Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Class of 2025 Wisconsin PGC standouts Amari Allen, Kai Rogers, and Jake Hansen discuss early high major offers
By CHARLIE PARENT
Class of 2025 Wisconsin Playground Club AAU standouts Amari Allen, Kai Rogers, and Jake Hansen have received interest and offers from multiple high majors.
Allen, a 6-foot-7 guard, and Rogers, a 6-foot-10 forward, were both in the top 60 in ESPN’s latest class of 2025 rankings.
The three sophomores broke down their recruitments to ZAGSBLOG:
Amari Allen: Allen is a bigger guard who is a consensus top-40 prospect in the country. He now plays for IMG Academy (FL.) but has stayed with his native AAU program (Wisconsin PGC).
Allen currently holds offers from Minnesota, Arizona State, Tennessee, Georgetown, and others, while saying that Minnesota has been most in contact.
“I would say probably Minnesota out of all the schools has been talking to me the most,” he said in a phone interview. “I talk to them on the phone the most out of anybody.”
“I’ve been on campus and it seems like they’d let me play,” he continued. “I like how they run things over there and it’s a real nice campus.”
Aside from his offers, Allen mentioned that Wisconsin, Marquette, and Iowa State have also been in contact.
“Marquette and Wisconsin have been at pretty much most of the games, I’ve been seeing them for a while,” he said. “And then Iowa State recently reached out just probably trying to see me play a little more before they offer.”
Allen’s most recent offer came from Arizona State, where he visited around two weeks ago.
“I was on a visit there before we played,” he said. “And then they were at the games we played in and now it’s just building a relationship after they offered and got to see me play.”
Allen intends to take visits this summer but doesn’t have any planned at this time.
“With Amari he really is a versatile wing,” Wisconsin PGC coach Rich Haynes said. “They [college programs] want him at a wing position and we’re trying to put the ball in his hands more and let him create. He’s just like a big guard, a combo-guard, he can guard multiple positions. Amari has really come into his own man, and he’s blossoming. He’s on the right track.”
KaiRogers: The 6-foot-10 athletic forward has been at the center of some serious hype recently, checking in at No. 54 on ESPN’s latest rankings.
Rogers has received offers from Florida State, Wisconsin, Texas, St. John’s, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Marquette, and Illinois, among others.
“Honestly I’d say the recruiting is pretty even throughout most of the schools,” Rogers said.
With offers from instate high majors Wisconsin and Marquette, Rogers will still focus on what’s best for him, regardless of location.
“I’d like to go to wherever’s best for me,” he said. “When I decide to commit, whatever school fits me best, that’s where I’d like to go. It’s not about location really.”
Marquette was Rogers’ latest offer, but the big man has long been in touch with Shaka Smart and his staff.
“I’ve been talking to them for a long time, probably the longest out of any school,” he said. “They really like my playstyle and they see a bright future for me. They have a trigger spot there, they want me to be a big guy who can bring up the ball, shoot the ball, and be a very versatile player, similar to NBA style.”
Marquette forward Oso Ighodaro manned the trigger spot last season and was second on the team with 3.3 assists per game, only behind Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek.
Rogersalso visited Marquette’s campus last week but has no other visits at this time.
He is receiving heavy interest form Indiana as well.
“I think in the next couple years I’ll definetly be a lot more versatile,” Rogers said. “My handling will get a lot better so I think I’ll be a very good 3 or 4 for a college in the future.”
“With Kai he’s just ascending through the roof,” Haynes said. “WIth big men a lot of that recruitment is just potential. His upside is just tremendous and that’s why a lot of schools are jumping on him early.”
Jake Hansen: While Hansen didn’t make ESPN’s initial rankings, the 6-foot-1 guard has drawn attention because of his ability to score in bunches.
The Wauwatosa West (WI.) product has received offers from St. John’s, Arizona State, and Grambling State.
The St. John’s offer came from assistant coach Van Macon, who was retained on Rick Pitino’s new staff, thus the offer is expected to stand.
“We’ve been in contact,” Hansen said. “Not as much as some other schools but obviously the contact is still there and it will continue to be there.
Hansen has also been in touch with Wisconsin and Minnesota.
“Wisconsin I’ve been in contact with them since last summer,” he said. “They want to see me continue to develop as a player and just stay in contact.”
“Honestly the school that’s been in contact with me the most is Minnesota,” Hansen continued. “We’ll see how that ends up in the future with them.”
In terms of visits, Hansen is focusing on Arizona State and Minnesota.
“We definitely want to take at least another visit or two down to Tempe,” he said. “They wanted me to come to a couple games this upcoming season and then same with Minnesota they wanted me to come back there at some point soon.”
“He’s just a bucket getter,” Coach Haynes said. “There’s really not much else to it. If he can get to 6-3, 6-4, he can be a Power 5 guard easily just because he’s like a microwave, instant offense.”
