UConn coach Kevin Ollie met Thursday with Derrick Jones, the 6-foot-7 small forward from Radnor (Pa.) Archbishop Carroll who may wait until the spring to make a college decision.
“They were just trying to let Derrick know how they feel, where they think he would fit in their program and how they would work the system with him,” Derrick Jones Sr. told SNY.tv Thursday evening. “They said even if he went two years [and then went to the NBA], he could come back and still get a degree.
“They’re trying to open up the communication gap with Derrick and really try to get to know him.”
Jones, who won the Dunk Contest at the Under Armour Elite 24 game, recently cut his list to include Arizona, Auburn, Florida, Kansas, UConn, UNC, UNLV, Louisville and Kentucky.
“I’m pretty sure [UConn] will be one of our official visits,” Derrick Sr. said. “We’re looking to do that hopefully in January, start making our official visits.”
He also said they plan to have a home visit with Auburn at some point after one for Sept. 18 was postponed.
“That’s going to get pushed back,” Derrick Sr. said.
He said UNLV “is a real school of interest to Derrick so we’re going to check that out as well.”
It’s possible Jones could take some unofficial visits this fall, but otherwise they are targeting January.
A spring decision seems likely, but Jones could pull the trigger before then if he feels right.
“I’m saying the spring to give us time, but you never know,” Derrick Sr. said. “He may decide in the next month or so to commit. You really never know. But January I definitely want to be making officials.”
Photo: COBL.com
