Jimmy Whitt, a 6-2, 170-pound junior guard from Columbia (MO) Hickman, is one of the fastest rising players in the Midwest.
Jimmy Whitt, a 6-2, 170-pound junior guard from Columbia (MO) Hickman, is one of the fastest rising players in the Midwest. Whitt helped lead the K.C. Run GMC team to the Jayhawk Invitational title last weekend and they have advanced to the semifinals of the Howard Pulley Invitational, which finished Sunday.
Whitt’s strong play has earned recent scholarship offers from Big Ten schools Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. He helped lead the Kewpies to a 27-3 mark, losing to Christian Brothers 86-77 in overtime in the Class 5A title game. Whitt had 29 points, seven rebounds and seven steals in the game as Hickman rallied from a twelve-point deficit at the end of the third quarter to force overtime.
Whitt was named Class 5A All-State after averaging 22.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 steals per game this season.
Gopher Hole.com caught up with Whitt to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What has this last week been like?
Jimmy Whitt: I has been a pretty big week, recruiting and stuff. We came off a great Jayhawk Invitational. We ended winning the tournament. We had a great performance as a team. I feel that it skyrocketed everybody’s recruitment and our confidence as a team. We feel that we can play with the best of the best and play with anybody.
Gopher Hole: How about your own personal recruitment? You picked up a lot of offers and a lot of attention. What has that been like?
Jimmy Whitt: It has got pretty big. I just feel that it is a testament to all the hard work that I have been putting in. I have been really working hard in the offseason and trying to get ready for this summer. Getting in the weight room a lot. Trying to build strength because I know that coming to 17’s here, it is a lot different from last summer because everybody is bigger. Everybody is stronger. Everybody is preparing themselves for the next level.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been working on since your high school season ended to continue to improve yourself, not only to have a big senior season, but also with an eye on playing at the next level?
Jimmy Whitt: Range with my shot. I feel that I want to step out a little bit more. To be a dominant guard, you just feel that you have to knock down open shots to make the defense play on you more, so that you can open it up for your teammates. I feel that is big for me to be able to create plays, not only for myself, but for my teammates. My shooters and my big men.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many college games this past year?
Jimmy Whitt: I went to a couple. I went to a Creighton game. Mizzou. I’ve been to Arkansas. I’ve been to a KU game, so I have been to a lot at this point.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about trying to go to individual or college camps this summer?
Jimmy Whitt: I haven’t figured that out yet. I feel that after this tournament, we’ll have some downtime since we don’t have a tournament next weekend. I’ll talk to my parents about that and see what we want to do for the summer, take visits and stuff like that.
Gopher Hole: Are you still pretty open in your recruitment?
Jimmy Whitt: Oh, yes. Right now, my recruitment is really open. I just have to get through this summer. Look at all my possibilities. I don’t want to burn any bridges too early because you never know what can happen with recruitment. About coaches, players, different players and what happens. I just want to keep real open until the end and then I’ll start to narrow it down.
Gopher Hole: You are obviously close to Missouri and they just went through a coaching change. Does that make you realize that it is a business?
Jimmy Whitt: Yes, it definitely opens your eyes. It shows not only me, but all recruits, that anything is possible. I feel like you don’t want to do things too early because that is one of the examples. Like anything can happen. A coach can leave. A new coach can come in.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota just offered you. Do you know much about Minnesota?
Jimmy Whitt: I have talking to them recently. Getting to know each other and building a relationship. I have a friend who plays football at Minnesota (Alex Keith, who also attended Hickman). I know him, so I have talked to him a little bit. We are just really building a relationship, learning more about the school. Just taking in the information that they have to offer.
Gopher Hole: What does Alex tell you about Minnesota?
Jimmy Whitt: He just told me that he loves it as an all-around school. He loves playing football there. He says that it is a great place to be. He loves the people. He loves the atmosphere.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch Minnesota play basketball this season?
Jimmy Whitt: Definitely. I definitely watched them with their N.I.T. run. I watched them in the championship and they were a great team this year.
Gopher Hole: Coach Pitino is like his dad and is known for utilizing his guards and pressing, which seems to be a style that would fit you?
Jimmy Whitt: Oh, yes. Definitely. In high school, we like to play a fast tempo game, up and down. Here with K.C., we like to do that, too, so I feel that it is a really good fit with guards, because he plays a real nice guard style of play, up and down and I really like the fast tempo.
Gopher Hole: You picked up some offers like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Is there a certain school that you would love to hear from that you maybe haven’t heard from yet?
Jimmy Whitt: I don’t think that there is a certain school. I have talked to schools like KU, St. Louis and Indiana, so I think that with taking in that, I just want to take in everything. Every opportunity. Every possibility.
Gopher Hole: Do you come from a basketball family?
Jimmy Whitt: Definitely. My dad played basketball at Indiana Tech. He was in the ABA for a little bit. My brother (Marcus) plays at Columbia College (an NAIA school after transferring from Tennessee State) in town, so I get to go up there and plays against their college guys and work out with them. I feel that has really helped me.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, basketball has always been in your blood. When did you start playing?
Jimmy Whitt: I started playing in second grade, but I always played up, because of my brother. I used to play with them sometimes. The “Thirty second” man and I played up with my high school coach. He used to coach me with the Orangemen/ I played up with third and fourth graders. I didn’t actually start playing my age until about seventh grade.
Gopher Hole: Hickman has a great reputation year-in and year-old as one of the best teams in the state. How did you do this past year and what are the expectations for the upcoming season?
Jimmy Whitt: We went to the championship. We ended coming up short in the championship game. We came in second in the state. We had a great group of seniors. We played like a seven-man rotation. I was the only junior, so we lost a lot, but I feel that the freshmen, sophomores and juniors as well saw what we could do, saw the level that they have to play at. I feel that they will be ready to play next season, so there will be high expectations for us.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you are going to be asked to be a little bit more of leader after losing so many players. Is that something you are looking forward to?
Jimmy Whitt: Definitely. With my summer team too, I am expected to be more of a leader, so I think that it is really helping me for my future. Being a vocal leader and on-court general for my team and that is big during the high school season, because I will be a senior and they are all looking up to me to be a leader for them.