Washington Huskies Basketball Recruiting Profiles: Jabari Bird

Lorenzo Romar and his coaching staff only signed two transfers this past recruiting season, leading many to believe Washington's coaching staff is saving its time, energy and scholarships for players coming out of the class of 2013. Over the course of this month I will be putting together profiles of some of the top targets that have received scholarship offers from Washington. Other profiles: Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon

Jabari Bird completes the trio of high-end recruits Romar and his coaching staff have as their main targets rom the class of 2013. Washington has offers out to other players besides Parker, Gordon and Bird, but these three players are the big fish. Landing at least one of these guys will make or break this recruiting class.

Bird is not as explosive or as polished as Parker or Gordon, but he fits the mold of the prototypical Husky basketball recruit; he is athletic, he has a decent jump shot and most importantly, he thrives in transition and in the open court. The 6'5" shooting guard led his team to a CIF Division IV state championship this past season. He averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 59.2 percent from the field in his junior year.

Jabari Bird Junior Season Mixtape... Top Shooting Guard in 2013!!! (via Yayareasfinest2006)

Height / Weight: 6'6" / 190lbs
School: Salesian HS (Richmond, CA)
AAU Team: Oakland Soldiers
Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward
Twitter: @jbird2013

Rankings:

• No. 11 overall player in class of 2013, No. 4 PF in class of 2013 (ESPN), Grade: 92/100
• No. 16 overall player in class of 2013, No. 7 SF in class of 2013 (Rivals), 4/5 stars
• No. 13 overall player in class of 2013, No. 4 SF in class of 2013 (Scout), 5/5 stars

Bird has a prototypical scoring guard frame (great length) and the skills to go along with it. He is extremely explosive in transition and can put together a highlight reel of awe-inspiring dunks. He has a legitimate jump shot out to 22-feet and his release is smooth. (Via: ESPN)

Bird is an aggressive scorer that really uses his smooth play to get to the basket at will. He is one of the best rebounding guards in the country as he often finds himself getting easy putback opportunities. (Via: Scout.com)

Fitting in at Washington: Bird will immediately compete for starter's minutes if he chooses UW, but will not have a guaranteed starting spot like Jabari Parker and Aaron Gordon if they were to commit to UW. By the time Bird arrives, Washington will only have two shooting guards on its roster, C.J. Wilcox as a senior and Mark McLaughlin as a sophomore. Washington's fast-pace system favors Bird's open court offensive skills. His ability to get to the rim and finish with authority are two highly valued traits within Washington's half-court and fast break offenses.

Recruit Scoop: Washington already has an advantage in Bird's recruitment, the Northern California recruit wants to stay on the West Coast close to home and also wants to play with a school that has an up-tempo style of play — both criterion that fits Washington. Additionally, current Husky forward Desmond Simmons attended Salesian HS, the same high school Bird currently attends. In March, Bird listed Arizona, Cal and Washington as his top three schools, though in early May he listed a top five that included those three schools along with Oregon and Colorado.

Offers: Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington