Prospect Profile: Jesse White (2020 Barlow HS/Nike Team Northwest 16U)
After a great sophomore campaign that saw him help lead Barlow to the state tournament, Jesse White was aiming high this spring. The shifty 5-foot-11, 170-pound point guard was going to be one of the top guys for Nike Team Northwest’s 16U squad on the EYBL circuit and he was going to ride the momentum and impress some college coaches. Unfortunately he wasn’t quite ready for what he was in store for.
“Personally I struggled a little bit – I’m not going to lie,” White said. “That’s not exactly what I was hoping for, I couldn’t get shots going and I was streaky. I had a few good games but I’ve been spotty and I’m looking to bounce back this summer.”
For Barlow this past year, White excelled as a scoring point guard who could easily knock down deep threes, get to the basket, as well as find the open man. On the EYBL circuit, he quickly learned that what point guards from other parts of the country bring to the table – and he knows what he needs to do as well.
“The biggest part of it is athleticism,” White said. “That’s what my dad says, I have to get more athletic to get to the next level. So I’ve been on a jumping program with a trainer for a few weeks and I’m getting up there and hopefully I can continue the rest of the summer.”
White has started to bounce back in June back with Barlow, where he’s been back to his usual high level of play in summer league. Despite the struggles in the spring, White is getting some college recruiting attention for which he is grateful. He’s received a call from UC San Diego, which is transitioning to Division I, and also a letter from Georgia Tech. Schools from the West Coast Conference have gotten in touch with Barlow head coach Tom Johnson.
While the Division I interest is definitely great, White is keeping all of his options open. “Whatever is the best fit,” White said of what he’s looking for in a school. “If it came down to a D-II or a D-I, if the D-II is better than you’ve got to go with what best fits you.”
White is looking to find that fit in July where he’s hoping to make up for what happened in the spring. “Put my name on the map a little more – that’s the next step,” White said. “It’s more about confidence than anything. I’m hoping to open coaches eyes a lot more because I didn’t do the best job of that in the first session in the spring.”
White currently ranks as the #2 ranked player in the PrepHoops Oregon Class of 2020 rankings.