Q&A with Jordan Hamilton
Words. HShoop
Jordan Hamilton in 2007 (photo. Kelly Kline)
At the Nike Global Challenge in suburban Portland, Ore., we got up with Dominguez H.S. (Calif.) senior forward Jordan Hamilton shortly before his USA #2 team faced Serbia. Hamilton is the top-ranked small forward in the country and put up 14 points and 15 rebounds in the previous night’s game against Puerto Rico.
High School Hoop: What’s been the highlight of your summer?
Jordan Hamilton: The LeBron tournament was good; a lot of guys came out and played hard. I also liked the NBA Top 100 camp. It wasn’t just one shoe company doing it, so everybody was there.
HSH: How has the Nike Global Challenge been so far?
JH: It’s been a great experience getting a chance to play against guys from other countries. You get to see what overseas is like and see if you like it or not. They play really physical, and that’s my game — physical, playing hard, playing smart and real fundamental.
HSH: Do you feel like the U.S. teams have a target on their backs?
JH: Absolutely. A great example was yesterday; Serbia got so excited when they won, it was like they’d just won the world championship. We talked amongst each other that we’ve gotta win this whole thing.
HSH: What are your thoughts on the Brandon Jennings situation with him going to Europe instead of college?
JH: Brandon’s a good friend of mine. I think overseas sounds good for him. Let’s see how he does. I wish him the best, and you never know, he might start a trend. As far me, I haven’t thought about it much. I’m gonna qualify for college so there’s really no need for me to go.
HSH: Have you heard other high school players talking about maybe going overseas and following Brandon’s example?
JH: I’ve heard guys — I’m not gonna put their names out there — but I’ve heard guys talking about it, saying overseas sounds like a great option. If you don’t qualify for college, why not? It’s better than junior college to me.
HSH: Do you have a list of schools you’re interested in?
JH: Texas, Syracuse, UConn, USC and Cal.
HSH: What are your goals for your senior year at Dominguez?
JH: First I wanna win our league again, then win the CIF sectional title. I plan on winning a state championship, and hopefully we can get the national title. We’ve got a really good team, a lot of guys going Division-1.
[...] The Global Challenge is well-covered on HighSchoolHoop.com , including full game recaps, recruiting updates, and interviews with elite high schoolers John Wall, Jamil Wilson, Jereme Richmond, Aaron Dotson and Jordan Hamilton. [...]