Hands-on approach: Class of 2017 point guard in control of future

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Jaylen Hands is one of the highest rated point guards in the Class of 2017 (Javier Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

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LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Jaylen Hands’ Compton Magic Elite teammate Jalen Hill stood behind a reporter who was asking Hands about his future Wednesday night.

The topic of UCLA came up. Hill, who has verbally committed to the Bruins, started to clap and smile at Hands. Another Compton Magic teammate, post player Ike Anigbogu, has also pledged to Steve Alford’s program.

Hands did not budge. He kept talking to the reporter, looking him in the eyes, staying free of Hill’s distraction. It is the kind of control and poise that Hands happened to lack in the Compton Magic’s 76-73 loss to the Florida Sons in the opening game of the Adidas Uprising tournament at the Cashman Center.

“I’ve heard a lot about UCLA but my options are open right now,” said Hands, who still has two years of high school basketball remaining.

Arizona has a fighting chance for Hands inasmuch as Sean Miller and Joe Pasternack were on his trail right after USC and UCLA offered scholarships entering his sophomore season at Chula Vista (Calif.) Mater Dei Christian.

Hands, 6’1″ and 165, is also now a El Cajon (Calif.) Foothills Christian High School teammate of Arizona-bound Class of 2016 forward T.J. Leaf, who is not here with Compton Magic because he is representing Israel in the 18U World Championships in Austria.

Recently hired Arizona assistant Mark Phelps observed Hands in Compton Magic’s loss Wednesday night. Phelps did not get to see much because Hands picked up three fouls midway through the first half and remained on the bench until halftime.

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Mark Phelps (middle holding cell phone) watches the Compton Magic game Wednesday night featuring point guard Jaylen Hands (Javier Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

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The foul trouble did not help Hands get in the flow of the game. He appeared to be out of sync throughout, making only 2 of his 13 shots, including 1 of 7 from three-point range. He had a team-high seven assists but also four turnovers.

“No excuses,” a visibly upset Hands said. “I didn’t play well. I thought I wasn’t as aggressive as I should be. It won’t happen again.”

The foul problems precluded Hands from penetrating the lane like he usually does. On many occasions, he was relegated to dribbling on the perimeter and throwing up contested threes. After each miss or turnover, Hands bowed his head and shook his head and carried the mistake with him.

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As he matures, Hands will shake those unfortunate plays and move on faster. He is far from being fully developed because of his age.

“Especially after this game? I need to be aggressive from the start no matter what,” Hands said in response to my question of what he must work on the most with his game. “That’s the one thing I will be doing more of from now on. That’s the biggest thing for me now.”

He said he prides himself in getting his teammates involved more than scoring an abundance of points. It’s obvious he fits the leadership role well with his teammates. His quick first step and superior ball-handling skills make him dangerous as a distributor.

Arizona covets him as a point guard from the Class of 2017. By the time he is eligible in 2017-18, Parker Jackson-Cartwright will be a senior.

“Arizona is really up there,” said Hands, who also has scholarship offers from Stanford, Gonzaga, Louisville, Memphis and San Diego State.

“Sean Miller is a great coach with USA (winning gold in the U19 World Championships) and everything. Arizona is a great program. I love all of the coaches, Pasternack and Book (Richardson). Most attendance in the Pac-12 every year. That’s a good school. They are way up there.”

Hands can use the attendance fact as a comeback to Hill and Anigbogu, both of whom will not play in front of capacity crowds at Pauley Pavilion. The storied arena is now accustomed to plenty of empty seats when the Bruins play.

“We’re all friends,” Hands said of his UCLA-bound teammates. “We all talk to each other. I’m open right now. I ‘m enjoying it.”

ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has also written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.