High Point guard transfers to Rhode Island basketball; here's why Jaden House chose URI

University of Rhode Island assistant coach Kenny Johnson received a rather unique birthday gift on Friday.

He was the lead recruiter while the Rams secured a commitment from High Point transfer Jaden House, a three-year veteran who should help bolster the backcourt offense for the 2023-24 season.

House announced his entry into the transfer portal after the Panthers parted ways with coach G.G. Smith. He took a visit to Kingston last weekend and announced his pledge to URI via social media on Friday afternoon.

“I felt like URI really went above and beyond trying to make sure I felt like I was a priority,” House said. “They really wanted me. Coach Johnson, he went all out making sure I felt comfortable coming to URI.”

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House heard from a host of Power 5 and Big East programs after announcing he would leave High Point with two years of eligibility remaining. In-state rival Providence, Butler, DePaul, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Florida State, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Utah were all competing for his services. Schools on the West Coast were calling House after midnight — the three-hour time differential mattered less than trying to make contact.

“It was definitely overwhelming the first day,” House said. “As soon as my name hit, my phone was kind of freezing a little bit. I had multiple people trying to call at the same time.”

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House is a rugged 6-foot-4 guard who knows his way to the free-throw line. He drew 6.9 fouls per 40 minutes last season per KenPom.com — that was a top-15 individual mark in the nation. House averaged a team-high 17.3 points, pulled down 3.9 rebounds and collected 22 steals.

House reached double figures in all but two of his 30 appearances in 2022-23. He poured in a career-high 33 points in a nonconference win over Wofford and hit for 29 in a victory over future NCAA Tournament surprise Furman. Shooting will be an area where he looks to improve — House checks in at 30.1% from 3-point range for his career.

“It’s black and white — I need to shoot the ball better,” House said. “Especially with me going to Rhode Island and having the ball in my hands, I need to make sure I’m making the right reads and hitting shots at a higher rate.”

House started in 53 of his last 61 games for High Point and earned all-Big South recognition as a junior. He’s a Virginia native who starred at Richmond power Henrico High and prepped at Middleburg Academy. House also played on the Nike grassroots circuit with Team Loaded and claimed offers from Georgetown, James Madison, Old Dominion and others prior to joining High Point for the 2020-21 season.

House makes it a pair of pledges for Archie Miller and the Rams this week. URI also received a commitment from junior college forward Tyson Brown, another Virginia native who spent last season at Florida SouthWestern. Brown was a double-double threat over the last two years and will add some bite to the frontcourt ranks thanks to his strong 6-foot-9 frame.

The Rams have started to turn the momentum after a series of players entered the transfer portal over the last three weeks. The most significant loss would be third-year guard Ishmael Leggett, who was URI’s leader in 2022-23. Miller and his staff would be looking to upgrade the roster spots potentially opened by Louis Hutchinson, Abdou Samb and Sebastian Thomas.

Bryant guard Charles Pride, Temple guard Khalif Battle and Colgate big man Keegan Records all remain on the radar for the Rams. Pride was a four-year star with the Bulldogs who helped power them to a first NCAA Tournament bid in 2021-22. Records has played in the last three editions of March Madness with the Raiders and could exercise his graduate transfer year within shouting distance of his South Kingstown home.

bkoch@providencejournal.com  

On Twitter: @BillKoch25 

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island basketball gets guard Jaden House from High Point