Jersey Wolfenbarger
Jersey Wolfenbarger of Fort Smith, Arkansas, announced her verbal commitment to Arkansas today. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooting guard chose to stay in-state and be a part of the rising Razorbacks program over offers from programs across the country.
“Jersey said no to the biggest names in college basketball so she could be a building block and help turn her dream school into that type of brand name,” Nathan Sadler, director of the Arkansas Banshees program, said. “She really feels she is going to the best school in the country for her. She could have gone anywhere.”
The best comparison of a current player is probably Satou Sabally whose length, athleticism and skill set make her hard to guard. Another thing that stands out about Wolfenbarger is her work ethic, a thing that should help her excel in Fayetteville with Mike Neighbors.
“The biggest thing that drove me to Coach Neighbors’ program was his ability to make players great,” Wolfenbarger said. “He does it with those that have been doubted or questioned. His coaching style got the most out of Kelsey Plum, Chantel Osahor and now it’s Chelsea Dungee, Alexis Tolefree. I trust that he will provide me with every opportunity to develop my game and get me ready to be great, at the collegiate level and the WNBA.”
Adding a top 25 caliber player is a big thing for any program but it’s even more impactful keeping a highly touted player at home.
“Most importantly, he believed in me when I was a nobody,” Wolfenbarger said. “He offered me when I was a lot shorter and barely 100 pounds. He believed in me first. It’s a lot easier to offer me now that I’m right at 6-foot-5. Coach Neighbors offered me did when I was 5-6. The goal is to make it to the Final Four and see what happens those last two games. I can’t wait to start working with my future teammates and coaches. Hopefully I can inspire the younger generation of players to work every single day for their dreams.”
CLAY’S TAKE:
Wolfenbarger is one of the most unique backcourt prospects that we’ve covered in the past decade. Her length and skill set leave her without a direct comparison especially in light of her adding muscle to her frame over the past six months. She has the drive and desire that the greats seem to universally possess. It’s a train of thought that allows Wolfenbarger to be a trendsetter in her recovery at the high school level utilizing tools such as post workout compression that are normally reserved for elite college program stars. She’s got legitimate WNBA range on her outside jumper with a handle that lets her create consistently off of the bounce. She very well could be the player in the 2021 recruiting class with the most upside.
Wolfenbarger is the first 2021 commitment for the Razorbacks in the class. She joins the program following a three-player 2020 recruiting class that includes Elauna Eaton of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Destinee McGhee of Madison, Alabama, and Rylee Langerman of Norman, Oklahoma. Pairing Wolfenbarger and Eaton in the same backcourt not only gives the program the scoring punch that has become the Razorback brand but incredible length as well.
“She says she will get to a Final Four and I believe her,” Sadler added. “She told me she would win the state title and she proceeded to hit the game winner and was named MVP. She said she would put up the type of season production that warranted Gatorade Player of the Year; she did that too.”
With the recruiting process in unchartered territory with COVID-19 disrupting the process in so many ways, those early bonds paid dividends in getting Wolfenbarger to chase her hoop dreams right at home.
Brandon Clay serves as the Director of Scouting for ProspectsNation.com and owns The BrandonClayScouting.com Evaluation Report, which is read by more than 200 colleges and universities nationwide. He also serves as the Executive Skills Director for the Brandon Clay Scouting Academy Series.
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase and ELITE is EARNED events. He can be reached at chris@eliteisearned.com.
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