Bringing you the latest in Australian basketball news, analysis and opinion.
This weeks episode features two 5-star basketball prospects, Jonathan Chow and Campbell Jackson. Both taking vastly different paths in their basketball career.
We will discuss the controversy surrounding Chow’s drug scandal, as well as the futures of both of these promising Australian basketball prospects.
Sunnybank, Queensland – 15/05/15
AUSElite Select Player Jonathan Chow has committed and signed with San Diego State University. The San Diego State Aztecs have granted Chow a full athletic scholarship for basketball starting next year.
After asking Chow how excited he is to be joining the Aztecs, he replied “I’m so excited to be a part of a great program in the Aztecs. I love Coach’s Hack-A-Jordan defensive scheme and I can’t wait to be a part of such a high-energy defence’.
When asked about what swayed him to sign with San Diego State, Chow responded “Coach Kawhi Leonard played a huge role in my decision. I needed a coach whom I could trust with my career in their hands, and I felt safest in Coach Kawhi’s hands. Also, I understand that Coack K’s [Kawhi] high-school teacher was Kobe Bryant, and that sometimes Kobe would take Coach Kawhi to school. So I wanted to learn from him because anyone who’s been schooled by Kobe must have a dearth of knowledge.
Chow will assume his freshman year at San Diego State next year, but in the mean time he’s preparing himself for college level basketball with AUSElite. Chow is a classic case of a hard-working prospect who is dedicated to the AUSElite program making his hoop dreams come true.
Melbourne, Victoria – 19/05/15
The Australian Junior Championships held in Melbourne showcased Australia’s top level talent pitted against each other. Tonight’s AJC awards dinner saw AUSElite Academy members and Queensland state teammates Campbell Jackson (SF) and Jonathan Chow (PG) receiving places in the prestigious All-Tournament V.
The AUSElite members dominated the Australian Junior Championships. The most outstanding performances came from the aforementioned Jonathan Chow and Campbell Jackson. Chow averaged 20 points and 15 assists, however also averaged 6 turnovers which has raised red flags on his prospects as a college-level point guard. Jackson set twitter abuzz with his 19 rebound and 9 blocks per game averages, coining the hashtag #actionjackson. However, he only averaged a disappointing 5 points per game as his usually unstoppable turnaround jump shot wasn’t falling, this has caused his college prospects to decline rapidly, with a number of coaches expressing their disinterest in the 6’2’’ combo forward.
Other notable performances came from New South Wales duo Peter Becker and Philip Lee. Becker’s versatility proved fatal for opposing teams, with his ability to play shooting guard and centre creating match-up problems for opposition. Becker averaged a strong 15 rebounds per game, showing that he has the strength necessary to make it to the next level. Number 4 ranked prospect Philip Lee gave a master class in efficiency during the 2015 AJC. His blistering 80% field goal percentage showed that Lee is the best isolation player in Australia right now, regardless of age. The only blemish on Lee’s game is his strength not being up to par.
AUSElite Ranked Prospect Statistics
Senior PG Jonathan Chow is the Number 1 Ranked Prospect in the Nation!
Everyone takes a different route to get to college. It is extremely difficult for Australians to gain basketball scholarships to American colleges unless they are in the AIS program. AUSElite was created to change that. AUSElite was created to develop players to an elite level, and find them college basketball scholarship. Here are some current routes Australian basketball players can take to get to college. AUSElite can assist players in taking these routes, without the help of the exclusive AIS program.
At every U16, U18 and U20 Australian Junior Championships there will be a plethora of talent scouts trying to find the next great prospect. Unfortunately, there are too many players to scout, so usually only one-third of these players are reported on to college coaches. These scouts will relay their information to their respective college coaches. If the coaches are impressed by the scouting reports, they will contact the players and try to work out a scholarship from there.
There are around 10 reputable coaches who are respected in the US. However, they can’t possibly scout every player in Australia. If you can get noticed by one of these coaches, then it will dramatically increase your chances of going to college. These 10 coaches usually float around major basketball events such as the Australian Junior Championships, the Olympic games trials, national championships and school-boy level representative games. 
This is a popular route for Australians because it allows players to develop for an extra year, while playing front of college coaches for a season. If you go to Prep School, you will need to go immediately after you finish high school in Australia (in November). See the Opportunities page for more information. If you wait until the following August to attend Prep School, you will only be able to attend for 4 months, which isn’t really worth it. If you attend a full year of prep school after waiting a full year, you will lose a year of playing eligibility with the NCAA.
Attending Prep School will cost between $3,000-30,000, not including flights and accommodation. Essentially, it is another year of high-school where basketball is the top priority. However academics should also be a major focus as a high SAT score impresses college coaches. The best way to attend a Prep School is either through your contacts in Australia, through AUSElite and our contacts, or through an AAU American tour (which AUSElite provides, click here for more information)
AAU Tours are definitely the best way to get scouted by major college coaches in America.. AAU tournaments are the “designated recruiting tournaments” for college coaches. AAU tournaments rally hundreds of college coaches, who are looking for talent. At this point, your basketball future is in your hands, if you can impress the coaches, you will get a scholarship.
*Note: If you are playing AAU, you must play with an Australian team. The only exception to this is if you have been in high school in the US for longer than a year. If you play with an American team AAU team, you will risk losing your college eligibility. AUSElite sends three teams to the US every year. Click here for more information about AUSElite’s AAU Tour
AUSElite has a wide variety of college contacts. If you are outstanding in the AUSElite program, we will send your tapes, statistics and player profile to American college coaches. This offers AUSElite players a greater chance at being recruited.
Much debate has risen from our AUSElite Top 10 Rankings, especially from the 2015 rankings. Point Guard Jonathan Chow and Combo Forward Campbell Jackson are ranked #1 and #2 respectively. However, over the past week, the AUSElite Top 10 Rankings have come under scrutiny, as both prospects have certainly staked their claims for the top seed. As the battle for the coveted #1 ranking is heating up, we will analyse the cases for each prospect to be number one.
Jonathan Chow has elite ball handling skills, passing and basketball IQ, making him the perfect pure point guard. However, he is hindered by his lack of athleticism and shooting which creates spacing problems on the floor. AUSElite can report that several college coaches have said that he has “unteachable guard characteristics”.
Jackson is a classic raw athlete with limitless potential. He has the athleticism to stay in front of opposition on defence, and the turnaround jumpshot to make him a consistent threat on offence. However, he struggles to shoot off-the-catch and lacks basketball IQ as he is only new to the game. AUSElite Media reports that Jackson has been described by a college coaches as being “in terms of skill, he’s a young Nick Young”.
Head to HeadIt has been a back-and-forth affair between the five star recruits. In their two latest outings, Chow and Jackson have played fairly evenly. At the MarkyMark Conlon Invitational, Chow had 25 points and 15 assists in comparison to Jackson’s 25 points and 15 rebounds. However, at the Brother Wagyu Beef Hoop Summit, Chow dominated Jackson’s squad with 35 point, 17 assists and a nasty ankle-breaker on Jackson. On the other hand, at the Kawhi Leonard Skills Camp, Jackson got one back on Chow, with 43 points, 12 rebounds and a poster dunk on Chow. Overall, both prospects can’t be split in the performances against each other.
Chow and Jackson’s talents are locked in a stalemate. So we’re going to let you decide. Vote on the #1 Rankings Poll below to have your say in who is the #1 prospect in the AUSElite Top 10 – Class of 2015!
AUSElite Basketball Academy 