Maryland junior point guard Jahari Long’s relationship with head coach Kevin Willard dates back to the 2020-21 season and is built on a foundation of trust.
Long began his college career alongside Willard at Seton Hall as a freshman in 2020-21. Long and Willard spent two seasons together with the Pirates before both joined Maryland ahead of the 2022-23 season.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Long, one year removed from surgery on his right knee, is now the backup point guard for the Terrapins. He is averaging 2.7 points and 1.4 assists per game entering play Feb. 19.
“The trust is special especially since I haven’t been able to produce the way I know I can,” Long said of his relationship with Willard. “He pushes me every day. He talks to me every day. He tells me to just have in my mind every day to just be aggressive, so for him to just continue to display that trust every day is more and more motivating. … My trust in him is special because of his trust in me.”
Willard believes staff and teammates alike all gravitate toward his former Seton Hall point guard.
“Jahari is one of my favorite players of all time just because he’s such a great young man,” Willard said. “He’s a great teammate. The guys love him. The staff loves him. Everybody around the building just loves Jahari.”
Long, a native of Houston, developed a love for basketball when he was 3 years old after playing on a Little Tikes basketball set. Although he had a deep passion for the game, his mother, Shante Wilson, never thought his career would take off as it did when she first sent her son to a YMCA basketball camp. But now, he is able to emulate some of the players he used to watch in old NBA games on “Hardwood Classics” growing up.
Seton Hall went 14-13 overall (10-9 Big East) in 2020-21 and 21-11 (11-8) in 2021-22 during Long’s time in South Orange, N.J. Willard led the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament last year. However, Long suffered a season-ending right knee injury five games into the 2021-22 season, meaning he missed Seton Hall’s March Madness run.
Long decided to undergo surgery for torn knee cartilage in December 2021.
“It was either I got the shot and I would have to eventually get surgery or I just got the surgery right now and got ready for junior year,” Long said. “So, that was the decision I came to terms with [alongside] my mom. She helped me through the whole process when I was going to rehab and helped me get to practice just so I could sit in and watch.”
His parents remained by his side for surgery and rehab. Wilson, who manages care contracts at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, was working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She used this time to help Long through the recovery process.
“Because of COVID, we were immediately pushed out of the office. I was able to set up everything there in my hotel and rent a car,” Wilson said of her time in New Jersey. “I was able to take him to have the surgery performed and I ended up staying up there for three months, through therapy and everything.”
But during his recovery, Long learned Willard was leaving Seton Hall. He was named the head man at Maryland in March 2022.
Willard’s departure didn’t come as a “shocker” to Long or his teammates, but with his coach moving on, Long decided to enter the transfer portal. At the time, there was no thought of joining the Terps. He intended to play closer to home at North Texas or Tulane.
Long had his mind set on joining North Texas after discussing it with his mother. He was drawn to the playing style of the Mean Green and was told that the team would be changing the offense to play faster.
“I was basically committed to North Texas but on the low,” Long said. “I told my mom I’m going to North Texas. We can take the visit and I’m going to sign on the visit.”
However, Long received a call from Willard only a few days before returning home to Houston. It didn’t take long for Long to follow his coach to Maryland, as he made his decision a night before going home. He officially announced his decision to join the Terps on June 13, 2022.
“It’s more of a trust factor with [Willard],” Long’s mother said. “It was evident when Coach Willard decided to bring Jahari along with him to Maryland. … Coach Willard could have easily said, ‘Jahari’s injured, I’m not going to worry about someone with an injury.'”
“It says that he believes in his talent and ability, and it’s up to him to show that,” Wilson added.
Now in his first year as a Terp, Long is playing more than he did before during his time at Seton Hall, which he believes is adding to his confidence. Though he is healthy, Long is still working on getting his athleticism fully back.
“It raised my confidence,” Long said of playing more. “I still feel I haven’t reached the level of play that I know I’m capable of. I think that’ll just come with time with me getting back to myself. Just getting that confidence and just playing every day, I think I’ll get that confidence to increase my role.”
Willard believes Long is playing well with an expanded role, though the coach is aware it takes time to adjust after recovering from an injury and transferring programs.
“I think he’s doing really well coming off an injury,” Willard said. “I think it takes a year. The first year back from injury I think is really tough. And I think transferring [into] a new conference, even though he’s used to me … I think he’s performed really well.”
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox
Issue 279: February/March 2023
Originally published Feb. 15, 2023