Billy Gillispie's first commitment for the 2012 class and from all accounts, this is a pretty darned good pick-up. The biggest problem with Goodman's commitment is that he's committed to Georgetown, then de-committed when an assistant coach left, then committed to Rutgers when said assistant coach was hired at Rutgers, and then de-committed for some reason, and then committed to Texas Tech. This is one of those commitments where it may be best to be excited about the pick-up, but don't be surprised if he changes his mind.
Still, Goodman is talented, really talented, a nice combo-forward, although I have him listed as a power forward, and one of the top players in the country.
The Measurables:
JORDAN GOODMAN
Position: PF
DTN Profile
Video: Clip 1 | Clip 2
Rivals
Scout
ESPN
24/7 Sports
Ht: 6'9" | Wt: 210 lbs
High School: Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, FL)
The Player Speaks: CBS Sports Jeff Borzello reported about Goodman's commitment and Goodman's AAU coach, Antwain Tennell, talked briefly about Goodman's commitment to Texas Tech:
"It was just a good choice for him," Tennell said. "They need a wing to step in right away and play."
I told you the comment was brief. Anyway, Goodman apparently has played with his Washington D.C. AAU team for quite some time, despite changing high schools four different times. That's also a bit concerning and when Goodman committed, I noted that Goodman had played a year of high school ball at Christian Life Center in Humble, Texas. This is most likely when Gillispie was able to develop a relationship with Goodman. When Goodman committed to Rutgers one of Goodman's AAU coaches talked about Goodman's game:
"In my opinion, he’s one of the Top 10 players in that class, no doubt about it," Handon said. Rutgers is getting a Top 10 player."
He added: "He’ll bring some versatility. He can play on the perimeter as well as play on the inside. I think he’ll cause some matchup problems when you play him at the four because he can step out and shoot the 3. A lot of four men have a difficult time guarding him. I also think his best basketball is definitely ahead of him."
Goodman said he feels comfortable on the wing and in the post.
"Whatever position they need me to play, that’s what I’ll play," he said. "I’m more of a wing player but can go in the post."
This article also talks a bit about how Goodman's father is trying to get him out of the D.C. and inner-city area, which is why he's gone to some of these private schools. Here's Jordan's father, Deon Goodman:
"We’re trying to relocate him to get him into the suburbs, somewhere in New Jersey or somewhere in North Carolina," he said.
"We have to get Jordan out of here. We have to put him in a more secluded place so he can focus more on his books and his academics instead of the inner-city life."
You can also check out this profile from ESPN Rise, with a video, where Goodman talks about an auto accident when he was 11 where he lost his best friend, broke his legs and went through a lot. In addition to this, Goodman's mother passed away a few years ago.
Offers and Rankings: All of the scouting services are pretty consistent about Goodman's ranking, which is that he's a 3-star player. Only ESPN has Goodman ranked as the #25 power forward in the country. Not a lot of offers, but of the offers, they're quality schools, including Georgetown, Maryland and Rutgers (who may have cooled on Goodman and yes, this is a he-said she-said sort of thing).
The Video: Film don't lie.
You can also watch some post-game interviews of Goodman. This one is from when Goodman was a 10th grader and this one was somewhat recent as Goodman talked about his de-commitment to Georgetown and possibly committing to Rutgers.
Scouting Report: He's lanky and a bit gangly, but that's to be expected from a 6-9 kid that's still growing into his body. Goodman has a good outside shot and he looks fluid shooting from the outside, especially spotting up from the outside. Inside, he looks a little shaky, perhaps a bit out of control the few times you see him inside. Still, having a guy that's 6-9 and can shoot outside the way that he an is special and you would think that he could be taught that inside game. Goodman's ESPN profile is excellent and descriptive:
Strengths:
Goodman has a rangy frame with extremely long arms and he's a D-I type athlete. He is a matchup problem on the perimeter with his great size, allowing him to shoot over smaller defenders. He has a smooth jump shot out to 20-feet and he converts it at a consistent rate. His shot is deadly off the catch and he can hit the pull-up in transition as well. He runs well in transition and can slash his way to the rim using his length and athleticism. Defensively, he can cause problems with his long arms and good lateral quickness.Weaknesses:
Goodman has a tendency to hunt shots at an alarming rate. He needs to improve his savvy in terms of shot selection and understanding the play that is needed for his team to win. Many times it appears that he is just playing the game with no purpose in mind (lacks discipline). In addition, at his size, it would be beneficial if he would develop a go-to move in the post to keep defenses honest.
Jordan, welcome to Texas Tech and Git Your Guns Up!
The 2012 Class: No table until there are 2 commits and because I'm lazy.