In the midst of a stock-rising spring and summer for Alex Wilkins, the moment his college future began to be paved for him came on the night of May 17.
Wilkins, a 6-foot-5 guard for Brooks, was with the Middlesex Magic in Ohio on the Under Armour grassroots circuit. That night, at around 11 p.m. after a game against West Coast Elite, Wilkins made his first connection with Furman University when assistant coach Chad Warner reached out with a text expressing their interest in him.
From that point forward, Wilkins felt a different type of connection. More than any other school in the recruiting process, Wilkins felt like he was a priority. Warner and Furman head coach Bob Richey checked on him consistently every day since that text, and after a visit to campus last month, it was clear that the school checked all his boxes. On Friday, Wilkins made it official: The Boston native will be attending Furman next fall.
“My decision just came down to the coaching staff,” Wilkins said. “I loved my connection with Coach Richey and Coach Warner and the rest of the guys. … On my visit, it really felt like home.”
Wilkins chose Furman over five other finalists including Davidson, Siena, Duquesne, Charleston and Albany, as he became the sixth Magic player in the program’s 2025 class to commit to a Division 1 school. Furman offered him everything he was looking for: playing time as a freshman, player development, and a relationship with coaches and teammates that he described as a family atmosphere, which he felt after his visit to campus from Aug. 24 to 26.
When Wilkins saw the city of Greenville, South Carolina, and stepped foot on Furman’s campus for the first time, he envisioned it as a place he could live away from home. From the moment he stepped off the plane, he felt the infectious energy of the coaching staff. Wilkins said that Furman typically does not offer scholarships to recruits before their campus visits, but made an exception for him.
“I felt like I was a priority for them,” Wilkins said.
Wilkins practiced and played with the current team during his visit, and that made an impression on him. He said he struggled on the first day – he shot poorly, and he had trouble with the physicality and pace of the college game – but after spending a night at Richey’s house and time with the team, including two other recruits who committed on their visits, he felt more comfortable. He played much better on the second day and started to envision himself playing within Furman’s fast-paced system that caters to his strengths as a point guard.
“I felt like a part of the team the second day,” Wilkins said. “Just really hanging out with the guys. I think that was the biggest thing that really made my decision. I felt like I was really connected with the guys, I already had a great relationship with the coaching staff and I love the campus and everybody there.”
Wilkins left his visit at Furman feeling good about what his future could look like there.
“They had a really good plan for me,” Wilkins said. “A lot of schools I went to, yeah there was a plan, but I felt like they (Furman) were very precise with where they wanted me to be, what I had to do to get better and what I have to do to get stronger, so their plan for me was big, and then the family and the connections were insane. I felt that on my visit, and the team really made me feel like I could be part of the team.”
Wilkins’ commitment closes his college recruiting chapter that saw a rapid rise this spring and summer. He didn’t hold a single Division 1 offer entering the grassroots season, but ended it with more than 25 offers.
Wilkins described himself as a late bloomer and credited his ascension to an important growth spurt. He grew from 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-5 last summer, and with the help of trainer CeeJae Carter, he saw his game take off. After transferring from Charlestown High to Brooks, Wilkins earned Class B All-NEPSAC honors as a junior in his first season in the league, and he finally caught attention from D1 schools this year. Wilkins, already a good shooter and facilitator, said he perfected his craft in the pick-and-roll and passing, and it showed.
“It’s kind of like God’s plan,” Wilkins said. “I really struggled with height and strength and that growth spurt really helped me to be able to be good and compete against the best guys.”
Wilkins has huge potential as he continues to fill out his 6-foot-5 frame and develops his game. As he prepares for college basketball and being an immediate contributor next fall, he said he wants to work on his strength and explosiveness. He also wants to improve at being a leader during adverse situations, in addition to perfecting skills he’s already good at, like shooting and playing out of ball screens.
Wilkins admitted the recruiting process was stressful, but he’s relieved for it to be over so he can focus on his final season at Brooks, where he wants to lead the school to Class B and Independent School League championships and also win Class B MVP.
“I’m extremely excited that I made the right decision,” Wilkins said. “I felt like I made the best decision for me and my family, and more importantly for me. But I’m extremely excited that it’s over and now I can be all bought in to the season and this big season coming up.”
