London Jemison established himself as one of the best players from New England in the 2025 class, and he’ll soon head to one of the most successful college basketball programs in recent years.
Jemison – the 6-foot-8 forward for St. Thomas More and Expressions Elite – announced his commitment to Alabama on Saturday, choosing the Crimson Tide over Kansas and Louisville to join a program that is fresh off making the Final Four last spring and the Sweet 16 in 2023.
Ranked No. 48 nationally by ESPN, Jemison raised his stock with another strong summer with Expressions on the Nike EYBL circuit. Always a dynamic, athletic wing, he added a new dimension to his game by becoming a knockdown outside shooter as he made 37 percent of his 3-point attempts. Jemison, a native of Bloomfield, Conn., projects to be an immediate contributor for head coach Nate Oats at Alabama next fall as a 3-and-D wing, and he certainly has the capabilities to develop into a pro prospect.
Following his commitment, we caught up with Jemison for a Q&A. He discussed his Alabama decision, the big strides he took this summer with Expressions, his goals this upcoming season with St. Thomas More and more.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What were the deciding factors in choosing Alabama?
“I would say I chose Alabama because the style was perfect for my fit. I feel like the coaching staff, they did a great job recruiting me, too. I had a great relationship with both coaches. Coach (Nate) Oats, he definitely does good with players who have a similar build and play style, like wings. I definitely trusted that. It was definitely big on trust for me. And then, I have a bunch of family out there, so that made it comfortable, too. Winning was definitely really important for me, the past few years they’ve been winning a lot. Coach Oats just does a great job with his players, so I definitely wanted to join that family and that whole culture.
What vision do they have for you and what kind of impact do you think you can make there?
“They see me as a plug-in wing three-and-D type of guy who can space the floor and play with a bunch of different lineups. They definitely see me as a pro, develop me into a pro.”
You have a strong relationship with Preston Murphy, who coached you with Expressions Elite and is now an assistant at Alabama. How would you describe your relationship with him and how excited are you to reunite with him?
“We definitely have a great relationship, like last year we always used to joke around but when we got on the court it was serious. It’s definitely a great relationship. I’ve known him for a good amount of time, but last year was the first year we got close, so I’m definitely excited to be around a familiar face and a guy I can trust.
“That definitely was a factor in my decision-making of just being comfortable.”
You had a big summer with Expressions. Where are the biggest strides you saw in your game and development?
“I would say my shooting definitely made a big jump. My ball height got better, volume, taking more shots, making more shots, and shooting faster shots, that was definitely a big jump for me helping my team space the floor and stuff like that, that was bigs. I’d say my versatility on defense. I guarded a lot of possessions. Sometimes, we played small ball, I would guard the big, I would guard guards, so that defensive versatility was big.”
Was improving your shooting a focal point going into the grassroots season?
“Definitely. I did a lot of work with Coach Milo (Luciano) and my teammates just shooting every day just to get my shot better, so that definitely was a big focal point. All the work definitely paid off this summer. My numbers went up.”
What does your shooting practice look like? Are you trying to get up a certain amount of shots every day?
“My warmup, it’s more like flow stuff, off the dribble stuff just to get my form and height right before we start working out. Then it’s a lot of movement shots, good amount of I’d say catch and shoot, that’s when I’m working out with my coach. But if I’m in the gym with my teammate or something, it’s a lot of spot-ups, some movement, definitely go for makes. Like yesterday, I shot with one of my teammates, it was like, we did 200 makes on 3s, but that’s usually what it’s like if I’m not with one of my coaches.”
What has St. Thomas More and all the coaches there meant to your development?
“They definitely played a big role in my development. First of all, just getting my mental right when it comes to approaching the game, approaching tough situations, Coach Milo, Coach (Jere) Quinn, they did a great job with that. Me and Coach Milo, we work on my shot, everything with my skill work a lot, so when it comes to development on the court, definitely Coach Milo, he plays a big role in that, always getting in the gym every day and being consistent. And then toughness, I’d say Coach Quinn always wants us to play hard, holds us accountable, so they both played a big role in my development this past year.
Do you feel like New England basketball is underrated or doesn’t get the respect it deserves?
“It’s definitely underrated. But the AAA New England (NEPSAC) is really competitive, probably one of the best leagues around the country for high school players. It’s definitely underrated because there are a lot of players that don’t get the exposure, but it’s just definitely a physical league, tough league.”
What are some of your interests outside of basketball?
“I like video games, I like to listen to music a lot. Just chilling with my friends. I don’t do too much. I’d rather just chill with my friends and go outside.”
Favorite video game right now?
“(NBA) 2K, NCAA Football, Madden, those are my main games. I played Fortnite growing up, but recently, mostly sports games.”
Who’s your favorite NBA player?
“My favorite player growing up was LeBron (James), but now, I definitely like Bones Hyland, Kevin Durant, Brandon Ingram.”
What’s your favorite warmup song?
“Hmmm … I’d say, “Room Comfort” by Rylo Rodriguez.”
What are you looking forward to for the upcoming season? Any big goals?
“The first goal is definitely, I’m trying to win a championship. Both championships — (NEPSAC) AAA and national. I definitely think we have the squad to do that. So that, bonding with my teammates on road trips and all of that, I’m looking forward to that. Just looking forward to competing, having fun and another year of development for college, that’s definitely big, too. Just looking forward to getting ready so I’m best prepared when I get in there.”
