Jayden Fort reclasses to 2024, commits to Georgetown

August 9, 2024 by Colby Giacubeno

Head coach Ed Cooley and his staff have been active in completing their 2024-25 roster and they'll welcome their second commitment of the week by way of prospects who reclass from 2025 to 2024, this time with Jackson-Reed/Team Melo forward Jayden Fort. Fort, a 6-foot-8 D.C. native, will enroll immediately and join the team as a high-upside freshman who averaged 11.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in Peach Invitational Tournament play.

"The biggest thing for me was how Coach Cooley has a plan for me," Fort told MADE Hoops. "They brought me in and were showing how they'd use me and it was straight love."

Fort will enroll and join the team immediately, but will redshirt for the upcoming season.

"I'm going to redshirt this year and that's big time to me. I just don't think there's any better development for me than to be on a college campus. They showed me the players that they've had in the past at my position and almost every one of them went on to be all-conference dudes and pros. They see me developing exactly like those players. That proved to me that Coach Cooley knows what he's doing, especially at my position."

"They told me that they hybrid forward spot is their favorite position to coach. He has one of his former players, LaDontae Henson, on staff and he played the exact same position and he was a dog. I'm excited to learn from him and further develop with his help."

Fort's high school coach, Tee Johnson, played a pivotal role not only in his decision, but in Fort's development over the years.

"Coach Tee always told me if the shoe fits, why would I go somewhere else to get the same shoe?"

Fort went on to talk about his connection with Cooley.

"I like how real he seems. You know, when you're going through this recruiting process, some of these coaches seemed like they have programmed responses. When I'm talking to Cooley, it's like talking to an OG at the rec or something. Nothing crazy like that, but I didn't get a business approach from him. I got more of a family type of feel. He showed me the plan for me and it that big for me."

Fort marks another DMV prospect deciding to stay home and buy into the plan and culture that Cooley has created. He'll join the group of new faces, both from high school and the transfer portal, along with Malik Mack and Caleb Williams.

"I didn't really see myself staying home when I got into the recruiting process, but it's never been something that I was against. Being able to be home and have my family only 20 minutes away to see my games and something like only being 15 minutes away from Jackson-Reed to go see games up there is a blessing. That helped in making my decision. Being able to play at this level and be right by home is great."

Fort ended our conversation with reiterating the impact that Johnson had on his life even before he stepped foot on campus at Jackson-Reed.

"I would say Coach Tee is a person that got me out the mud. Without Tee, I don't know where I'd be. He's really been everything in my development. Initially before I even came to Jackson-Reed, he was trying to get me to go to a different school because he thought it would benefit me. The thing about Tee is, he's always thinking about the player first. He puts himself last and I have a lot of respect for him because of that and his demeanor. That's a great dude. He's always looking out for me and always looking out for his players. He's the best coach in the DMV."