Newcomer of the Year Candidate: Jalen Cone
PrepHoopsNC Top 2020 Jalen Cone Jalen Cone is PrepHoopsNC’s top recruit for the 2020 class. The 5-foot-10 guard from Kernersville, North Carolina is attending Walketown High School coached by former NC State star Kevin Thompson. He recently broke his wrist and…
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Continue ReadingJalen Cone is PrepHoopsNC’s top recruit for the 2020 class. The 5-foot-10 guard from Kernersville, North Carolina is attending Walketown High School coached by former NC State star Kevin Thompson. He recently broke his wrist and suffered a concussion while participating in a recruiting event almost a week ago but should be able to return by the season’s start.
The youngest of three brothers, Cone is a Dennis Smith Jr., clone and tirest ot implement as much of Smith’s game into his own as he can. He is blessed with great court-vision, keeps the ball on a string and has a knack for finding the right person in transition or finishing above the rim on the attack.
Cone is naturally a point guard he is an elite level athlete, he can facilitate the fast break, rebound, take over a game at will and has a very high basketball IQ for his age. He can play all three perimeter positions and is a defensive hound that has a great frame that allows him to guard all three positions. He explained his game as, “My game is very simple but deadly. I’m not all about making someone fall and do all these crazy moves. If it happens, it happens. I hit my defender with a quick and explosive moves to beat them off the dribble after that I read the defense to decide to either attack and finish, dump off to the bigs, or kick out to my teammates for the three ball.”
He played this past travel season with the Atlanta Celtics and was very productive. He had this to say about his summer and live period, “This previous live period went very well. I dominated the period as a point guard and I have developed my talent a lot. I have to show that I can score the ball anytime I want to, which I can.