Joshua Ola-Joseph, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound 2022 forward from Osseo (MN) High, raised his stock perhaps more than any senior in Minnesota. That increased recruiting interest include a scholarship offer from Minnesota Friday.
Ola-Joseph averaged 16.7 points per game this past season, scoring in double figures in 18 of 20 games. He had five games of 20 or more points, including a season-best 30 versus Park Center.
Ola-Joseph averaged 13.5 points per game as a sophomore with a season-high of 36 points versus Coon Rapids.
Ola-Joseph had a strong spring and summer with the D1 Minnesota AAU program.
GopherHole caught up with Ola-Joseph Sunday at the Pacesetter Sweet 16 at St. Benedict’s to learn more about Minnesota offer and recruitment.
GopherHole: Minnesota extended you an offer on Friday. Did you have a feeling that something like that was going to be coming soon?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Yeah, I talked to my AAU coach. I knew it was coming. I knew when it was coming.
GopherHole: Was that something you were hoping for? You had some good offers before, but it is always nice to get the offer from the homestate school?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Yes. It’s always nice to be able to stay home, so I was excited when I got the offer. My parents were excited. The parents really like Minnesota. My sister actually goes there.
GopherHole: I know that you are friends with Braeden Carrington. You tweeted something about his commitment to Minnesota and he tweeted something about your Gopher offer. Obviously, you guys play against each other a lot since you are in the same conference. What was your feeling when you heard that he committed to Minnesota?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: I kind of knew it was coming, because Braeden and I are pretty good friends, so I kind of knew that he was going to commit. Right now, he is trying to get me over there. Get a couple of other Minnesota guys over there.
GopherHole: Who is else is he talking to besides you?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: He is trying to get Pharrel Payne. Me and Pharrel, he is trying to get over there.
GopherHole: How many offers are you up to right now?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Seven.
GopherHole: If I had told you a year ago that you would have seven offers, including one from a Big Ten school and a SEC school, what would you have thought?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: I would have thought it was crazy. I came into this AAU season. I talked to Jay (Fuhrman, his D1 Minnesota head coach) right before the AAU season and he told me that I was going to have to work my ass off every day. Nothing was going to be handed to me, so I attacked the AAU season every game. I took no plays off. Played defense the whole game. Shot the ball pretty well. Posted up pretty well and they see my versatility, so schools started taking chances on me.
GopherHole: I feel like you have gotten a little bit bigger. What are you up to height and weight-wise?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: I’m 6-6, 6-7 and 210. (about an inch and 10 pounds more than in the spring)
GopherHole: Have you thought about trying to make some visits to check out some campuses?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Yes. Hopefully, I get all my visits done in September. That is the plan, to get it done. Hopefully, I get Minnesota here pretty soon, officially. I want to get down to Texas (for a visit to Texas A&M). Get over to Clemson. New Mexico, I think I have one set up for September and I’m also trying to get down to Colorado State.
GopherHole: Have you visited any campuses so far?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Loyola of Chicago. It was really nice. The coaching staff is really nice. I am a priority over there, so they are really high for me.
GopherHole: Do you have any other schools that you think be close to offering you?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: I’m thinking Virginia Tech, but I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to them in awhile.
GopherHole: Obviously, you have some great opportunities, but what would it mean to play for the homestate school?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: It would be big, because I have a pretty decent following in the state, so for the Name, Image and Likeness, that would probably help a lot staying home.
GopherHole: Is that something you have thought a lot about?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Yes. I have thought a lot about that.
GopherHole: What things are you going to continue working on to improve your game? I know that you have gained so much over the last year like your outside shooting ability, but what other things are you going to continue to work on?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Because in high school, I have a way different role than in AAU. I am used different, so I want to be more dominant. I have to be good in everything. My pull-up jumper. Knocking down shots really consistent. Being able to post up smaller defenders. Being able to see the floor Getting a lot of assists. Being a rebound machine. Just an all-around basketball player to help my team win.
GopherHole: Last year, you guys were a young team and finished 11-11. However, you have a lot of guys back. What are the expectations for the Orioles?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Park Center is really the only team in our way to get to state, so Hopefully, beat Park Center and get to state. We lost to them here (in the Pacesetter Sweet 16), but it’s pretty early to say what is going to happen down the road. I definitely think that we can Park Center down and go to state. That’s the plan.
GopherHole: When you finally make your college choice, what is going to be the main reason that make you pick School A over School B or C?
Joshua Ola-Joseph: Me being a priority over there. I want to feel like I’m at home. I want the coaching staff to really want me. I don’t want to go anywhere that the coaches don’t really want me, so I would probably have to say the love and how I’m being used. Fast paced offense and stuff like that.