Jahmir Young only played two seasons at Maryland, but the Upper Marlboro native made a lasting impact.
Although he didn’t receive the storybook ending he wanted due to a disappointing 2023-24 campaign for the Terps, Young made sure his two seasons in College Park would be remembered for a long time.
After three seasons at Charlotte, Young fulfilled a childhood dream by finishing his collegiate career at his hometown school. With 2,626 career points, Young is the sixth NCAA player since 2006 to score 1,000 or more points at two different schools.
“A dream come true,” Young said on Glenn Clark Radio April 24. “Growing up, just wanting to be in a Maryland uniform and being able to transfer back home in front of my family and friends, it was like a dream come true.”
The former DeMatha standout came to Maryland at a time when the program was in a bit of turmoil. The Terps had just suffered their first losing season in nearly three decades and were in the midst of a coaching change after Mark Turgeon departed early in the 2021-22 season.
In Year 1 of the Kevin Willard era, little was expected of a Maryland team that underwent significant roster turnover. Behind Young, the Terps took college basketball by surprise, winning 22 games and reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Young’s second and final season was much the opposite. Picked to finish third in the Big Ten preseason media poll, Maryland’s 16-17 record marked its second losing season in the last three years.
But Young believes the adversity the team faced through a tumultuous season grew him as a leader.
“Just how tough it is to win,” Young said of what he learned at Maryland. “How tough it is to stay connected when things don’t go your way, when things start to go downhill, how level-headed you have to be. I feel like I just grew as a leader in that process.”
Despite the lack of team success, Young put together one of the strongest individual seasons in Maryland’s recent history. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after posting averages of 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
Young delivered a number of clutch shots during his two seasons with the Terps, including a dagger 3-pointer to knock off Illinois in his first Big Ten game and a game-winning layup to defeat Iowa on the road this past season. He spoiled Terps fans with incredible performances such as a 37-point masterpiece in a road win against UCLA.
But Young’s favorite memory as a Terp wasn’t any of his individual feats — it was being engulfed by exhilarated Maryland fans on the Xfinity Center floor after upsetting No. 3 Purdue in Feb. 2023.
“[My favorite memory is] when we beat Purdue when they rushed the court,” Young said. “I’ve never experienced that, so I will never forget that. That was crazy.”
As he begins preparation for a professional career, Young isn’t expected to hear his name called in the upcoming NBA Draft. But being overlooked is nothing new for Young. Having played alongside highly-touted prospects Hunter Dickinson, Earl Timberlake and Justin Moore at DeMatha, Young was only a three-star recruit out of high school and did not receive any power conference offers.
“I’ve been doubted my whole life,” Young said. “For me, I just turn it into motivation and that’s what really got me to this point. It’s foolish of me to stop that now. I’m used to it and I’m ready to prove everybody wrong.”
Young participated in the 70th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Virginia on April 17-20, a showcase event held for college seniors with aspirations of playing at the next level. He was named first-team all-tournament after he scored in double figures in all three games, earning Player of the Game honors behind a 22-point performance in his third game.
Young’s path to Maryland wasn’t a straightforward one. But it was worth the wait, and he hopes his experience will encourage up-and-coming local talent to stay home.
“I’ve talked to some guys, but I just hope that they look to see what I did and just know that they can do it as well,” Young said. “… I would love for talented guys who are in the area to stay home and put on for Maryland.”
For more from Young, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox