Recruiting: Piedmont's Odam picks JSU
May 13—Alex Odam will play college basketball very close to where he's played high school basketball ... like, 12.5 miles south.
The Piedmont standout and rising senior point guard announced via social media today he will play for Jacksonville State University.
"It just kind of felt like the best fit for me," Odam said. "I've had a great relationship since day one with all of the coaches."
Odam chose JSU over offers from Mercer, UAB, Tennessee Tech, Samford, Davidson and New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Odam is a three-time all-state pick and was a finalist for the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Class 3A player of the year this past season. He's also The Anniston Star's two-time Class 1A-3A Calhoun County player of the year.
The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 2021-22. He holds the Piedmont all-time scoring record with 2,457 points, but he'll play the point in JSU coach Ray Harper's system.
"It fits him great," said Piedmont coach Jonathan Odam, also Alex's father. "They run a lot of pick-and-roll stuff. You put him in pick-and-roll, and he's one of the best point guards around.
"He wants to be a facilitator more than a scorer on that level, and that's how they recruited him."
The JSU pick offered a lot of pluses for Odam, not the least of which is closeness to home. His brother Preston attends JSU.
"I'm super excited, knowing that my family can come watch me," he said. "My family might be a little more excited about it than I am."
His dad puts it more in practical terms.
"He'll eat momma's cooking and get her to do his laundry for him," Jonathan joked.
Alex Odam said JSU's announcement that it will start play in Conference USA starting in the 2022-23 school year didn't play into his decision, but it's a nice bonus.
JSU having made its first two Division I NCAA tournament appearances under Harper, in 2017 and 2022, was more of a draw.
"One of the biggest deciding factors was, Coach Harper is a winner," Alex said. "He's proven that with two tournament appearances in six years. That says a lot about him and what that whole staff has done."
Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-235-3576. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.
