Jeronne Maymon
Some Tennessee basketball fans have yet to hear about Jeronne Maymon, and those who have aren't exactly sure what to expect from the transfer from Marquette.
"That's OK,'' Maymon said. "The ones who come out to the (Pilot) Rocky Top League will find out.''
The summer league that begins at Bearden High School in June will be the first competitive look at the freshman transfer.
Maymon is just now getting settled on campus after enrolling in January.
"I've got people in my classes that ask me if I'm that transfer from Marquette,'' Maymon said, "so it's not like I'm a complete mystery guy.''
Still, the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder gets asked if he's on the football team almost as much as if he's a basketball player.
Maymon said people shouldn't be misled by his size.
"I'm faster than I look like I would be,'' said Maymon, who after spending this season on the UT scout team, is finally going shoulder to shoulder with other returning front line players Brian Williams, Kenny Hall, Steven Pearl and Renaldo Woolridge. "I've got good hands, too.''
Maymon's teammates know it; he drew high praise from departing senior Wayne Chism, who he most often matched up with in practice.
"Jeronne is like a stocky version of Tyler (Smith),'' Chism said. "He gets to the rack quick an finishes strong, and he never gives up on a play.''
Maymon was a two-time Wisconsin Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year at his Madison high school, leading it to three state-title games before signing with the Golden Eagles as a forward in the Class of 2009.
"That changed; Marquette had a different idea of the role I was going to play for them, moving me to post,'' Maymon said. "I consider myself pretty versatile and coachable, but they weren't going to change their minds.
"I felt boxed in, going block to block, and I wasn't getting my hands on the ball that much.''
Don't get the wrong idea - Maymon likes to score as much as anyone, but he also likes to pass.
"I'm a slasher, and I like to create for my teammates,'' Maymon said. "That's one of the reasons I like Tennessee is Coach (Bruce) Pearl's system with his threes and fours.''
The Vols recruited Maymon before he signed with Marquette, but he said he had his list of final schools chiseled down to Southern Cal and Iowa State when UT came calling.
The second time around, however, Maymon knew Tennessee was an option, along with Kansas State and Xavier.
McDonald's All-American and 2010 signee Tobias Harris aided Tennessee's cause; he's a good friend of Maymon's from their AAU days.
"I had played against Tobias at a tournament in Arkansas, and I put up 41 on them,'' Maymon said. "Tobias' dad, Torrel, got to be friends with my dad and I went and played summer league in New York with them.''
Maymon and Harris will be roommates when Harris arrives for the second term of summer school, the better to work out together.
"I love coming to the gym, and so does Tobias,'' Maymon said. "We're already talking about how we're going to work things out.''
Maymon has been known to frequent Pratt Pavilion to practice as early as 1:30 in the morning.
"There's been a couple weekends when I was just sitting around my place, and I just got the urge,'' said Maymon, who commonly spends two hours shooting. "The ball just feels so good coming off my hand.''
Maymon is trying to extend his shooting range beyond the 3-point arc, working with UT coaches to adjust his shot.
The individual workouts he's going through now on Tuesdays and Thursdays are mostly reserved for him to improve his inside game against the Vols' big men.
"He's going to make some noise on the team,'' said Hall, a freshman. "He brings a strong presence, he can finish around the basket and he's tough.
"His physicality made a difference for us when he was working on the scout team.''
Maymon said he grew close to Hall after arriving, as he had played basketball against him at a Florida AAU tournament and it was comforting to see a familiar face.
"When I got here, it wasn't all about trying to get all buddy-buddy with the guys,'' Maymon said. "They were in the middle of the season, and I knew the best way to earn their respect was just to go hard every day and give my best.''
Maymon plans to bring the same approach to the Knoxville summer league.
When hearing that teammate Scotty Hopson had suggested himself as the top pick in the Pilot Rocky Top League draft, Maymon replied with a laugh, "We're going to see.''
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Comments » 38
txvolsfan writes:
Like the confidence!!!
Don't sing it Bring it!!!
HtownVol writes:
I hope he can give us some post scoring. We will need some guys that can post up. And hold his own on D. Kenny Hall has got to add at least 25 lbs before he can think about posting up. Woolridge dont know anything but jack up 3's and hope. Williams is too soft and SP is well SP.
All that said UT will have so much talent next year to make up for their faults and will be a lock for the sweet 16 at least.
I love UT more than anyone but I will admit where we need to improve and will not only talk about the strengths.
If Bruce can develope some of these bugs it will help in so many areas.
And somehow get Scotty to STOP saying " I will step up" and just DO IT! I am tired of hearing that from Hopson. He is ALWAYS going to "step up" but we have yet to see it happen.
Come on Bruce, light a fire under hat kid and make him see that he can tak over any game if he would trust in his game and take it to the next level.
GO VOLS!
lomas98 writes:
I like that TN has a summer league program but I wish all of the stats were not printed. Everyone gets disappointed when these kids don't score 30 pts a game during the season because they look at the Rocky Top league stats and think that is what the player really is. This team could be an exciting bunch with some good young talent like Maymon to mix with the returning players. Hopefully the freshman can learn the defensive intensity it takes to compete. I hope Pearl concentrates on the half court defense with these freshman like he did the 2nd half of the year last year.
VOLsince68 writes:
All I know is that I can't wait until next season. I haven't been this excited about Vol BBall in my lifetime. The last 5 seasons have been a true pleasure to watch.
GO VOLS!!!!!!!
always_vol (Inactive) writes:
Used to go shoot ball at empty church lots and rec courses at all hours of the night. Just love to shoot the ball. Would be pretty awesome to have a Pratt....
I do know a guy who has a full basketball gym in his basement. It's very, very nice.
V_O_L_S_GO_VOLS_GO writes:
I've been following Tobias Harris (our other huge recruit) on Twitter @tobias31, and he's really high on this guy. When Tobias found out he was transferring to UT, he was ecstatic! Hope he can show up on the court! GBO!!
tractoronthepole writes:
Good post! Not sure I unstood what you meant by developing the bugs, but otherwise good.
It would be nice to have our own round mound of rebound and muscle. The closest thing we had to someone with some real strenght this year as EMO, I had hoped he would be a pounding presence but it appears God had another plan for him. Duke Crews was another person who could have helped the Vols be less soft (meaning we are more finesse than strenght). Hopefully Maymon will be tough around the basket. I love his attitude.
VolGrad writes:
6'6" 245 lbs? How has Bruce been able to hide this guy from Coach Dooley? He'd make him a TE on the football team if he got half a chance.
MidTennVol writes:
I'll reserve judgment on this kid until he suits up and gets some minutes in a few SEC games.
mrvol2u writes:
I like his attitude and work effort. It sounds like he has earned the teams respect.
Just remember, the Rocky Top league is just for fun and defense is not allowed. I am sure you will get a technical foul called on you if you play defense.
CBP has us moving in the right direction. Just a random thought, but I remember a lot a people saying CBP was a bad hire without major college experience very similar to what I am hearing about coach Dooley.
GO VOLS!!!!
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
Hall showed much promise against lesser teams early in the season; but in the SEC we quickly found out that he had no moves off the dribble and didn't handle the ball well..He is kind of a case where he looked great in HS against nobody defenders but against the big boys of the SEC he wasn't ready..Iam sure Bruce see's the same and will develop him accordingly; As for Woolridge; this guy is a total puzzle who will remain on the bench till he shows Bruce otherwise; God knows Bruce gave him enough playing time to prove himself
licknpromise777#651578 writes:
Maymon certainly has the size and creditably to be productive for UT..I like the off court chemistry he has with Harris..That could make for one lethal combination. I talked with some Marquette fans and they all said they were glad to see him go. Like the rest of you have said; I won't judge him on the past; only what he does as a Vol in the here and now..Personally I can't wait for Bball to begin as Bruce turns yet another page from what was a truly special Vol season.. Thanks to Bruce and all the players for making us a major force last year when the rest of the world left us for dead
TLepage writes:
agreed.... I really hope we see a decrease in SP's minutes... there is no way he is more talented then Harris, Maymon, Hall, and Woolridge.... Hopefully he will go back to riding the bench this year... He plays way too much.... He plays real hard, he just doesn't have that much athletic ability.... I was having a conversation with my friend that is a big UNC and he even said he thinks Pearl plays a lot more then he should...
johnlg00 writes:
I remember several Marquette fans posting on here back in January when Maymon first enrolled at UT. They were all of the opinion you cited. I'm just hoping it's a matter of "horses for courses"; as a home-state guy, I'm sure expectations were high for him, and it may not have helped if the Marquette staff were trying to get him to play a different style than the one in which he excelled. I'm with you, lick; I'll reserve judgment until we see how he works out with the other guys.
BTW, I hope he plays well enough to take most of SP's minutes and, in the process, show Hall and Woolridge how THEY should have been playing if they wanted to beat out SP LAST year!
Slystone writes:
"I hope he can give us some post scoring." Isn't this the very reason he left Marquette because he doesn't care for playing in the post? Please read his quote. He felt like he was being played in the wrong position. But as others have said let's wait until the real competition comes around to see how he does.
mytrifecta writes:
Congratulations Scotty, looks like you'll be a lottery pick after all. Hospon owned this league last year and relative to his skill level...completely stunk it up during the season. Hopefully this summer he will focus more on improving his game opposed to high-light reel dunks.
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
I'm liking this guy......
Vol should be a contender for the SEC again next year, maybe an early favorite.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
The second coming of Negedu. I have a feeling everyone will like this guy. Just wish you posters would leave the SP hate out for a few months-already starting.
1vavolfan writes:
One of the best moments of Rocky Top league last year was watching Jujuan Smith and CJ Black playing smothering defense on the younger guys.Jujuan was taking the games personal and really put on a show.I'm looking forward to watching these new guys play this summer.Its a bummer that Harris cant be playing in it.
walt23tn writes:
Amen brother!
Ironcity writes:
Why all the hate? The guy wheres it on his sleeve. Just because YOU think he should score 25 a game and shut down his man and make every last second shot doesn't mean it will happen. Scotty is growing up and becoming a better ball player every year. Whats wrong with him having the dream of playing in the NBA? Whats wrong with him realizing that he still has work to do. Its hard for these kids who have dominated most of there lives to suddenly have to go that extra mile. Jerks like you seem to think they just show up and knock down 60% of there shots and should be perfect ball players the moment they get to campus. Lets be happy he is on the team and lets support the guys who are here giving it there all. Scotty has never been in trouble and I understand he is a good student and a good representative our University. That should be enough to root for the kid and not crack on him because he isn't as good as you hoped he would be.
usnavyvolfaninva_still_getting_paid writes:
Any chance of landing this guy?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketba...
ATLVOL55 writes:
Good post IRONCITY....totally agree...Go Vols!
budd#207344 writes:
When you, your unc friend and grvol take a team to the Elite Eight I will consider what you say. Until then I will trust CBP
DERELICK_MY_VOLS writes:
I don't blame the kid at all for not wanting to stay there. Sounds like Marquette's coaches are not open minded. Let them say what they want about him but if you're not being used to the best of your ability and being forced to play a position in a style that your not fit for then you simply are not being utilized the right way. Sounds like we've got ourselves a real play maker now.....I for one am glad to have him and look forward to seeing him turn on the McNasty Beast Mode switch that he thinks he has in him!
DERELICK_MY_VOLS writes:
THIS X 100......a kid should have goals and dreams of becoming the best he can be....if not better.....it is a shame there are just simple narrow minded people that don't have a vision in life.....so they think no one else should either.
RoadTrip writes:
If Bruce wants him - I want him. In Bruce I trust. Bruce knows how he plans to utilize the young man and we know what Bruce can do with good young talent. These next few years are shaping up to be special on Rocky Top. All we need is a good strong post player in the next recruiting class. I just hope we get players that will stay around for a few years instead of going the Calipari way.
madness writes:
I hope Jeronne does well with the Vol program. His experience at Marquette was a disaster. Most believe it was because of his father who you will be introduced to and you will be in complete amazement of this character. I watched Jeronne all through high school and at Marquette - his father was actually more out of control when Jeronne was at Marquette than he was at Memorial High School - which is hard to believe. His father talks as if Jeronne should go directly into the pros - nothing is further from the truth. I would guess he will make a fine scout team player. He is a bit slow and has a hard time finishing at the basket - particulary with the height of competition in college. By the way, I believe that at Marquette he was logging the most minutes of play time of any freshman in the league. Not starting but getting plenty of playtime. Although Marquette could have used his body for minutes (because of injuries) I think they played better without him the remainder of the year. Jeronne could be decent but his dad has to stay out of his college basketball career.
thevoice writes:
Agree, but Scotty needs to be the 2nd/3rd boy off the bench, not a starter. Last season he didn't play like a starter. Doubt it will happen though.
Down_The_Field writes:
i had the same thought. this guy's gonna puts some bruises on some people.
i like the looks of this year's team.
LittleMurs writes:
Guys, I'm a Marquette guy, and anyone who knows anything about Marquette's team this year knows that we needed a bruiser inside the paint in the worst way. If you're expecting Jeronne to be a post scorer for your team next year reread the article. That's not what he wants to do. That's why he left Marquette. How did he put it; "I felt boxed in going block to block." He sees himself as a 2/3 slasher driving to the basket and finishing at the rim or dishing off. He's not put off by Tobias going to UT because he doesn't consider himself the same type of player. His vision is Tobias patrolling the inside while he handles the perimeter. Jeronne's a great guy, and given the way (position) he wanted to play, his parting from Marquette just served to avoid causing a great deal of frustration for both sides. I thought that his going to UT was delusional due to the quality of perimeter players you guys have that he'll have beat out in order to play outside the post as he wants. If he can do it, he'll be a matchup nightmare at his size on the perimeter. If he can't, expect to see coach Pearl pulling his hair out at practice before the SEC season begins.
duececlub writes:
For the SP bashers. Know that he will never be a scoring threat, just like Dane Bradshaw was never a scoring threat. What SP does is the other things, rebound, play sound defense and hustles. Those things will always get you on the court, period. I like when SP enters the game cause I know his man will always be boxed out. His man will have difficulty scoring.
Just know, no competetive has 5 scoring threats. There is a 1st option, 2nd option and sometimes a 3rd. 4th and 5th options dont exist. Thats true in high school, college and the pros.
VolunteerLifer writes:
One sportswriter projected Maymon as the starting #4, with Harris #3 and Hopson the #2. But I believe that the best place for Maymon is to back up and share playing time with Harris at the four, have Hopson and Woolridge at the three, and Tatum and McBee/McRae at the two. That way, we get Tatum's offensive skills in there. If that's the way it works out, I don't think it may sit well with Maymon's dad.
johnlg00 writes:
There are just a certain number of purported Vol fans on here who seem to actually believe that CBP would rather risk losing games because he prefers to play his son rather than playing other players who would give us a better chance to win. I can believe an outright troll or interloper might think that--though such a complaint from such a person wouldn't make sense, if playing SP really DOES hurt the Vols--but I will never understand why a true Vol fan would think that way. They apparently believe that they know more about the team and the game than the winningest BB coach in UT history or, even sillier, they care more about winning than he does. As I said, I just don't get it.
johnlg00 writes:
Some of you guys were on here with similar warnings back in January when most of us discovered that Maymon was here. I know I was alarmed when I heard the extent to which his father seemed to be involved in his career, to the point of complaining about what position he was playing.
BTW, I have no problem with parents being interested in their kids' career, but some of them just don't seem to recognize any boundary between their role and a coach's role. From what I have heard, we already have one of those in Tobias Harris' dad, not to mention Scotty Hopson's mother.
I think the Vols have enough talent to do a lot of damage next year, but they will be young, will need major contributions consistently from veterans who haven't had to bear much of a load previously, and MUST have good team chemistry. I give CBP a LOT of credit for how well the Vols did this year, but if they are anywhere nearly as good in 2010-11, he should be COY, hands down.
Ironcity writes:
Its not that Jeronne doesn't want to play the four its that for Marquette the four was going block to block. At UT the four gets a lot of action away from the basket and facing the basket. Its more a system issue then a position issue. I think he will do quite well for UT.
LittleMurs writes:
Well, if Hopson's mother was a trip to deal with, then Coach Pearl will be better prepared with both Tim Maymon (Jeronne's Dad) and Tobias' Dad. No wonder the two dads got to be good friends!
As much fun as it is to repeat Tim Maymon stories, I'll refrain because it sounds like you guys got the full treatment in January. I don't think that it will be inconsequential that Madison, WI is a whole lot farther from Knoxville than Milwaukee, not to mention New York's distance from UT. Hopefully neither Dad moves to Knoxville.
Most MU fans have some knowledge of Pearl from his U of Milwaukee days. He seemed, no was, pretty much on the ball then, so somehow I've got to think that he's already got this figured out.
Buzz Williams got a great class this year, but even though we're at 13 schollies, he's still chasing down every credible recruit still around whose 6'8" or over or who got released from their LOI after a coaching change. So we're still trying to plug the hole in the middle. You guys sound like you're going to have a solid balanced team next year, so I guess Buzz will be trying to pull your big men away from the basket if we meet. Good luck.
Fulton_Vol writes:
I learned a long time ago when Herman Beeler was my Grasshopper coach that there are parents who think their child is the next professional icon. Learn it again at Fulton when I over heard a parent chewing Coach Dickie Sharp's ear one day after practice. Again when playing college baseball and in every case coaches were playing the players who had earned their time on the field or court. Most players earn their playing time based on their practice performance and this is especially true in high school and college. You will find a rarity when you have slough at practice who turns on a different level in a game but it isn't often. Players need the practice reps to know the plays and schemes. If you don't put in the work before hand you normally suck in a game.
Steve Pearl puts in the time. He might have less overall talent but he is a solid defensive player who know where he is suppose to be and what the plays are coming off the bench. He gives 110% for every second he is on the floor. He has international experience on the US Jewish Team and that has helped him. Yes he is CBP's son but he has earned the right to wear orange and represent the University of Tennessee.
This isn't CBP first rodeo so I think he will be able to handle the parents and the distance away from the hometowns will help. I say welcome to the Vol Nation and I look forward to seeing the 2011 version of the University of Tennessee Volunteers Basketball team. GBO
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