Class of 2022 point guard Jayden Epps has been rather busy in recent months. Following a junior year that saw him sidelined from playing at King's Fork High School due to the COVID-19 pandemic that prevented Suffolk Public Schools from participating in winter sports, he's garnered plenty of attention while on the travel circuit with Team Loaded.
In March, Epps announced his commitment to Providence before backing off of that pledge just a couple months later. The 6-foot-1 talent announced earlier this summer that he will be spending his senior season at Combine Academy in North Carolina.
Epps, who has moved up from No. 106 to No. 68 nationally according to Rivals, then surprised some on July 13th by dropping a commitment to the Illinois Fighting Illini of the Big Ten.
The decision comes just four weeks short of his official visit to Illinois. He also took in official visits to NC State and Kansas during the month of June following his participation in the Pangos All-American Camp.
Running the point for his recruitment at Illinois was assistant coach Chester Frazier. They were one of the first schools to extend him an offer once he re-opened his recruitment in May.
"Coach Frazier from Virginia Tech went to Illinois and now he is recruiting me over there. I have a great relationship with him and that's a great program also," Epps told VirginiaPreps.com during the Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest in May.
As a sophomore, Epps scored exactly 700 points - averaging 25.9 per contest - on his way to earning VHSL Class 4 State Player of the Year and VHSCA State Player of the Year honors. He also was the Region 4A and Southeastern District Player of the Year for a Bulldogs team that finished 24-3 overall, winning a share of the Class 4 State Championship.
Illinois may not be done recruiting the Commonwealth of Virginia either. On Tuesday, they also extended an offer to St. Anne's-Belfield 2023 big man Carter Lang, who plays on the Team Loaded 16-Under travel team.
