Maryland Basketball Recruit Chris Jeffrey enjoying huge senior season, coming to Terps with major motivation
New York basketball players have long had a reputation as tough, physical guards who play with an edge that mirrors their city. Think Stephon Marbury, Mark Jackson, Nate Archibald. Christian Jeffrey embodies that archetype.
New York basketball players have long had a reputation as tough, physical guards who play with an edge that mirrors their city. Think Stephon Marbury, Mark Jackson, Nate Archibald.
Christian Jeffrey embodies that archetype. The Maryland basketball commit grew up on an outdoor court five minutes from his home in South Brooklyn, where he'd wake up at 7 a.m. and walk to the court to shoot around when nobody else was watching.
Jeffrey's made nearly every decision through the lens of basketball and loyalty. Basketball is why he left his roots to transfer to Mt. Zion Prep, a prep school in Lanham, Md. Loyalty is why he stayed at Mt. Zion Prep when Overtime Elite heavily recruited him. The game is the vessel for his ultimate dream.
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"I want to provide for my family. I'm the person they're depending on, so it's a lot of pressure," Jeffrey said. "I use that pressure as motivation to go way harder so that I make sure that everybody in my family doesn't have to go through what I'm going through."
Mt. Zion Prep coach Rodrick Harrison sees the same thing. His first impression of Jeffrey was that the guard was a "tough kid, a born leader". He and Jeffrey have worked tirelessly to shape his game; Jeffrey shoots more than 500 jumpers every morning and has reshaped his body to prepare for the collegiate level.
His stock has risen recently after he averaged 14 points, five rebounds and five assists during the EYBL circuit last summer. He also made a key decision this past AAU cycle. Maryland's sole recruit in the 2025 class, Jeffrey is the No. 96 player in the country, according to 247 Sports' 2025 recruiting rankings. He had offers from Michigan, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Scouting sites anointed him as a combo guard, but Jeffrey said that Maryland coach Kevin Willard wants him to play point guard.
"I definitely see him at the one, just because of leadership ability and his ability to just change the game, not only by scoring or passing the ball, but defensively, like he's one of those kids that you know possesses some things that you don't see," Harrison said. "He has now, what it takes some guards to get into when they're seniors in college.
Overtime Elite, the professionalized basketball league based in Atlanta, for high school played heavily recruited Jeffrey. The guard even committed to them in May. But Jeffrey is good friends with current star Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, who also stressed the importance of allegiance.
Harper stayed at Don Bosco his entire career despite having offers from every high school and then pledged to Rutgers. Jeffrey also listened to his close friend and current Maryland freshman, Derik Queen, who stayed home to play for the Terps.
He ultimately revoked his commitment to OTE and stayed at Mt. Zion Prep.
"I realized all the nice players, they go to a spot where they were taught from. Coach Rod had taught me a lot of things, had got me schools to come see me, why leave a person who helped me on this journey," Jeffrey said.
Harrison and Jeffrey have focused this season on preparing him for College Park. His jump shot is a question mark, so Jeffrey has focused on off-the-dribble shooting. They've also worked on him becoming a more vocal leader, which will pay dividends at the college level.
And Jeffrey has gotten to see a former teammate, Malachi Palmer, thrive at Maryland. The two talk almost every day, and Palmer's given Jeffrey advice on what to expect. Queen told him that Willard just wants his players to be great.
That aligns with Jeffrey's goals perfectly. He loved that at his first practice at Mt. Zion Prep, he had to run 50 sprints. Jeffrey's competitive drive isn't just internal; it's immediately evident to scouts and coaches.
In the coming months, he'll have the chance to show it on a national level. And if everything goes according to plan, he'll finally be able to actualize his final goal.
