No. 1 available PG Amaree Abram discusses recruitment

It’s been an up-and-down journey for Amaree Abram, a 6-foot-3 point guard out of Castaic (Calif.) Southern California Academy.

Last August, Abram was a three-star recruit, ranked outside the top-150, and decided to commit to Texas A&M over mostly mid-major offers.

Three months later, Abram decided to reopen his recruitment and has since landed offers from St. John’s, Xavier, Ole Miss, Maryland, Louisville, and DePaul.

Flash forward to today and Abram has jumped 100+ in the rankings. Now, he’s ranked as the No. 76 overall prospect in the On3 Consensus and is the best available point guard in the class of 2022.

However, Abram’s recruitment has been complicated, to say the least. Let me break it down for you.

• Louisville and Maryland don’t have a head coach
• Ole Miss, St. John’s both have two guards committed
• Xavier is no longer in pursuit after landing Desmond Claude
• DePaul just landed Zion Cruz, but could they make it work with Abram?

So what is Abram supposed to do? I spoke with him exclusively Tuesday night to see where his head is at.

Abram breaks it down

“I’m just taking my time with the process,” he says. “It’s been crazy man. I’m just looking for a school that I’m really comfortable with and a school that feels like home…somewhere I’ll be able to play, get good minutes, build a good relationship with the coach, and have connected ties forever.”

Abram also mentioned playing time is likely the No. 1 factor when it comes to making his decision.

Which schools are still in the mix for Abram?

“Ole Miss, DePaul, St. John’s, Maryland, and I don’t know about Louisville. I’m still undecided about them.”

Future visits?

Abram has only taken two official visits, to Louisville and Ole Miss. What’s next?

“I’ve been talking to DePaul about visiting, but we haven’t really set any dates yet though. I’ll for sure take one to St. John’s.”

St. John’s

“I think it’s a great school,” Abram said. “They love to play fast….my play style. They have a great coach and coaching staff. I love how they get after it. They want me to come in, be a big piece to the team, and get great minutes…and be a key player in the Big East.”

2022 Commits: SG AJ Storr (No. 101), PG Kolby King (No. 273)

DePaul

“They want me to come in and be a point guard. I think they’re losing guards so I’ll say come in and potentially be a starter if I do what I have to do…and be a big part of the team.

“Zion Cruz is going to DePaul, but they’re still interested in me. They want us to play in the backcourt together, so they are for sure still an option.”

*Something to keep in mind: DePaul is also targeting 2022 four-star CG Judah Mintz and hosted him for a visit earlier this month.

2022 Commits: CG Zion Cruz (No. 47), SG KT Raimey (Transfer)

Ole Miss

Abram officially visited Ole Miss back in December.

“The visit was real great man. They have a great coaching staff and a great group of guys. It’s in the SEC. I think I would fit in the SEC system, especially theirs. Like I said, a lot of schools want me to come in and be a key factor. I know they have guards but I think me and those guards could be big names in the SEC. They want me to come in and make an impact from the start.”

Ole Miss signee Robert Cowherd is Abram’s teammate at SoCal Academy. Is Cowherd recruiting Abram to join him in Oxford?

“(Robert) has been trying to push that narrative,” Abram laughed when asked about the potential team-up. “He really wants me to go there with him.”

2022 Commits: SG TJ Caldwell (No. 117), SG Robert Cowherd (No. 185), C Malique Ewin (No. 86)

Maryland

“Coach (Matt) Brady has been recruiting me. He’s keeping me in the mix with everything going on,” Abram said in regards to the head coaching gig. “I don’t really know who’s going to be the head coach. We’ve talked about a visit, but we haven’t really talked that much. We are still trying to build our relationship.”

2022 Commits: SG Cashius McNeilly (Transfer)

Louisville

Abram visited Louisville on the weekend of Jan. 22nd. Just a few days after returning home, the Cardinals officially parted ways with head coach Chris Mack.

“The assistant coach (Ross McMains) is the one recruiting me. He’s a really great guy man. I got to chop it up with him and we’ve been talking ever since. The visit was great. The fans were outstanding….the players, they are a great group of guys.”

Despite the vacant head coaching spot, Louisville is still pushing for Abram.

“The athletic director told me that my offer is still there, so they definitely still want me.”

2022 Commits: C Fredrick King (No. 96), SF Tae Davis (No. 145), SF Kamari Lands (No. 49)

Timetable?

Abram and his SoCal team are still in the race for Geico Nationals, meaning their season may not end until March. With the hectic schedule of both parties involved, it’s difficult for Abram to get on campuses to visit. However, he aims to have a decision made by the spring.