Question: You've been all throughout the college basketball world during your career at a few different schools. What has finally brought you to Maryland to complete that college basketball journey? Why did you want to finish it here?
Jayhlon Young: I wanted to play for Coach Willard. Also, Coach Norris is here and he recruited me at UCF, so that was a part of it, too. I just felt like it was a good basketball program overall with a great staff and roster.
Q: Talk about that relationship with Coach Norris a little bit, his recruitment process of you, and why you would want to come play for him up here at Maryland.
JY: He recruited me a little out of high school and he actually coached my coach that I was playing for in AAU. So, I just always had the connection there. And when I got to UCF, he helped develop my game to another level.
Q: For Maryland fans that don't know, run through your basketball journey to this point.
JY: It's a long journey. I went to Grambling, but I didn't play. I ended up transferring to a Junior College where I ended up playing during COVID. So I end up getting a year back after COVID. I played two years there and then went to UCF play with Coach Norris and Coach Dawkins. Then I transferred to Memphis last season where I was with Coach (Penny) Hardaway who also had a great coaching staff. And then I'm here; it's been a long journey.
Q: How do you feel like you've developed throughout that journey both on and off the court? You've seen a lot of college basketball at a variety of different levels. How do you think you've gotten better from when you get out of high school to now?
JY: I got stronger, more patient. And then my mental toughness has been built up.
Q: For Maryland fans that haven't seen you play. What do you bring to the court?
JY: Keep it simple. I'm a dog. I like to get after it.
Q: There's some talk about how physical the practices are, specifically how physical the back court is. Is it fun to test yourself against those guys each and every day?
JY: DeShawn Harris-Smith is a physical guy. You've got some other guys that can kind of get after it back there. Been helping us with development, getting us game ready. Besides DeShawn, you've got Ja'Kobi, Rodney, Selton - really everyone getting after each other and pushing each other.
Q: What's it like to watch those guys play? What does each of those guards bring to the court when you play with them?
JY: Everybody's different. You know Rodney scoring off the ball. DeShawn - playmaking and scoring, just doing it all. You've got Kobi who can score and then you got Sel that scores at a high level.
Q: When you're on the defensive side of the court you talk about being a dog. If you're going to be a dog, you've got to get after it. What do you pride yourself on on the defensive side of the ball when you're out there?
JY: Just keeping a guy in front of me. Most of the times I like to get steals. I can get out on transition and I could get a breakaway dunk. Couple of them.
Q: From what you've seen of Maryland and watched in terms of the crowd and the atmosphere, how excited are you are to play in front of Terp Nation out here at XFINITY Center?
JY: I'm excited. Can't wait to play.
Q: What is the thing you're looking forward to the most playing in the Big Ten? Obviously, you've been in a couple different conferences, but now you come to the environments on the stage of the Big Ten. What are you most looking forward to about that?
JY: I would say the physicality, because I've heard its way more physical than the other leagues. So I'd like to see how that is.
Q: You're from Dallas, Texas. What's the thing you miss the most about home?
JY: Mom's cooking. You got the Ro-Tel dip. That's my favorite. Every time I go home, she has to make it for me. Her baked chicken, broccoli, all of it.
Q: When you look to your last year of college basketball, what do you want to get out of it the most?
JY: Just playing winning basketball, making sure we all play the right way. I just want to get a ring and I'll worry about the other stuff later.
Q: What was the last show you were streaming or the show you're streaming right now.
JY: The Boys - that show is very, very good.
Q: What music you listening to the most right now?
JY: Gunna or Rod Wave.
Q: What is in the back of your car?
JY: Probably a lot of shoes.
Q: Your favorite thing that you did this summer?
JY: Pop fireworks with my nephew. It was his first time. I went and got him a big one. It shot for like ten minutes. Everything's bigger in Texas.
