HOUSTON – One of Houston’s high school basketball rising stars, Jacolb Cole, participated in Team USA’s Junior Nation Team mini-camp recently.
The Bellaire Class of 2023 forward was selected as one of 24 players for team USA’s 16U team. Only 12 of the 24 players will make the final team and be able to travel to a TBA location (likely Argentina - the site of three recent FIBA Americas 16U competitions).
Cole has been rising on recruiting boards, recently picking up an offer from Kelvin Sampson and the University of Houston. He’ll be a junior next season and holds offers from LSU, Texas A&M, Houston, Ole Miss and TCU.
Cole will be invited back to the 16U team’s camp in late July in Houston, where the U.S. Junior National Team will cut down the roster. Cole works out with local trainer Justin Allen of All-En Sports Performance. Allen is best known for training James Harden, among other big-name NFL and NBA players.
“He’s here at 5, 6 in the morning,” said Allen of Cole. “He comes before school to get that extra work in.”
Cole was excited about the prospect of competing against top high school players. Three of the 24 players at the mini-camp are ranked top 25 recruits nationally, as rated by ESPN.
“Every day you don’t get to play people at your caliber,” said Cole. “When you go to Team USA camp, you get to play against high-level dudes, and it helps me get better.”