As I sit alone at the airport, waiting for my flight to board, the 6'0”, 150 pound, 16 year old looks like any ordinary high school student, but at closer glance, it is Jaylen Hands. The same Jaylen Hands that was named to the 2014 All CIF Team, was heading to the The Team USA Basketball Camp in Colorado Springs to join 60 of the top high school basketball players in the country, when I had the chance to sit down and talk with him.

 

     “Sometimes it can get overwhelming, but sometimes you gotta realize that you’re here  to get better, to be the best player you can be, and my goal is to make it to the NBA, so you just gotta push that out, know what you’re doing, have a goal and go for it.” Explained Balboa City’s newly acquired star point guard, Jaylen Hands. Hands may not be the most imposing player, but his ability at the point guard position is unmatched. After committing to UCLA this summer, Hands has his next two years of high school to focus on improving his basketball ability before graduating in 2017.

 

     Jaylen Hands began his high school basketball career as a Freshman for Mater Dei in 2013, enjoying incredible freshman and sophomore years. This resulted in over ten scholarship offers from schools such as Arizona, Louisville, San Diego State, among others before ultimately deciding to attend UCLA. Although he is only a junior, Hands feels confident in his decision: “I knew what school I wanted to go to. It was close to home, my parents love it and I didn’t want anyone else to take that opportunity from me. I just knew it was the right time.” It is clear that Hands is already excited to be a Bruin saying, “I’m excited to play on a stage where everyone is watching you nationally and to be a part of that lineage of point guards that go from UCLA to the league.”

 

     After leading Mater Dei to the Southern California Open Division Quarterfinals in 2014, Hands decided it was time for a change. On May 5, 2015, he enrolled at Foothills Christian High School in El Cajon, California to join forces with senior T.J. Leaf. Everything seemed to be going as planned until, on August 13, Hands was denied eligibility. Instead of panicking, as many top recruits would, the talented junior went to his next best option. On September 21, 2015, Hands enrolled at Balboa City School(San Diego, California). When asked about the chaotic turn of events, Hands simply said, “Going to Foothills didn’t work out as we planned it to be, so we moved to Balboa to play this year. It should be fun.”

 

     With basketball season approaching soon, Hands makes sure to stay focused on improving. “I want to work on my overall strength, body-wise and consistency. I want to consistently be, if not the best, one of the best players on the court when I play.” Although the season hasn’t begun yet, the point guard out of San Diego has continued to play like his dominant self. At the Team USA Junior Basketball Minicamp in September this year, Hands justified his ranking as a Top 40 player in the class of 2017. Despite all of the success, Hands is still a kid at heart, "Before games, I like to eat bananas, apples, and scooby snacks."

 

     Although he spends most of his time playing basketball, Hands still has a plethora of other activities. “I like to hang out with my friends, [listen to] music, ride bikes, and eat out with my family.” described the star point guard. With two years of high school remaining and recruiting out of the way, Hands should be a player to watch out for in the Class of 2017.