4-Star SF Jaylen Hoard Announces Commitment to Wake Forest

Jaylen Hoard's basketball journey began in France. Then it continued in the state of North Carolina, where he starred at Wesleyan Christian.  

Now he's headed to Wake Forest.

Hoard announced his intention to become a Demon Deacon on Saturday via his Twitter account:

A 4-star recruit who also plays on Team CP3 on the AAU circuit, Hoard is 247Sports.com's 22nd-ranked prospect and 7th-ranked small forward in the class of 2018. He's the top-rated small forward in the state of North Carolina.

A French import who came over to the U.S. just last year, Hoard has already made strides in getting acclimated to the American style. 

"I just feel like the game is clicking for me more now," Hoard said, per Jason Jordan of USA Today. "I've gotten more aggressive since I've been here and that's helped my overall game. I just try not to overthink it, but some things I'm still not all the way used to."

Hoard is listed at 6'8" and 195 pounds, and his length and skill set make him a perfect fit for the 3 spot at the next level. His developing aggressiveness in taking the ball to the basket will serve him well at the next level, and the spot-up shooting and fluid unselfishness he developed playing overseas should make him a well-rounded player.

Wake Forest was considered the likeliest potential destination for him for much of his recruitment. 

Proximity here was likely a major factor in his decision. Hoard's comfortable living in North Carolina and likely did not want much additional upheaval in his life after coming over from France. If he continues to improve the way he has over the last year, it's possible he could become a one-and-done talent.