By SAM LANCE
INDIANAPOLIS — Four-star Isaiah Henry is still in high school, but he has the body of an NBA player. Standing at 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, the small forward from Cannon School (NC) and the Team CP3 Nike EYBL AAU program has a special frame. And he’s also quite the athlete.
“I compete at a high level,” Henry said. “I have a great work ethic and I just do a lot of dirty things for the team. I like to rebound, I like to hustle, things like that. I’m always trying to find ways to get better and contribute to winning. My toughness and my size, my leaping ability and stuff like that, I feel like you aren’t going to find that very often. Especially with my bounce, my leaping ability.”
While at Session 3, Henry caught up with ZAGSBLOG.com to discuss the latest on his recruitment. The forward named Clemson, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Georgetown, Virginia Tech and Georgia as schools currently recruiting him. Here is his break down of each program:
Clemson: “My brother went there, played football there for five years. He’s in the NFL now. So I’ve always had a relationship with Clemson. They are recruiting me heavy. They understand the brother aspect, but also see who I am as a player and truly want me as a winning basketball program. So that’s nice to know. And I can see myself being a huge piece and contributing there whenever I make my decision if that’s where I pick.
Coaches in contact: The whole coaching staff. That’s the school I get the most love from. [Brad] Brownell, he was at a couple games this weekend. Lucas McKay, coach [Sean] Dixon, coach [Dick] Bender. All of those guys.”
South Carolina: “I love coach [Lamont] Paris. He’s a great guy. He loves my game. He’s going to develop me at the next level. He’s going to push me to be a better player day in and day out, so that’s something I enjoy.”
Coaches in contact: Paris and [Tim] Buckley.
Georgetown: “Coach [Jeff] Battle, he’s been heavily recruiting me. He’s from this area, been recruiting this area for a long time. So I’ve always had that relationship too. They also want me to be a huge contributor on their team, and that’s somewhere I could see myself going too.”
Mississippi State: “Coach [Chris] Jans and coach [Patrice] Days, they were at a couple games this weekend too. I could see myself taking a visit with them too.”
Virginia Tech: “Coach [Kevin] Giltner and coach [Mike] Young. They’ve also been heavily interested in recruiting me. I definitely will plan an official visit with them the next couple months, definitely by the end of this fall.”
Georgia: “They actually offered me last spring. So they were there from the jump. Coach [Antonio] Reynolds Dean, he’s been heavily interested and I’ll probably take an official there too.”
Henry has already taken two official visits, one to Clemson last fall and one to South Carolina this spring. He’s also taken unofficials to Virginia Tech, Georgetown and Georgia. He plans on taking more officials this summer and fall and wants to go to Georgetown, Virginia Tech and Mississippi State.
A school that can develop Henry is the main thing he’s looking for.
“Somewhere where it’s a great atmosphere, all the players love to be there,” Henry said. “You want to play with a coach that you want to be in his presence every day. That’s who you are going to be around 24/7, so you don’t want to play for a coach who doesn’t have a great atmosphere, attitude and reputation. So that’s something I heavily look into, how they treat their players and how players react to certain situations.”
Henry’s cousin, former Duke center Christian Reeves, committed to Clemson out of the portal this offseason. Henry said Reeves been recruiting him to the Tigers. Henry added that Clemson has been recruiting the hardest for the longest period of time.
“They were first,” Henry said. “They reached out to me last spring, offered me. Clemson and Georgia, they’ve been interested. Georgetown. Those three I’d say have been interested the longest.”
Brownell, Paris, Jans and Young were all in Indianapolis to see Henry play. Georgetown and Georgia also had representation throughout the weekend.
Isaiah’s brother, KJ Henry, played defensive end at Clemson for five seasons and is now a member of the Washington Commanders. Henry’s mom played volleyball in high school and the forward also has two older sisters.
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