,” he said.
UConn is also in the mix.
Govan visited for Midnight Madness and said he hoped to attend a game this season.
“Great big men from there, and they’re close by also,” he said. “They’re in a great conference, the AAC, so it’s good.”
Miami is another option.
“They have a great history,” he said. “They’re in a good conference as well, the ACC. Great history at Miami.”
Louisville, of course, is the reigning national champion.
“That’s just an honor to be recruited by them,” he said.
Govan said Arizona, Cincinnati, St. John’s, Creighton, Minnesota and Fordham and others are also in the mix.
“I’m wide open right now,” he said. “[Seton Hall, UConn, Miami and Louisville] are just the ones that are recruiting me the hardest.”
He added: “If the best situation for me is going far away, then that’s what I’m going to do. It all depends on where I’m 100 percent comfortable at.”
