It’s not every year that a state like New Mexico hosts a top-50 overall basketball recruit, but when it does, it’s critical that player decides to stay home. That’s what makes the announcement from J.B. White such a big deal in the Land of Enchantment.
White, a four-star junior small forward from Santa Fe (N.M.) High School, committed to New Mexico ahead of scholarship offers from Marquette, Utah, San Diego State and Santa Clara, with plenty of interest from other major programs. According to 247Sports, White is one of the top prospects from New Mexico in a number of years.
A 6-foot-7, 185 pound swingman, White is a versatile mix of playmaking, defense and respectable shooting. He should be a significant contributor in New Mexico from the outset.
Of course, all of that assumes that he sticks with his current commitment. It’s still very early in the Class of 2021, and White has thus far flown beneath the national radar because A) he plays in New Mexico and not a more high profile state like Texas, California, Florida, Indiana or the like, and B) he suffered a knee injury during the first half of his sophomore season and was forced to sit out the entire second half and most of the summer AAU season.
No matter. He’s back now, and ready to make an impact, first for Santa Fe, and eventually for his home state school.
