COLLEGE STATION, Texas – J.J. Caldwell, one of the top guard prospects in the state of Texas, officially signed with the Texas A&M men's basketball program Wednesday, Aggie head coach Billy Kennedy announced.
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"J.J. is an explosive point guard that we've recruited for some time now," Kennedy said. "He's one of the best passing guards that I've seen in a long time. He can really defend the ball and is aggressive getting to the basket. He'll have a chance to impact our team right away as a freshman."
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A 5-foot-11 athlete, Caldwell is regarded by well-known recruiting expert Bob Gibbins as the nation's fifth-ranked point guard recruit as well as the country's No. 30 overall recruit. Additionally, he is a member of the ESPN Top 100, ranking as the No. 84 recruit nationally and listed as a four-star prospect by ESPN, 247 Sports, Rivals.com and Scout.com. Scout also slots him as the 53rd-ranked player in the country.
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"The four-star prospect is a terrific passer who will do a great job pushing the ball on the break, off the dribble or by applying instant pressure to the transition defense with a quick up-the-floor advance pass," ESPN basketball recruiting expert Reggi Rankin said of Caldwell. "He does a good job of running the half-court offense, getting in the lane and making plays at end-of-clock situations, where he is strong enough to finish through contact if he has to complete the play himself."
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Caldwell played at Cypress Woods High School as a junior last season where he averaged 13.9 points, 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds per contest, earning First-Team All-District 17-5A honors along the way. As a sophomore at CWHS during the 2013-14 campaign, Caldwell was recognized as District 17-5A Newcomer of the Year as he averaged just under 12 points and over 10 assists per contest.
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As a senior this season, Caldwell will compete with the SATCH Varsity West Team, under the direction of head coach Ben Perkins. SATCH stands for "Sports Association of Texas Christian Homeschoolers." SATCH is a non-profit organization that began in 2003 as a competitive homeschool basketball organization.
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"J.J. is one of the most unselfish and willing passers that I've had a chance to work with on the high school level," Perkins said. "So the one thing I can tell you is you're going to get a floor general that is looking to create and make plays for his teammates."
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In AAU competition, Caldwell has competed with the Houston Defenders organization, where he averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per outing.
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Additionally, Caldwell turned heads at the NBA Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Va., over the summer where he stood out as one of the event's top passers and defenders.
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"J.J. is an explosive point guard that we've recruited for some time now," Kennedy said. "He's one of the best passing guards that I've seen in a long time. He can really defend the ball and is aggressive getting to the basket. He'll have a chance to impact our team right away as a freshman."
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A 5-foot-11 athlete, Caldwell is regarded by well-known recruiting expert Bob Gibbins as the nation's fifth-ranked point guard recruit as well as the country's No. 30 overall recruit. Additionally, he is a member of the ESPN Top 100, ranking as the No. 84 recruit nationally and listed as a four-star prospect by ESPN, 247 Sports, Rivals.com and Scout.com. Scout also slots him as the 53rd-ranked player in the country.
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"The four-star prospect is a terrific passer who will do a great job pushing the ball on the break, off the dribble or by applying instant pressure to the transition defense with a quick up-the-floor advance pass," ESPN basketball recruiting expert Reggi Rankin said of Caldwell. "He does a good job of running the half-court offense, getting in the lane and making plays at end-of-clock situations, where he is strong enough to finish through contact if he has to complete the play himself."
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Caldwell played at Cypress Woods High School as a junior last season where he averaged 13.9 points, 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds per contest, earning First-Team All-District 17-5A honors along the way. As a sophomore at CWHS during the 2013-14 campaign, Caldwell was recognized as District 17-5A Newcomer of the Year as he averaged just under 12 points and over 10 assists per contest.
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As a senior this season, Caldwell will compete with the SATCH Varsity West Team, under the direction of head coach Ben Perkins. SATCH stands for "Sports Association of Texas Christian Homeschoolers." SATCH is a non-profit organization that began in 2003 as a competitive homeschool basketball organization.
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"J.J. is one of the most unselfish and willing passers that I've had a chance to work with on the high school level," Perkins said. "So the one thing I can tell you is you're going to get a floor general that is looking to create and make plays for his teammates."
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In AAU competition, Caldwell has competed with the Houston Defenders organization, where he averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per outing.
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Additionally, Caldwell turned heads at the NBA Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Va., over the summer where he stood out as one of the event's top passers and defenders.
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