Ohio State latest to offer national top-20 prospect Jalen Washington

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Ohio State became one of the latest schools to offer national top 20 power forward Jalen Washington of Gary (Ind.) West Side this past week.

The 6-10, 220-pound Washington is ranked as the nation’s No. 20 prospect overall, No. 4 power forward and No. 1 overall in Indiana for 2022, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Ohio State has three commitments for 2022 in guards Bruce Thornton, Bowen Hardman and Roddy Gayle. OSU coach Chris Holtmann and his staff are looking for some talented post players to round out that class.

Washington has offers from most of the Big Ten as well as other national powerhouse programs. His offer list includes Indiana, Louisville, Michigan State, Purdue, Stanford, DePaul, Illinois, Alabama, Iowa, Maryland and Penn State.

He averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game as a freshman at Gary West Side in 2018-19. He was limited that season by a shoulder injury. He then missed his entire sophomore year due to a knee injury. He came back this past season as a junior and averaged 13 points, six rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game as his West Side team went 22-5 and reached the Indiana Class 4A state semifinals. Washington was a High Honorable Mention all-state pick (all divisions).

He plays for the Illinois-based Meanstreets travel program. That is one of the most talented teams around as Ohio State has also offered Illinois forward A.J. Casey (ranked 21st nationally) and Michigan forward Ty Rodgers (ranked 50th) from that team. Illinois shooting guard Kam Craft also stars for Meanstreets.

Meanstreets was in Louisville last weekend for the NY2LA Grassroots Invitational and is in Fort Wayne this weekend for the Hensley Run ‘N Slam event. They will be playing in the 17-U platinum bracket today.

Washington discussed the strengths in his game right now.

“Definitely my shooting ability,” he said. “I can use my height and my length in the post.”

Asked about his knee, he said, “It is 100 percent. I feel like I am getting stronger.”

Washington said he is working hard to be aggressive at both ends of the floor as he plays for Meanstreets, the creation of former Michigan football standout Tai Streets.

“Tai demands a lot out of me physically,” Washington said. “They don’t like soft guys. I know if I don’t play tough, I’ll be sitting on the bench. Sprinting the floor makes defenders choose who they want to pick up.

“I feel like I am making a step as a player. I have a lot of goals as a player. I have some places I want to get to and I’m making that progression every day.”

He talked about the schools that have been recruiting him the hardest.

“I hear from Purdue every day,” he said. “(Assistant Brandon) Brantley is doing a great job of calling me and communicating and staying in touch every single day.

“Recent schools that have joined in are Ohio State … North Carolina has reached out. Penn State, Oklahoma. There are a lot of schools that are keeping in contact. Michigan State reaches out a lot. Indiana has been in contact more, especially since bringing in Coach Woodson. There are so many to name.”

Regarding Ohio State, Washington said, “(Assistant Jake) Diebler was the first to reach out to me. We’ve been in contact for a week-and-a-half now. Really, he just wanted to let me know that Ohio State was the place for me. They came on a Zoom call with great energy.

“They showed me about their facilities. Their fanbase is incredibly strong. They’ve gotten players better physically. They have E.J. Liddell, who increased in his production from his first year to his second year. They wanted to let me know they can get players better and it is the place to be.”

Indiana has had assistant Dane Fife, who moved over from Michigan State after Mike Woodson was hired as the head coach, leading the charge.

“He was the one who set up the Zoom call so I could meet the rest of the staff and Coach Woodson,” Washington said. “He talked for about 10 minutes that he wants that family feel. He showed us a couple videos of his former Knicks players and they were showing so much love to him. That is what he is pitching to me. He has that next level knowledge. He wants to boost me and help me get to the next level.”

Regarding Purdue, Washington said, “It’s pretty much that same family feel. It’s a closer than a lot of the schools that have been recruiting me. I have known the staff there for so long. We are comfortable talking to each other. They will help me get better physically, boost my skill and help me get to the next level.”

Asked what will factor in his college decision, Washington said, “All of it, everything. It’s my relationship with the coaches and knowing they are good people. The style of play obviously. Me being able to fit into their system. Their development. How many players my size have they gotten better and what have they done with them.

“I like a family environment. But I also know it is a business with all of this. I just want a good environment to go to.”

Washington said he hopes to make college visits beginning in June.

“I don’t know exactly when, but we have been in contact with coaches,” he said. “It will happen with Purdue and everybody, really.”