Hofstra needs Jaquan Carlos to pick up leadership, scoring roles quickly

If Jaquan Carlos’ story sounds vaguely familiar, there’s good reason.

He was an electrifying 6-foot point guard in New York City. He helped take his high school team to great heights. The big-time college programs coveted him. But in the end, he surprised everyone by picking Hofstra and he was the school’s most impressive recruit in years.

It’s virtually the same story one could tell about Pride coach Speedy Claxton, who would go on to play almost a decade in the NBA.

“My final five were Oklahoma State, Pitt, Fordham, Virginia Tech and Hofstra,” Carlos said. “I liked the idea of being close to home, but I came to play for Speedy Claxton. He’s the same height as me and he got to the highest level from Hofstra. He has the blueprint for guys like me.”

“I want the same things for him that I got for myself,” Claxton said. “I’ve walked in those same shoes. I’ve gotten to where everyone wants to go.”

Carlos has a chance to take the next step in that direction this season. Hofstra won the Coastal Athletic Association regular-season title and reached the second round of the NIT before finishing 25-10. The team lost two-time conference player of the year Aaron Estrada, who averaged 20.2 points, in a transfer to Alabama but returns second-leading scorer Tyler Thomas (16.5 points) and Darlinstone Dubar (10.3).

The natural guess about where most of those lost points are going to come from would be Carlos, who was an exceptionally high-scoring player at Jefferson High in Brooklyn. But it could come from a variety of places or, as Carlos said, “we could see a lot of people stepping up to help fill the scoring gap.”

And Carlos isn’t the same player he was in high school. He plays a more sophisticated game. And while he does still like to score, he understands that playing smart, creating for others and running the team are the same things that helped Claxton get drafted.

“He told me that at my size, I’m not going to be averaging 30 points any more, that it was time for my game to mature,” Carlos said. “I need to be great at making reads and passing with a high IQ.”

“He had to make the progression,” Claxton said. “You learn the college game. You figure out when to take your shots. And in our program, you kind of wait for your turn.

“He’s now playing in the role that [Estrada] was even though we have someone who scores like [Thomas]. But JC knows the game and there’s no reason he couldn’t end up having the same kind of impact as Aaron or Tyler.”

Carlos averaged 6.7 points, 4.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds last season in 33 minutes per game. Aware that each player will need to improve their point production to compensate for Estrada’s departure, he has chosen to focus on his outside shot.

“He knows that he needs to have that consistent shot and he’s been working really hard on his craft during this offseason,” Claxton said. “I was the same. I needed to add a consistent outside shot. Once I could hit the outside shot consistently, things really took off. I see the improvement.”

Claxton knows the import of a point guard because he was one. And asked about whether Carlos is ready to run the Pride, he replied “we’re going to go as far as JC takes us — this team looks up to him.”

“[Claxton] says I am the best playmaker in the conference and that’s what I am setting out to be,” Carlos said.

Carlos had a chance to play under the bright lights of the ACC or Big 12, where his scoring ability might have been the biggest point of emphasis. Hofstra was about something more long-term. Carlos wants basketball success in college and beyond. And he said he is being mentored “by the right guy.”

“As far as JC and the blueprint?” Claxton said. “He’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.”

By Roger Rubin

roger.rubin@newsday.com@rogrubin

Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.