Charles Jenkins will continue to don a royal blue and gold uniform next season, but it won’t be for Hofstra University.
The senior guard was surely filled with “Pride” Thursday night after being selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 44th overall pick.
The Springfield Gardens (Queens) product departs Hofstra as the school’s all-time scoring leading with 2,513 points.
The selection of Jenkins ends Hofstra’s 11-year drought of having a player drafted. Ironically, Speedy Claxton—the last Hofstra player drafted in 2000—currently serves as a scout for the Warriors.
“I’m thrilled for Charles; I’m thrilled for his family,” said Hofstra head basketball coach Mo Cassara. “It’s also a great day for our basketball program, and it’s a great day for Hofstra.”
In his senior season, Jenkins averaged a career-high 22.6 points per game and led the Pride to a 14-4 record. In addition to having his number retired, he received the Haggerty Award, which honors the top basketball player in the NY Metro area. He joins Jim McMillan (Columbia University, 1978-80) and Chris Mullin (St. John’s University, 1983-85) as the only three-time recipients of the award.
Cassara says that Jenkins’ six-foot three-inch thick frame and experience will give him an edge in the NBA. Jenkins was a fifth-year senior at Hofstra, which allowed him to start four seasons after red-shirting his freshman year. In addition, Cassara believes Jenkins’ character will benefit him most at the next level.
“You have to be a good basketball player, but you also have to be a good person and do the right thing on and off the court, and I think Charles Jenkins is every bit of that,” said Cassara.
With the selection of Jenkins and another scoring guard in Klay Thompson, the Warriors appear to be a team on the rise. The young backcourt duo of Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry combined to average 42.7 points per game last season.
The future appears bright for Jenkins, especially if he maintains his basketball skill and strong character. As a last piece of advice before Jenkins starts his NBA career, Cassara recently sent the following text to Jenkins: “I’m really proud of you, keep doing what you’re doing and don’t ever change who you are.”
