University of Miami basketball team signs four-star Class of 2021 guard from Maryland
The Maryland pipeline to the University of Miami basketball program continued flowing with the announcement Monday that the Hurricanes signed four-star recruit Jakai Robinson.
The 6-4, 200-pound guard is a native of Ossining, New York, and attends Rock Creek Christian Academy in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
He is the fourth player either from Maryland or out of a Maryland high school to sign with the Hurricanes in the last five years, following Chris Lykes, Anthony Walker and Earl Timberlake. He joins Nasine Poplar in the Canes’ 2021 signing class.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jakai and his family to the Miami basketball program,” said UM coach Jim Larrañaga. “Jakai is a great competitor and scorer who comes from the most highly competitive basketball area in the country. He has been extremely well-coached and is well-prepared to come in and help us right away as a freshman.”
All three major recruiting websites — 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN — rated Robinson a four-star prospect. He is a versatile player who can help at shooting guard and small forward.
Among the other schools that showed interest in him: Clemson, UConn, Florida, Georgetown, N.C. State, Oklahoma State, Seton Hall and Virginia Tech.
Robinson previously attended National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland, the school where Kevin Durant started his high school career. Robinson led the Capital Beltway League in scoring each of the past two years and won league MVP honors both seasons.
He averaged over 20 points per game his junior year and helped his team to a 24-7 record and a No. 13 finish in the Washington Post area rankings.
Robinson earned all-tournament honors at the Saint James Invitational Tournament, alongside players such as Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Day’Ron Sharpe and Mark Williams, all of whom were five-star recruits in the class of 2020.
The Hurricanes open the 2020-21 season at home Nov. 29 against the University of North Florida and face Purdue in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Dec. 8.