George Washington University Athletics
The Future
6/5/2019 4:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jamion Christian has signed three highly-touted student-athletes to join the Colonials for the 2019-20 season
Shawn Walker Jr.'s first visit to the Charles E. Smith Center came in November 2014.
The Grambling State Tigers, coached by his father Shawn Sr., were opening the season in Foggy Bottom, and Walker had a prime seat in a rowdy crowd of 3,446 fans as the Colonials won by 52 points to kick off the campaign in style, beginning a march to 22 victories and an NIT berth.
Afterward, the elder Walker asked the eighth grader if he could see himself playing for the Buff and Blue.
"It's so crazy," Shawn Walker Jr. said. "Because look where we are now."
Indeed, Walker, a 6-foot-6 guard out of Elizabeth City, N.C., recently signed his national letter-of-intent to become a Colonial, joining fellow guards Amir Harris (Frederick, Md.) and Jameer Nelson Jr. (Philadelphia, Pa.), in the first group to sign under head coach Jamion Christian. They'll begin summer workouts at GW on July 2, eager to create their own Smith Center memories and return the Colonials to postseason contention.
"I'm just really excited to play with this team," said Nelson, a 6-foot-1 guard who capped his career at the Haverford School with an undefeated run to a state title. "I can't wait to be with this bunch of guys who are all just as excited as I am to be playing for Coach Christian."
Christian targeted the recent additions because of their playmaking abilities on both ends of the floor to boost the GW backcourt. All three have reputations as elite passers, which the first-year coach identified as a particular need as he works to install an offense in which nearly half of all shot attempts should come from 3-point range.
In his opening weeks on the job, Christian was able to land pledges from the sought-after prospects because of relationships that began well before he was officially named the program's leader on March 21.
"What's neat is we've known all three of these guys for a long time," Christian said. "Usually when you're recruiting late at a new job, you don't have the opportunity to bring in people that you know because you're just looking for talent.
"We were really able to bring in people that we knew, that we understood their strengths and weaknesses and that fit what we needed, and most importantly, they understood us. It's fun to get a chance to coach a bunch of guys we've always wanted to coach."
Walker's college hoops dream took root watching his father's teams and blossomed at Wesleyan Christian in North Carolina and then Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in Virginia.
While at Siena, Christian was among the first to offer Walker a scholarship before he signed with the Saints last fall. The coach was intrigued by the guard's versatile skillset, still-growing frame and penchant for squeezing in extra workouts before class.
"I just could feel how hungry he was," Christian said. "He didn't yet know at that time how good he was going to be and he didn't know how good a senior year he was going to have, but I could tell how hard he was working."
Walker validated that belief by putting together a tremendous senior season. He averaged 21 points per game in helping Bishop Sullivan to its first conference title in 25 years and was named tournament MVP.
"I felt like I finally let the tiger out of the cage," said Walker, who garnered first-team all-state honors.
When Christian moved on to GW, Walker received a release from his national letter-of-intent. His shining senior season ensured he'd have plenty of options, but a conversation with Christian quickly made the Colonials the front runners – and ultimately his choice.
"He told me he still wanted me to play for him and he still loved me," said Walker, who became the first of the group to commit. "I still wanted to play for him, so that's all I needed to hear."
Nelson flashed his promise last winter by helping Haverford School to an unblemished 30-0 run to Inter-Ac League and PISAA titles. The guard continued a relatively quick rise in the sport by averaging 14 points per game during his senior season.
The son of 14-year NBA veteran and former Saint Joseph's All-American Jameer Nelson, he was more focused on baseball early in his high school career before turning his full attention to the hardwood about two years ago.
Since then, Nelson's game has grown by leaps and bounds and his college prospects followed. He noted with a chuckle that he's been learning piano (four years) longer than he's been focused on his college hoops dreams. He said workouts under the direction of his father have shown him the commitment it takes to keep improving.
Christian has been impressed by the floor general's feel for the game and flare for causing havoc on the defensive end.
"He's really just starting to scratch the surface of how good he can be," Christian said. "His jump shot has really been developing, and his athleticism, his burst, his ability to find guys in traffic are really special. He's just got this chip on his shoulder that he plays with that I really think can change a program's trajectory."
For Nelson, his decision ultimately came down to his relationship with Christian and the staff.
After re-opening his recruitment in March, Nelson realized the importance of finding the right fit. An April visit to Foggy Bottom confirmed his suspicion that the Colonials checked all the boxes.
"I just felt the love as soon as I stepped on campus," Nelson said. "They recruited me the hardest, and I talked to them the most and I felt their interest in me. Coach Christian was straight up with me with his plan and what he had in store for me, and I felt like it was the best plan for me."
Then there's Harris, who arrives with experience on college basketball's biggest stages.
A former three-star recruit, Harris saw action in 23 games, with a pair of starts, as a first-year at Nebraska, despite a midseason bout with mono and a late-season knee injury. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard came on strong down the stretch, averaging 6.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 22.6 minutes over his final five games.
Harris scored the game-winning layup with 10 seconds left in overtime against Iowa on March 10 in what turned out to be his final game of the season.
Christian has admired Harris' game since he was a Maryland prep prospect at St. Maria Goretti High School and then the St. James School while the coach was nearby at Mount St. Mary's.
Over the years, Christian has seen first-hand how Harris' length impacts a game, making him a unique playmaker offensively and a lock-down defender of smaller guards on the perimeter. His skills figure to be a great fit in an offense that makes frequent use of ball screens and asks the guards to create off the dribble.
"I know if he's in the right environment and the right place you're going to get a really elite player," Christian said. "I've seen him make really, really big plays in big moments in high school, and I think he's got a lot of those moments ahead of him."
After completing the spring semester at Nebraska, Harris had a quick turnaround to beginning classes at GW late last month. He's working toward a Psychology degree and getting used to life in Foggy Bottom as he waits for the rest of the Colonials to join him on campus in a few weeks.
As his next chapter begins, Harris is anxious to learn from his experience in the Big Ten and continue to develop his game under Christian.
"Coach Christian is someone I really value and respect as a person, so it was a pretty easy choice for me," Harris said. "Our relationship has gone back a while, and I've seen his teams and how solid they've been. Just the idea of being able to come back home and still play at a high level made this a really good option."
It's been a whirlwind few months setting the future of the program, but Christian is excited about the results with this recruiting class.
Walker, Harris and Nelson will team with a pair of forwards signed last fall in Jamison Battle (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Chase Paar (Ellicott City, Md.) to fortify the GW lineup as the coach embarks on his first season at the helm.
Christian said Battle's combination of sharp-shooting and size give him a chance to help right away, while he called Paar the best big man coming out of Maryland in the Class of 2019.
"When you look at that entire class together, you've got everything you need," Christian said. "That group of five right there has a chance to be pretty special."
The Grambling State Tigers, coached by his father Shawn Sr., were opening the season in Foggy Bottom, and Walker had a prime seat in a rowdy crowd of 3,446 fans as the Colonials won by 52 points to kick off the campaign in style, beginning a march to 22 victories and an NIT berth.
Afterward, the elder Walker asked the eighth grader if he could see himself playing for the Buff and Blue.
"It's so crazy," Shawn Walker Jr. said. "Because look where we are now."
Indeed, Walker, a 6-foot-6 guard out of Elizabeth City, N.C., recently signed his national letter-of-intent to become a Colonial, joining fellow guards Amir Harris (Frederick, Md.) and Jameer Nelson Jr. (Philadelphia, Pa.), in the first group to sign under head coach Jamion Christian. They'll begin summer workouts at GW on July 2, eager to create their own Smith Center memories and return the Colonials to postseason contention.
"I'm just really excited to play with this team," said Nelson, a 6-foot-1 guard who capped his career at the Haverford School with an undefeated run to a state title. "I can't wait to be with this bunch of guys who are all just as excited as I am to be playing for Coach Christian."
Christian targeted the recent additions because of their playmaking abilities on both ends of the floor to boost the GW backcourt. All three have reputations as elite passers, which the first-year coach identified as a particular need as he works to install an offense in which nearly half of all shot attempts should come from 3-point range.
In his opening weeks on the job, Christian was able to land pledges from the sought-after prospects because of relationships that began well before he was officially named the program's leader on March 21.
"What's neat is we've known all three of these guys for a long time," Christian said. "Usually when you're recruiting late at a new job, you don't have the opportunity to bring in people that you know because you're just looking for talent.
"We were really able to bring in people that we knew, that we understood their strengths and weaknesses and that fit what we needed, and most importantly, they understood us. It's fun to get a chance to coach a bunch of guys we've always wanted to coach."
Walker's college hoops dream took root watching his father's teams and blossomed at Wesleyan Christian in North Carolina and then Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in Virginia.
While at Siena, Christian was among the first to offer Walker a scholarship before he signed with the Saints last fall. The coach was intrigued by the guard's versatile skillset, still-growing frame and penchant for squeezing in extra workouts before class.
"I just could feel how hungry he was," Christian said. "He didn't yet know at that time how good he was going to be and he didn't know how good a senior year he was going to have, but I could tell how hard he was working."
Walker validated that belief by putting together a tremendous senior season. He averaged 21 points per game in helping Bishop Sullivan to its first conference title in 25 years and was named tournament MVP.
"I felt like I finally let the tiger out of the cage," said Walker, who garnered first-team all-state honors.
When Christian moved on to GW, Walker received a release from his national letter-of-intent. His shining senior season ensured he'd have plenty of options, but a conversation with Christian quickly made the Colonials the front runners – and ultimately his choice.
"He told me he still wanted me to play for him and he still loved me," said Walker, who became the first of the group to commit. "I still wanted to play for him, so that's all I needed to hear."
Nelson flashed his promise last winter by helping Haverford School to an unblemished 30-0 run to Inter-Ac League and PISAA titles. The guard continued a relatively quick rise in the sport by averaging 14 points per game during his senior season.
The son of 14-year NBA veteran and former Saint Joseph's All-American Jameer Nelson, he was more focused on baseball early in his high school career before turning his full attention to the hardwood about two years ago.
Since then, Nelson's game has grown by leaps and bounds and his college prospects followed. He noted with a chuckle that he's been learning piano (four years) longer than he's been focused on his college hoops dreams. He said workouts under the direction of his father have shown him the commitment it takes to keep improving.
Christian has been impressed by the floor general's feel for the game and flare for causing havoc on the defensive end.
"He's really just starting to scratch the surface of how good he can be," Christian said. "His jump shot has really been developing, and his athleticism, his burst, his ability to find guys in traffic are really special. He's just got this chip on his shoulder that he plays with that I really think can change a program's trajectory."
For Nelson, his decision ultimately came down to his relationship with Christian and the staff.
After re-opening his recruitment in March, Nelson realized the importance of finding the right fit. An April visit to Foggy Bottom confirmed his suspicion that the Colonials checked all the boxes.
"I just felt the love as soon as I stepped on campus," Nelson said. "They recruited me the hardest, and I talked to them the most and I felt their interest in me. Coach Christian was straight up with me with his plan and what he had in store for me, and I felt like it was the best plan for me."
Then there's Harris, who arrives with experience on college basketball's biggest stages.
A former three-star recruit, Harris saw action in 23 games, with a pair of starts, as a first-year at Nebraska, despite a midseason bout with mono and a late-season knee injury. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard came on strong down the stretch, averaging 6.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 22.6 minutes over his final five games.
Harris scored the game-winning layup with 10 seconds left in overtime against Iowa on March 10 in what turned out to be his final game of the season.
Christian has admired Harris' game since he was a Maryland prep prospect at St. Maria Goretti High School and then the St. James School while the coach was nearby at Mount St. Mary's.
Over the years, Christian has seen first-hand how Harris' length impacts a game, making him a unique playmaker offensively and a lock-down defender of smaller guards on the perimeter. His skills figure to be a great fit in an offense that makes frequent use of ball screens and asks the guards to create off the dribble.
"I know if he's in the right environment and the right place you're going to get a really elite player," Christian said. "I've seen him make really, really big plays in big moments in high school, and I think he's got a lot of those moments ahead of him."
After completing the spring semester at Nebraska, Harris had a quick turnaround to beginning classes at GW late last month. He's working toward a Psychology degree and getting used to life in Foggy Bottom as he waits for the rest of the Colonials to join him on campus in a few weeks.
As his next chapter begins, Harris is anxious to learn from his experience in the Big Ten and continue to develop his game under Christian.
"Coach Christian is someone I really value and respect as a person, so it was a pretty easy choice for me," Harris said. "Our relationship has gone back a while, and I've seen his teams and how solid they've been. Just the idea of being able to come back home and still play at a high level made this a really good option."
It's been a whirlwind few months setting the future of the program, but Christian is excited about the results with this recruiting class.
Walker, Harris and Nelson will team with a pair of forwards signed last fall in Jamison Battle (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Chase Paar (Ellicott City, Md.) to fortify the GW lineup as the coach embarks on his first season at the helm.
Christian said Battle's combination of sharp-shooting and size give him a chance to help right away, while he called Paar the best big man coming out of Maryland in the Class of 2019.
"When you look at that entire class together, you've got everything you need," Christian said. "That group of five right there has a chance to be pretty special."
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