Meet 2022 prospect Aaron Price, one of the bounciest athletes in the country that you haven't heard of (...yet). Price, believe it or not, has yet to play a regular season high school varsity game, due to a bevy of reasons (Nevada transfer rules, Nevada’s reluctance to play any high school games in 2020-21, etc.). Despite that unique wrinkle, the 2022 forward has received interest from various D1 programs all around the country. Watch Price run up and down the court a few times and you’ll immediately see why: he’s an elite vertical athlete that finishes high above the rim with an expanding offensive skill set; even more notably, he has the realistic potential to guard just about any position on the defensive end. He is very clearly only scratching the surface as a basketball player.
Price was one of the event standouts at our showcase event in Utah, last October (see highlights, below). Off the court, he excels in the classroom and is an accomplished musician (cello, piano, guitar), as well. The Liberty High School (NV) and Vegas Elite product is primed for a breakout spring/summer as soon as he has an opportunity to actually step onto the court and compete.
This week, Price spent some time with Pro Insight’s Jake Lieberman to discuss the latest with his recruitment.
For the next installment of “Recruiting Roundup,” we present class of 2022 prospect Aaron Price, from Henderson, Nevada:
Pro Insight: What's the current breakdown of your visits, offers, and interest?
Aaron Price: No offers, but I have interest from Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Army West Point, and Dartmouth.
PI: Which programs have you heard from the most lately?
AP: The schools I’ve heard the most from are Stanford, Yale, and Princeton.
PI: What has been the most unique recruiting pitch thus far?
AP: The most unique recruiting pitch was when one of the coaches sent me all of the 19 different food options that they have access to on campus. I personally have a liking for Popeyes and Chipotle, so I was relieved to see they were on the menu!
PI: What's the funniest thing that's happened in a virtual visit on Zoom?
AP: I haven’t had a virtual zoom visit yet.
PI: Did you have any dream schools growing up?
AP: Growing up I always wanted to go to Ohio State because my dad went there to play football when he was in college. I also had a fondness for Dayton University because I am originally from Dayton and was very impressed to see Obi Toppin lead them into the top-3, last year.
Q: If you could team up with any high school player in the country when you guys get to college, who would you pick?
AP: Joshua Jefferson! Probably one the most versatile players I’ve ever played with in high school. We are already high school teammates and I feel like we could wreak havoc in college. We have two different playing styles, but we’ve learned to play off of each other and develop chemistry.
Q: What are your three main priorities when narrowing down and eventually making a final decision with your recruitment?
A: Education is a major factor. I have a 4.5 GPA and so I really need a school to push me academically as well as physically. Another factor is facilities. I haven’t really had a gym or weight room that I’ve had unlimited access to, and so I want access to facilities to work on my game. The last factor is the team play style. I need a team that likes to get out and run because that’s the way that I play my game.
Q: How's your timeline looking?
AP: I would like to hopefully commit to a college around this time next year. I would be honored to go to any college and I genuinely just want to make an impact on the next level and use basketball to set myself up for future success and get an education. The recruitment process has been really exciting so far and I am very thrilled to see what new opportunities lie in this new year.
PI: What kind of role do you see yourself filling at the next level?
AP: I see myself being a versatile defender who can defend the 1-5. Offensively, I see myself being a tireless finisher who loves to run the floor and finish through traffic, but can also knock down shots if left open. Mainly I just want to do whatever I can to contribute to a team.
PI: If you could sum up your recruitment process up to this point in three or four words, what would they be?
AP: Exciting, relieving, hopeful, and humbling.
