Wilson basketball standout David Jenkins Jr. will attend prep school, not college next year

Wilson High School senior — actually, now make that junior — and boys basketball standout David Jenkins Jr., the 3A Narrows League co-MVP last season, is reclassifying to the class of 2017, he said Thursday.

Jenkins, a 17-year-old whose birthday is in May, said he will still graduate from Wilson this year, but instead of going to college he will attend a prep school and play another year of AAU basketball in order to better prepare himself for the college level.

"I wanted another year to get physically and emotionally ready for college," Jenkins said. "I feel like when I get to prep school I’ll be challenged a little more so that will help me better prepare for college and I can play AAU another year and gain more (college) offers."

Though Jenkins said the college offers wasn’t the reason he decided to reclassify.

"Honestly, I just wanted to do this for myself, to get better," Jenkins said. "And to get physically ready and I don’t’ feel like I’m mentally ready for college yet."

Former Clover Park and Rainier Beach standout David Crisp went a similar route, graduating from Rainier Beach before heading to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He’s now preparing for his freshman season on the University of Washington men’s basketball team.

So did Isaiah Thomas, who went from Curtis to South Kent School in Connecticut to UW to the NBA.

Jenkins said their examples help influence his decision.

Jenkins was named to The News Tribune’s All-Area first-team and second-team all-state his junior season. He averaged 22 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists and led Wilson to the 3A regional round of the state tournament a year after the Rams reached the state semifinals.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Wilson basketball standout David Jenkins Jr. will attend prep school, not college next year."