Ada junior Jaxson Robinson It’s become commonplace for aspiring college basketball players to hold off going to college for a year and enroll at a prep school. There they get another year of hoops experience without using any college eligibility. They also get an additional 12 months of personal growth and recruiting attention.
Ada junior Jaxson Robinson recently did the exact opposite. The highly recruited member of the Class of 2021 announced last week that he was forgoing his final year of high school and enrolling at Texas A&M as a member of the 2020 recruiting class.
“We felt like it was just the right time for me,” claimed Robinson, who chose Texas A&M over several other SEC and Big 12 schools. “We thought that leaving early would help me and make me a better player. Being in Coach Buzz’s (Williams) system will make me a better person also.”
“This was something he and his team decided would be best for him,” said Ada Athletic Director Bryan Harwell. “They made us aware in February that this is what their plan was. They thought it was best for him. We want what’s best for Jaxson. Jaxson is a great young man. We hate to lose him because he gave so much to our school, but if this is what he desires, and this is what his parents want, then that’s what we want for him.”
Despite being younger than all of his soon-to-be Aggie teammates, Robinson intends to battle for playing time as soon as he steps foot on the College Station campus.
“I’m not redshirting,” said Robinson, whose game has been compared to NBA stars Klay Thompson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “I’m just excited to get on campus and be with the guys and try to work as a team to win as many games as possible. I’m not worried about the whole play as much as possible thing. I just want to win. If I can help my team and help my coach, that’s all I’m worried about.”
Previously ranked as a Top 40 player in the class of 2021, Robinson is now rated the 70th best player in the country for the class of 2020, according to 247 Sports. The 6-6 shooting guard averaged more than 15 points per game this past season for Ada, leading the Cougars to a 21-6 record and a spot in the 4A state tournament before the postseason was cancelled due to Covid-19.
“It was sad,” admitted the four-star recruit. “It hurt that we didn’t get our chance at winning. But eventually you have to look ahead and that’s kind of what I’ve done.”
Graduating early wouldn’t be an option if Robinson didn’t take care of business in the classroom.
“That’s something me and my family kind of emphasize,” said Robinson. “We think it’s very important. I always want to have the best grades possible.”
“Jaxson is a very intelligent young man,” added Harwell. “He only had two or three credits to take care of and that is no problem for him.”
Robinson has also been a member of the successful AAU squad Team Griffin. Last summer as a member of the 16-and-under team, he helped lead them to the Nike Peach Jam title.
“It was great playing with those guys,” said Robinson. “I learned a lot under Coach Kellen (McCoy) and it was a great experience for everybody. I’m going to miss playing with those guys, but it was fun while it lasted.”
Robinson is unsure if his decision to leave high school early will start a new trend in high school athletics.
“If other people would like to do that then that’s their thing,” claimed Robinson. “I wasn’t meaning to really start a trend or anything. It was just something that I thought was best for me.”
Leaving his high school and AAU teammates behind will be tough, but he’s excited for the new challenges that await.
“I’m just ready to get on campus and get to work,” Robinson said. “It’s a blessing, honestly.”
