Patience Pays Off for Lottie
It has been a bit of a tumultuous year as a recruit for 6’2 guard Jaizec Lottie. Lottie entered his senior year at Cherokee Trail High School with a handful of offers and expected to commit before the season started. However, the offers were pulled back as others committed ahead of him. “Everything happened for a reason. It all was supposed to lead me to this,” said Lottie after committing to University of Arkansas – Little Rock.
After a senior campaign where he averaged 20 points per game and nearly five assists Lottie played in the spring as an unsigned senior. On his long time club team Billups Elite, he had a solid spring circuit. But, interest was mainly from prep schools. While still open to college opportunities Lottie attention had turned to the prep school options. By the end of May he had settled on attending Impact.
While continuing to play club ball in July, Lottie got more interest from colleges as a late signee or possibly as a 2018 recruit. “There were a lot, a lot of schools calling me asking me if I would be interested. There were schools calling me telling me that if I went prep that they would be interested,” said Lottie. Boston University offered after the Adidas Gauntlet finale in Spartanburg and then Arkansas – Little Rock offered after the Adidas Summer Championships in Las Vegas. After talking it over with his parents and his mentor Chauncey Billups, Lottie went on official visits to Boston and Little Rock.
“I went to Boston with an open mind it was good city but it didn’t feel like home. I just didn’t get that home feel like a place you could stay,” he said. Lottie almost didn’t visit UALR. However, the chance to compete for an open spot and Billups encouraging him to check out the opportunity sent Lottie to visit. “I went out there and loved everything about it. I felt home. The coaches made me feel great, the player the facilities were a perfect fit for me,” said the excited Lottie.
“It’s a crazy feeling especially going through what I had to go through. It feels like a weight lifted off my shoulder. I feel like I am where I am supposed to be,” said a relaxed Lottie.
“The recruiting game is tough, really tough. Three or four months ago I was upset, I didn’t know where I was going and all my friends were signing. Like Colbey (Ross) , people I grew up with like Elijah (Blake) and Jalen (Sanders) guys I had played with are signing and I had no clue were I was going. It was tough. God works in mysterious ways. Just always stay positive. Put the work in, get tunnel vision, and get your mind right, it is possible,” the new Trojan said.
