Photo by: Ben Solomon
2019-20 Preview Series: The Reintroduction of Jairus Hamilton
October 26, 2019 | Men's Basketball, #ForBoston Files
His evolution makes him an easy breakout candidate this year
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- The hype machine can't really help itself.
It has the power to make household names with an immediate and instantaneous buzz, but it also breaks legends down as fast as it builds them. It can alter or change perception in a split second, but it operates with a short-term memory that always lurches forward for the next target. It can change something or someone forever, but it can just easily forget.
Jairus Hamilton's arrival at Boston College last year signaled the hype machine into a lather. Every recruiting bureau marked him as a top 100 rated player and created tantalizing prospect reports. He possessed a rare combination of size and athleticism, making him a highly-regarded ACC player capable of becoming a superstar.
A quick glance across ACC projections for the upcoming season seem to forget that. Hamilton is still the same elite prospect that he was a year ago, but the hype machine moved onto a new target and name. But overlook Jairus Hamilton at your own risk.
"Jairus is making the game simpler for himself," head coach Jim Christian said. "He's still figuring out where to go on the court, where to cut and how to run. The game is coming to him easier, but having one year of experience can help anyone."
As a freshman in 2018-19, Hamilton appeared in 30 games, making his debut in the season opener against Milwaukee with eight points and seven rebounds. He hit double figures for the first time when he dropped in 11 points to secure the Fort Myers Tipoff title against Loyola Chicago, and narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points nine rebounds in under 20 minutes against Sacred Heart.
His performances kept growing from there. He earned his first collegiate start against Columbia and he grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against Hartford. He made 4-of-6 from beyond the arc at Virginia Tech and played a crucial 34 minutes at NC State, making the tying basket that forced overtime.
"I had to work hard on my decision-making skills and how to better understand the game," Hamilton said. "I took a lot of time in the offseason to look back at film so I could see things that I could have done better. I had to understand that I couldn't just do what I wanted to do on the court. I had to understand the time and decision-making of the game, in certain situations. I feel like I've really grown there."
BC will need that evolution because Hamilton is capable of providing an anchor at all three positions. His speed and ball-handling skills allow him to push the floor in transition, but his size and power make him an ideal option in the post. His shot has touch, but he has the toughness to bang against opponents with size or weight advantages.Â
"Our bigger guys are skilled," Christian said. "We take (opposing bigs) away from the basket. Defensively, we'll do some things like double a little bit and some guys will play heads up. It's all game planning stuff."
"Coach Christian gives a lot of guys opportunities to play," Hamiltion said. "You can watch guys with size like Steffon Mitchell or me bring the ball up the court. We get the opportunity to do it because we can pass or run. That's one of the things I like about being here at BC."
It makes Hamilton a logical candidate for a breakout season. His measurable, raw talents compared favorably to better-known recruits at more well-known schools, but he finished the season overlooked. As his second season begins, there is ample opportunity for the hype machine to kick back into high gear with an old name it might have started to forget.
"Last season was hard at first because I wasn't banging with seven footers in high school," Hamilton said. "It comes with the game. You just have to figure out what your advantages are. There might be guys that have 20 or 30 pounds on you, but you can be faster than them. You have to gain leeway getting to spots, and you can move a little bit better in positioning. You just have to figure out those advantages against opponents."
It has the power to make household names with an immediate and instantaneous buzz, but it also breaks legends down as fast as it builds them. It can alter or change perception in a split second, but it operates with a short-term memory that always lurches forward for the next target. It can change something or someone forever, but it can just easily forget.
Jairus Hamilton's arrival at Boston College last year signaled the hype machine into a lather. Every recruiting bureau marked him as a top 100 rated player and created tantalizing prospect reports. He possessed a rare combination of size and athleticism, making him a highly-regarded ACC player capable of becoming a superstar.
A quick glance across ACC projections for the upcoming season seem to forget that. Hamilton is still the same elite prospect that he was a year ago, but the hype machine moved onto a new target and name. But overlook Jairus Hamilton at your own risk.
"Jairus is making the game simpler for himself," head coach Jim Christian said. "He's still figuring out where to go on the court, where to cut and how to run. The game is coming to him easier, but having one year of experience can help anyone."
As a freshman in 2018-19, Hamilton appeared in 30 games, making his debut in the season opener against Milwaukee with eight points and seven rebounds. He hit double figures for the first time when he dropped in 11 points to secure the Fort Myers Tipoff title against Loyola Chicago, and narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points nine rebounds in under 20 minutes against Sacred Heart.
His performances kept growing from there. He earned his first collegiate start against Columbia and he grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against Hartford. He made 4-of-6 from beyond the arc at Virginia Tech and played a crucial 34 minutes at NC State, making the tying basket that forced overtime.
"I had to work hard on my decision-making skills and how to better understand the game," Hamilton said. "I took a lot of time in the offseason to look back at film so I could see things that I could have done better. I had to understand that I couldn't just do what I wanted to do on the court. I had to understand the time and decision-making of the game, in certain situations. I feel like I've really grown there."
BC will need that evolution because Hamilton is capable of providing an anchor at all three positions. His speed and ball-handling skills allow him to push the floor in transition, but his size and power make him an ideal option in the post. His shot has touch, but he has the toughness to bang against opponents with size or weight advantages.Â
"Our bigger guys are skilled," Christian said. "We take (opposing bigs) away from the basket. Defensively, we'll do some things like double a little bit and some guys will play heads up. It's all game planning stuff."
"Coach Christian gives a lot of guys opportunities to play," Hamiltion said. "You can watch guys with size like Steffon Mitchell or me bring the ball up the court. We get the opportunity to do it because we can pass or run. That's one of the things I like about being here at BC."
It makes Hamilton a logical candidate for a breakout season. His measurable, raw talents compared favorably to better-known recruits at more well-known schools, but he finished the season overlooked. As his second season begins, there is ample opportunity for the hype machine to kick back into high gear with an old name it might have started to forget.
"Last season was hard at first because I wasn't banging with seven footers in high school," Hamilton said. "It comes with the game. You just have to figure out what your advantages are. There might be guys that have 20 or 30 pounds on you, but you can be faster than them. You have to gain leeway getting to spots, and you can move a little bit better in positioning. You just have to figure out those advantages against opponents."
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