By SAM LANCE
FISHERS, IN — Jermaine O’Neal Jr. and Jaden Toombs aren’t brothers by blood, but their bond is as close as it gets. The two have been living together since 8th grade and have been with each other each step of their basketball journey.
It’s only right they’re both suiting up for SMU next season.
“It’s been amazing just watching each other grow,” Toombs told ZAGSBLOG. “We go through a lot of the same things so I feel like going to college, we have a lot on our shoulders. So we’re going to be ready.”
Both O’Neal Jr. and Toombs are ranked as four-star prospects by 247Sports, but each brings something different to the table. O’Neal Jr. is an athletic wing who can hit shots from anywhere on the court, and he may be the best defender in the 2025 class. Toombs is your classic big man who scores with ease in the post and rebounds with the best of ’em. They’ll both be looking to make an instant impact for the Mustangs.
“We’re kind of like veterans in a way,” O’Neal Jr. said. “We’re not like many freshman. We’re going to bring a different level of energy on the offensive and defensive end. And I believe we’ll be ready to go day one.”
“We’re going to bring a different type of intensity that they haven’t seen in a while,” Toombs added.
The trip to SMU won’t be long for the two prospects. Their high school program Dynamic Prep, coached by O’Neal Jr.’s father and NBA veteran Jermaine O’Neal Sr., is just 30 minutes away from campus. The two will have a chance to be the hometown heroes and will be arriving on campus in early June.
When they get there, it’s going to be all business.
“They told me I can really pass, I can score,” Toombs said. “But for me, it’s just adjusting to the physicality in college. I’m really physical, but you know athleticism, those things come in play. So I’m going to get on campus early, and I’m going to develop and I’m going to be ready to go when the season starts.”
O’Neal Jr. shares a similar sentiment and will be looking to develop into a high-level two-way wing.
“Right now they already believe I’m elite defensively,” O’Neal Jr. said. “But [they want me] to add the offensive game to where I’m very consistent at a high level shooting getting downhill and even just facilitating. Being able to move to the one position at times and help the team like that.”
While the two have been living together for a long time, they will be in different apartments their freshman season. Still, O’Neal Jr. said it will be nice to have someone to “keep him whole.”
“If I need something I have him, if he needs something he has me,” O’Neal Jr. said. “A lot of people who go to college sometimes get left out in the cold when something isn’t going well. So it’s just good that we have someone to lean on.”
Both prospects committed to the Mustangs within a week of each other, with O’Neal Jr. being the first SMU commit of the 2025 cycle. But why did they choose Andy Enfield’s program?
“For me personally, he was recruiting me the longest out of all of the schools when he was at USC,” O’Neal Jr. said. “He’s developed a lot of NBA type players. And for me to see someone like the James family — who’s obviously went through harder things than me but still a path that’s kind of the same — it was just big for me. They just showed a lot of love.”
As for Toombs?
“I feel like the bigs he’s had in the past, he’s had a lot of good bigs that are kind of similar to me in certain ways,” Toombs said. “And then coach [Eric] Mobley having two sons that are bigs, it will help me develop over there. On my visit, the love was just like no other.”
SMU is now in the ACC, which is maybe the most historic college basketball conference in the country. O’Neal Jr. said people looked at the ACC as having a down year last season, so he’s hoping to show its back on top. Making the NCAA Tournament is the goal for both players.
O’Neal Jr. and Toombs will be joined by two other class of 2025 prospects next season: four-star forward Nigel Walls and three-star small forward BJ Davis-Ray.
“Nigel, we were around Nigel a lot in different camps,” O’Neal Jr. said. “He’s a Texas kid. He brings a different look from his height at about 6-foot-11, but can shoot really well. So I feel like he plays off our game a lot. And then BJ, I haven’t seen BJ as much this past year with him in California. But I know he’s a great scorer. So he’s kind of a good contrast to me who’s a lot more defense and has a little bit of a good amount of offense. So there’s a lot of contrast to all of us.”
Those four are ranked the No. 8 overall recruiting class in the country by 247Sports. With O’Neal Jr. and Toombs leading the charge, SMU is set to shake up the ACC next season.
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