In a bit of a surprise turn of events (that almost no one saw coming), head coach Wayne Tinkle made a late addition the 2018 recruiting class on Tuesday, when 6’ 2” point guard Jordan Campbell committed to the Beavers. So just who is Jordan Campbell? Well, here’s five things you may not have known about the newest addition to the Oregon State program.
1. He’ll Be In The Point Guard Conversation From Day One
The funny thing about Campbell is that he was more of a point guard by necessity in high school and he doesn’t necessarily come across as the prototypical type of floor general that teams in the Pac-12 are looking for. However, with no real other options on the Beavers roster (besides the obvious idea of moving Stephen Thompson Jr. to the point full-time), Campbell may have a shot to prove his worth in the back-court. He split time handling the ball when he suited up both for Adelnato High School and a prep school in Victorville, California over the past two seasons.
2. He’s A Former San Diego State Commit
Rated somewhere between a two and three-star prospect by numerous recruiting services, Campbell was pledged to San Diego State up until recently, when Aztecs assistant coach Justin Hutson decided to leave town to become the head man at Fresno State. While Campbell didn’t immediately de-commit from the Mountain West school, he did begin to ramp up his recruiting process again and recently took a visit to the Corvallis campus. After the visit, Campbell was said to be sold on a chance to play in the Pac-12 and looks to be a seamless fit in Wayne Tinkle’s grind-it-out style.
3. He’s A Freakishly Athletic Lefty (And I Mean Freakishly)
Can we all just check out the video below that starts with about a minute straight of just high-level dunks at the rim? Oh yeah, you may want to pause it at the 41-second mark too...for the love of elevation.
4. He’s A Willing And Capable Shooter
Some lefty’s look incredibly smooth when they let the ball go and some look like their elbows forget to get in touch with the rest of their body and Campbell is well...stuck somewhere in between. No, he won’t be remembered for having the ideal form or prettiest jumpshot but he’s more than willing to take and make the shots needed at crucial points in games. This is one of the factors in his game that may help him to crack the team’s rotation sooner rather than later.
5. He Has Potential To Be The Program’s Best Defender Since...
I really don’t want to begin the career of an incoming freshman who just committed by comparing him to the likes of Gary Payton II on the defensive side of things, but the point I’m trying to make is that if he wants to, Campbell can be a high-level defender at the college level. His natural sense of timing and quick hands gives him the foundation to build off and he seems to play at times with the right type of physical, in-your-face mindset. However, at the next level, you can’t flip the switch on and off. Consistency will be king for Campbell.