Meet the Freshmen: Pepperdine’s AJ John

AJ John possesses some unteachable qualities that every program needs; size, length and athleticism. While John’s high school statistics do not necisarily pop out, many expect John to grow immensely as a player while at Pepperdine and turn into a nice player for Marty Wilson and company.

Here is all you need to know about the 6-foot-7, 210 pound combo-forward from Santa Rosa, Calif.

While at Maria Carrillo High School

John attended Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa, Calif., which is located in Northern California.

He played three years on varsity and started to make a real impact during his junior season, when he led the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks and steals. As a junior, John averaged 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds and was named an honorable mention All-North Bay League selection.

Some significant progress was made by John during his senior season, where he averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds and was named to the All-North Bay League’s second team.

John refined his skills in the summer playing for the Oakland Soldiers AAU program, one of the best in the country. He also played for 707’s finest.

Impact at Pepperdine

Current Pepperdine forward Stacy Davis has proven it is possible for tweener forwards to excel in the program. John, who is 6-foot-7, will most likely play more power forward than small forward based on his reported strengths and weaknesses.

As a freshman, he can learn from Davis, and possibly spell him when he needs a break. If John is committed to controlling the glass during his debut season, than he will without a doubt earn a lot of playing time. If he proves to be too frail, a redshirt might be the best option, however.

Nonetheless, John projects to be a very nice player for the Waves down the road, based on his skillset, athleticism and upside.