Top-50 guard Junior County remains a Purdue priority
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Purdue, like many other successful programs, covets “winning qualities” in recruits, and it was that consideration that drove Matt Painter and his staff toward Junior County around this time a year ago.
The Boilermaker staff offered the combo guard from Wasatch Academy in Utah last summer. It followed it up by hosting him for an official visit during the season, then doing an in-home visit in the spring.
“They’ve been one of the schools recruiting me most consistently,” County said Friday after his Utah Prospects’ team’s rout of the short-handed PSA Cardinals. “I’ve built a good relationship with Coach (Matt) Painter and Coach P.J. (Thompson).”
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A grassroots teammate of fellow Purdue target Jamyn Sondrup, the 6-foot-5ish guard has become one of the more sought-after backcourt players in the 2026 class, with an eclectic array of suitors ranging from many programs out west, to national powers Houston and Connecticut, each of whom had their head coaches courtside in Augusta Friday. Maryland and Indiana are other Big Ten offers. Tom Izzo and Nate Oates were among other coaches present Friday, for County or otherwise. Utah Prospects do also have elite guard Ikenna Alozie and four-star wing Dean Rueckert. (PSA Cardinals stud Dylan Mingo did not play.)
County said he expects to narrow his list after the Peach Jam next week, then schedule fall official visits, with an October decision in mind.
Purdue already got one of his officials.
“I liked how close the coaching staff was,” County said. “They acted a lot like brothers when I was on my official visit. It was pretty refreshing because they were easy to talk to and get to know. And their arena, their home environment was incredible.”
Even with Luke Ertel already committed, Purdue is looking for additional backcourt and ball-handling help
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“They like how I can play on the ball with my size and use ball screens and fit in with their offense and how they use their bigs, where I could facilitate with the big or get my own shot,” County said.
“I think what really drew them to me was how I play both ends of the floor and how I can do a lot of different things at my size.”
More: Jamyn Sondrup update
JUNIOR COUNTY SCOUTING REPORT
County is all of 6-foot-5 and really advanced physically, which amplifies his versatility at both ends of the floor, He’ll be bigger than almost any point guard he’d line up against and just as big or bigger than any wing or 2-guard.
He uses his body very well both as a space-creator on offense and as a defender and rebounder, more than capable of being a primary ball-handler, but also ideal for a secondary ball-handler if paired with the right personnel. He can really make plays leading transition and be effective getting into the lane in screening actions. He is effective at the rim, a solid pull-up shooter and his form suggests he might be a more efficient three-point shooter on reduced volume at the college level.
