Catching up with Marcus Fitzgerald Jr.
Since Darius Garland signed with Vanderbilt, fans have been asking the obvious question. Who is the next player out of the mid-state area the Commodore staff may look at?
Although the current list is not deep, but there is a list of quality candidates. One familiar name at the top of the list is 2020 point guard, Marcus Fitzgerald.
When VandySports.com last spoke to Marcus, he had just had knee surgery. Although he isn't back to one-hundred percent yet, he has made huge strides, and has had lots go on in his basketball career.
For starters, he transferred from Hillsboro to Brentwood Academy, and was eligible and cleared, as the Eagles won yet another State Championship in February. Since then, he has picked up a Tennessee State offer to go with the one from East Tennessee State. He also has been a stalwart in the backcourt for The Bradley Beal Elite on the Nike EYBL Circuit.
We caught up with Fitzgerald over the weekend, and he gave us the latest on his recovery, how he is playing, his recruitment, and his constant communication with Vanderbilt.
My knew is doing pretty well," Fitzgerald responded when we asked about his recovery. "I'm about 80 percent right now. I just need to play a lot of games. It still swells some right how after I play, but I'm told that is normal. I'm getting my strength and agility back. I'm expecting to be 100 percent by June or July."
Fitzgerald got his first offer from East Tennessee State during his freshman season. He picked up his second one from Tennessee State's new coach, Brian "Penny" Collins just a few weeks after he got the job. Marcus elaborated on getting that offer from one of his hometown schools.
"It felt great. It was my first offer off of the injury. That motivated me and let me know that I can still do this. It was special to me that Coach Collins believes that I am still the same player that I was before I got injured. It was special too because it was his first Class of 2020 offer."
Fitzgerald is getting some invaluable exposure playing the point guard spot with Bradley Beal Elite 16U on the Nike EYBL Circuit. Besides the two offers, he is also getting interest from Vanderbilt, Missouri, Xavier, and Kansas State. The communication with the Commodores is not new, the two parties have had a long-standing relationship.
"Vanderbilt has been at my games in Dallas and Indianapolis. They want to see me play more, and see how I have recovered from my injury. This was the first they have seen me play since it happened. When I talk to the coaches, they want to see me be more aggressive, attack with the ball, and be vocal on the court."
Another priceless piece of his maturation process has been his work with Darius Garland. The two train together with Jamal Richardson, and Fitzgerald has been a sponge around Vanderbilt's newest five-star signee.
"Darius has helped me a lot," Fitzgerald explained. "I see everything he does up close, and it gives me a goal to keep working and see if I can get close to where he is at. I've been around him since middle school, and we work out together all of the time. It is amazing to see what he has become. He has mentored me to be the best I can be."
We also asked Fitzgerald to share something with Commodore fans that they might not know about the Brentwood Academy product who will be wearing black and gold next season.
"He works harder that anyone I have ever seen. He works at it everyday. He doesn't broadcast it. He doesn't put it on social media for everyone to see. He just does it everyday."
That hard work is what Fitzgerald is continuing to get his first high major offer. Several programs including Vanderbilt are waiting to see Fitzgerald totally healthy. That will make for a big month of July for him out on the road.
Before then, The Bradley Beal Elite will be participating in two more EYBL sessions in May in Atlanta and Hampton, Virginia.