2020 PF JaKobe Coles Recaps Notre Dame Official
After an unofficial visit to Notre Dame back in June, JaKobe Coles was back in South Bend this past weekend for an official visit.
“It went real well,” the 2020 Texas power forward told Irish Sports Daily afterward.
“I got to meet all of the basketball players and spend time with them and be able to play with them. I got to meet everybody on campus that I didn’t get to meet the first visit.”
Coles felt like he could fit in with the players on and off the court.
“All of them are real good dudes,” he said. “We all connected pretty well. It was good to get up and down with them to see the style the play in. I felt like those guys are in the right system and I’d fit the system real well too, so it was fun playing with them.”
The Guyer High School standout felt he performed well during the informal workout.
“Just playing my game and trying to get adjusted to how they were playing and how they run their stuff,” he said. “Just playing up and down and playing regular pickup.”
The Irish coaching staff made sure show the 6-foot-7, 230-pounder how he could succeed in South Bend.
“They just think I can fit in this system,” Coles explained. “They showed me players who played there before who have similar games to me who play in The League.”
Coles said the coaches showed him video of both Bonzie Colson and Pat Connaughton, showing how versatile Notre Dame believes he is as a prospect.
The academic piece is also something that was stressed.
“The education can take you a long way past basketball, beyond basketball,” said Coles. “They’ve just been really stressing that coming to Notre Dame is a great opportunity on and off the court.”
The Denton, Texas native was also impressed with the atmosphere on campus for the Irish’s home football opener.
“It was pretty much a packed house,” he said. “Obviously, Notre Dame takes their football serious with a lot of great fans. It was good to experience that.”
Coles didn’t get to see exactly what the inside of an active classroom, but did feel he got a complete picture of life as a student-athlete at Notre Dame.
“I saw pretty much everything they do,” he said. “I pretty much saw everything from the classroom to the gym to the lifestyle at their dorms. There’s nothing really I missed.”
He only has two official visits left, one to TCU on Sept. 28th and another to Texas A&M on Oct. 12th.
He said he could “possibly” be ready to announce his commitment after those trips.
One thing is certain, the Irish are in a better spot now than they were prior to the official.
“For sure, for sure. It really opened up my eyes about who they are. I really appreciate them bringing me in on the visit and giving me the opportunity to play there. It was really good.”