P.J. Washington, a 6-foot-8 forward from Henderson (NV) Findlay Prep, made the first cut for the USA U18 National Team and is hoping to be one of the 12 finalists chosen for the FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 19-23 in Valdivia, Chile.
“I’m just trying my hardest to make the team,” Washington told SNY.tv by phone from Colorado Springs, Colo. “It would mean the world to me because I’ve been looking up to playing USA ever since I first started playing. It was one of my goals and I feel like that would be a great accomplishment.”
Washington is one of 12 uncommitted players among the 18 remaining.
A native of Frisco, Texas, Washington says he wants to take official visits to four schools so far: Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas. He also lists Oregon, Michigan State, Cal, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Florida and UCLA.
He broke down all four schools:
Arizona: “Sean Miller’s a real nice guy. He’s cool with my dad, and [assistant] Joe Pasternack texts me every day, like three times a day. Sean texts sometimes but mostly he talks to my dad. I went to a game when they played Fresno State this past year.”
Kentucky: “I love Kentucky, I love Coach Cal [John Calipari]. He’s real cool with my father. And [assistant] Kenny Payne, he texts me on a daily. I’ve been texting him since last year so I feel like we have a real good relationship.”
North Carolina: “My dad loves [head coach] Roy [Williams], my mom loves Roy. Coach [Steve] Robinson, he talks to me like every day. When I went up there, I just loved the campus. The campus is huge, the gym is huge, the players are cool, it was just a real nice experience.”
Texas: “I think I visited last year. I just love Shaka Smart and his whole staff, it’s like family there. They’re cool with my parents and my siblings and I really like them.”
(Smart is the head coach of the U18 team and there are two other Texas players who made the first cut in big men James Banks and Jarrett Allen.)
Washington also says he plans on taking his officials in the fall, but not signing until the spring of 2017.
“I just want to see where everything falls and then I’m going to take my officials starting the next school year and after that I’ll just wait a little while to make my decision,” he said.
More immediately, he’s focused on the Peach Jam July 6-10 in North Augusta, S.C., where he and Team Penny will try to win a title. Washington credited his Team Penny and Team USA teammate John Petty for making their AAU club better.
“We’re gonna be wonderful,” he said. “Without John I don’t think we would’ve made Peach Jam. He’s been so good for us, He plays both ends of the floor. He can shoot it, he guards. He’s just a wonderful player.”
The 6-5 Petty, a native of Huntsville, Ala., is focusing on Kentucky and Alabama, and the two teammates have talked about playing together at the next level. Kentucky is the only school actively involved for both.
“Yeah, we talk about it a lot,” Washington said. “I would love to play in college with him. I feel like my game complements his and I just feel like he’s just a great player.”
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