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When Travis Steele took over as head coach of Xavier, he did so with the reputation as a great recruiter. The 2019 class went a long way toward confirming that, the 2020 class has cemented it. In locking down CJ Wilcher, Dwan Odom, and Colby Jones, Steele has landed a class that easily top 15 and even hits the top 10 on some lists. If Xavier is to continue its ascent to national power, classes like this are vital.
The coach had some thoughts on each guy. (Quotes provided by Xavier Athletic Department).
On Jones: "Colby is like a swiss-army knife. I don’t know what position he is because he can play 1-3. He’s a guy that is a tremendous defender, can really rebound for a guard, can score and make plays. He’s skilled and he’s a terrific decision-maker with the ball with an ability to make guys better. He is strong and has good size and length."
On Odom: “Dwon is a leader first and foremost, who is a great fit at the point guard position. When you watch Dwon play, the first thing that catches your eye is his athleticism, how strong he is and how tough he is, but I love the fact that you can always hear him. Dwon brings energy and leadership. He is a winner.”
On Wilcher: “C.J. is the best shooter that I’ve seen in the class of 2020 in the entire country. C.J. can make shots from all over the floor, whether in the post, off the catch or off the dribble. He also really knows how to play and he knows how to use his body. He sees things on the floor and can make his teammates better. He is a great shooter, but he is a lot more than that. He’s a scorer and I think he will bring a different dimension on the offensive end.”
24/7 Sports has this Xavier class at ninth in the nation. ESPN Recruiting has them at 13th but lists Wilcher (77th) and Odom (69th) in their illustrious top 100 while saying that Odom is “impossible to keep out of the lane off the dribble,” and Wilcher is “one of the better shooters in the 2020 class.” Wherever you want to put them precisely, this is one of the best recruiting classes Xavier has ever had.