Barry University Basketball Coaching Staff

• Real good feel for the game. Good size at the point guard. Does a good job of handling the ball against pressure with both hands. Does a real good job of keeping his eyes and head up when dribbling up the court in transition. Knows what the next play is and does a good job of creating shots for his teammates. Has a nice mid-range pull-up and can hit the catch and shoot 3. Not afraid to be physical and finishes through contact when getting to the basket. Overall, continue to work and get better everyday. You do a lot of good things that coaches want in a player.

• Participated in the Barry U Elite Camp in Summer 2020. Read full evaluation here. 

The Recruiting Insiders - former D1 coaches

• Very good shooter with 3 level scoring ability. Gets shots off quickly, whether off the dribble or the catch and does a nice job with his shot preparation. Understands how to create space for himself on the perimeter with shot fakes. Sneaky athleticism to get to the rim and make plays for himself. Has a nice in between game with floaters and a mid range pull-up. Makes plays on the defensive end of the floor by getting into the opposition and being active on the perimeter with his length. Capable ball handler that can operate as a true combo guard, especially with his shooting and scoring ability. Possibly the best part of his game is vision and creation for others on the floor. Really good passer with either hand and tends to see plays before they develop!

• Read full evaluation here.

Mike Fitzpatrick, Assistant Men's Basketball Coach, Case Western Reserve University

• Passing and decision making! Constantly putting teammates in position to score. Vision is great, have a great pace to your game. Really bright future! Have a skill that every team needs. Keep working, find better players to workout with.

• Evaluation was part of Exact Sports Virtual College Basketball Camp that I participated in during Summer 2020. Read full evaluation here.

Michael Hamlin, Assistant Men's Basketball Coach, Bloomsburg University

• Evaluation from Washington, DC Showcase Camp on July 2, 2021

Tori Moten, President & Founder, M.A.D.E. Basketball

• Jackson proved he was capable of what we asked for and always went beyond what was expected. As he advanced through the program, I knew he would be a top notch player and leader. Court vision, athleticism, ball control and his competitiveness put his teammates in optimal situations to thrive. At first sight, every team they played against underestimated them. Jackson never showed he was intimidated by the bigger, faster players and his team got the recognition they deserved because they learned how to play the game properly. My organization started in 2011 and Jackson is by far one of the most talented players to come through my program. Intelligent point guard, excellent student, respectful, team player, and someone I am proud to wear my organization’s name on his chest. M.A.D.E. stands for My Attitude Determines Everything and if your program values our motto, having a basketball I.Q., strong character and playmaker, Jackson Van Wagener will be an excellent fit!

• Read Coach Tori's full letter here.

Carl Travis, my M.A.D.E. coach for six years

• Coaching Jack and watching him grow over the years has been an honor. He always listens, works hard, and is willing to help his teammates. He has a very good skill set from ball handling, shooting, finishing with both hands, and isn't afraid to mix it up and rebound from the guard position. Probably the most important quality that made our team successful was his basketball IQ. He was a player that I relied on to have the ball in his hands and make decisions for what situation we were in. Often, he would come to me with ideas on how to attack defenses. They say that a point guard should be an extension of the coach on the floor. Jack truly was for our team.

Kevin Lynch, Walter Johnson High School Summer/Fall Assistant Coach

• Jackson is one of the most talented kids that I have ever coached and I firmly believe that he would be an asset to your program. Jackson is a 6’1" point guard and here is how I would describe him:

  • • Elite level basketball skill (has worked with a professional basketball trainer for many years)

    • High basketball IQ

    • Excellent ball handler who can easily handle defensive presses and traps

    • Always plays under control and makes the game look easy

    • Competitive – hates to lose

    • Hard worker

    • Leads by example Extremely coachable and will be a coach on the floor for the team

    • Team first guy – makes others better

    • Excellent free throw shooter – will easily shoot 80% or better

    • Can score from any place on the floor

    • Very good 3 point shooter

    • Has mastered the mid-range jump shot

    • Strong and athletic

• Read Coach Lynch's full recommendation letter here.

Tyler Weader, Performance Director, Power Train

• Jackson Van Wagener has been the perfect example of an athlete that is never willing to settle for anything less than the best he or she can be. Over the past year, Jackson has been training with Power Train 2-3x per week with the overall goals of increasing strength, athleticism, and size for his basketball career. During each session Jackson gives his best effort, working alongside our coaches to execute every exercise and drill with perfect form and intensity. Jackson is one of those athletes who will push each set to muscular failure if we let him. This work ethic has lead to Jackson seeing great success in adding 15lbs of muscle and increasing his strength across the board... After suffering his ACL injury, Jackson never quit. We worked around his injury and focused on core and upper body strength while keeping the intensity high! During the COVID-19 Maryland shutdown, Jackson completed 3x/week online custom training programs at home with his own equipment. He even asked us to train him via Zoom 2-3x per week, to which we happily obliged. Jackson could have easily lost all of his progress and taken a few months off - but we knew he would never do that... Finally, we never had to worry about inconsistency with Jackson. He stayed on top of his training schedule and rarely ever missed a session. I know this commitment to a schedule will serve him well in college where he will have to juggle classes, basketball, studying, his personal life, and much more.

• Read full testimonial here.