Tristan Maxwell

Freshman

24 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 2019-20 at North Mecklenburg in Charlotte, NC

Maxwell comes from strong basketball lineage as his father, Vernon Maxwell, played 13 seasons in the NBA and helped claim 2 NBA titles for the Rockets. Although very early in his playing career, Tristan has filled the big shoes of his father well at the high school level, leading his team to a 30-1 record and becoming North Carolina Player of the Year in his senior season. As a recruit, Maxwell was a 3* prospect and received offers from Gonzaga, Georgetown, and NC State before signing with the Jackets.

The Jackets are loaded at guard this year with starters Jose Alvarado and Michael Devoe likely consuming 30+ minutes per game each. Maxwell could be in the picture to receive some minutes in relief as a freshman, but due to a leg injury causing him to miss extended time while on campus, it may be more likely that Pastner opts to go with the more experienced guards off the bench with Bubba Parham and USC transfer Kyle Sturdivant. But the freshman shooting guard will need to be ready in this uncertain season as injury or COVID cases could force him into minutes. In an ideal scenario, Maxwell will get to learn under some of the top guards in the ACC and become a significant contributor as a sophomore.

Regardless, Tristan is a player that the entire staff is very high on and it would not surprise to see him outperform his recruiting ranking. Coach Pastner said the following about Maxwell:

With respect to Tristan’s game, like Pastner mentioned, he’s a scorer. Whether its driving to the net, mid-range, or from deep, Maxwell can put the ball in the net at a high clip. His three point shooting is most exciting as the Jackets have been deprived of 3-point shooters outside of Michael Devoe. Check out some highlights of Tristan below!

Jordan Meka

Freshman

15.9 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks in 2019-20 at Mount Bethel Christian in Marietta, GA

As a recruit, Jordan Meka was a high three star prospect and slotted in at #236th in the country by the 247Composite rankings. The Jackets secured his services over both Georgia and Mississippi St. In high school, Meka set the school record for career points, rebounds, and blocked shots, and led his team to a 24-8 record despite missing much of the season due to injury.

As a player, Meka is known for his high motor and defense. In addition, his athleticism just jumps off the page. With some development from Coach Reveno, Meka could make huge strides throughout his career as a Jacket and become a scary player when he puts it all together. His shot blocking is something Pastner immediately recognized as to where he could fit in at Tech. He went on to say:

His play style will make it hard to keep him off the floor regardless of who is in front of him. As a result, Jordan should see the floor as a freshman and could consume the reserve minutes of Jordan Usher or Moses Wright depending on the lineup Tech opts to play. Getting those freshman minutes will be huge for Meka’s development and would give the Jackets a high intensity spark coming off the bench.

Check out some highlights of Jordan below.