Not many college basketball players end their careers knowing they’ve helped resurrect a program, let alone one that plays in a league as rugged as the Big Ten. Maryland’s Jake Layman has that going for him.
“Jake is one of my all-time favorites because he stuck with me, stuck with Maryland basketball,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said after Layman, in the final home game of his career, scored 18 points in a win over Illinois. “He committed to us when we weren’t very good.”
When Turgeon says committed, he means that in every sense of the word. As the NBA teams that are considering choosing Layman in Thursday night’s Draft already know, Layman committed himself to getting better as a player. He committed himself in the classroom, earning his degree in four years. And at a time when Turgeon, who had been successful at three previous stops — Jacksonville State, Wichita State, Texas A&M — was struggling to keep players in the Maryland program, Layman stayed loyal.
Some Terrapin fans may have wondered whether Turgeon’s magic had worn off after consecutive seasons of eighth, seventh and seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season standings, but Layman never wavered, even as three players in his recruiting class — Seth Allen (Virginia Tech), Charles Mitchell (Georgia Tech) and Shaquille Cleare (Texas) — transferred.
Layman, whose toughness was honed in rough-and-tumble driveway pickup games with his four brothers, never seriously considered leaving.
“I had no reason to leave,” Layman said. “I may have thought about it for about five minutes. And then I thought, ‘I don’t even know why I’m thinking about this. There’s no need to leave.’ “
With Layman serving as the program’s bedrock, Turgeon brought in a couple of transfers to replace the players who departed. Dez Wells (Xavier) was a huge piece. Evan Smotrycz (Michigan) and Robert Carter (Georgia Tech) were others. Coupled with Maryland’s recruitment of point guard Melo Trimble and post man Diamond Stone, the program came full circle after it left the ACC for the Big Ten, finishing second in 2014-15 and tied for third in 2015-16. The Terps won 28 games in 2015, returning to the NCAA Tournament after a four-year hiatus. In 2016, they won 27 games and advanced to the NCAA’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003.
“Jake was really a big key for us,” Maryland assistant coach Dustin Clark said. “Luckily for us, we were recruiting him at Texas A&M. He grew up liking Maryland, so we were never going to get him down there, but we had that relationship with him already when we got to Maryland.
“Jake trusted us and trusted the process. He knew he was in a great place surrounded by people that just wanted to help him, see him succeed, and become the best player that he could. Jake felt comfortable, and he was rewarded for his patience.”
Layman was raised to be tough. His father, Tim, was a college baseball player. His mother, Claire, played college basketball and is credited by her husband with teaching their five sons the basic skills of basketball.
Jake Layman remembers some epic pickup games among his brothers. Only the strong survived.
“Typical brother stuff,” Layman said with a laugh. “One guy gets hit. A fight starts. Someone ends up crying.”
Those games turned Layman and his brothers into basketball players. Layman’s older brother Conner played in high school. His brother Jimmy plays college hoops at the Division III level, and his younger brothers Ryan and Kyle are destined to play in college, too.
Layman, who grew to a solid 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, came to Maryland as a four-star prospect and was thrown into the fray right away. He started 17 games as a freshman, averaging 8.4 points in those games. A year later he started 28 times and averaged a team-high 31.8 minutes, along with 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds. He showed his versatility by leading the Terps in 3-point goals and blocked shots.
Layman was a third-team All-Big Ten pick as a junior after averaging 12.5 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds. And by time Layman’s career ended when Maryland lost to Kansas in the Sweet 16 last March, he had become one of just 12 players in school history to compile at least 1,400 points and 600 rebounds. Maryland won 114 games in Layman’s career.
That career wasn’t always easy.
“But it got better and better each year,” Layman said. “With the adversity we went through my sophomore year, with a lot of guys transferring, that brought us closer together. Changing leagues brought us closer together.”
Turgeon always knew Layman could be a big part of the rebuilding process.
“He would always tell me, ‘Jake, you have no clue how good you could be,’ ” Layman said. “He always pushed me to be more aggressive. And each year, I got more aggressive and more confident. That shows the confidence coach Turgeon had in me.”
Layman wasn’t afraid to put in the time he needed to improve.
“His game changed,” Clark said. “It evolved. He came in as an athletic guy who could get out and run on the break. He was a really good catch-and-shoot guy. That was his identity early.
“Then, to his credit, his game evolved. He became a great defender, and a versatile defender. His senior year, Jake was an unbelievable security blanket for us.”
Layman is hoping he can provide the same role for an NBA team. At Maryland, Turgeon didn’t hesitate to ask Layman to guard multiple positions, from point guards to power forwards. To do that, Layman had to refine his athletic gifts and also work on his body; during his career, he added 30 pounds of muscle. That work helped Layman on the other end of the floor, too.
“As he got stronger, his offensive game opened up,” Clark said. He was a mismatch problem on the block when he played the three and smaller guys were guarding him. And at the four, he was able to take bigger guys off the bounce. As his career went on, his offensive game became effective from all spots on the floor.”
Layman knows his game can translate to the NBA. He’s worked out for 10 teams, and he’s gained confidence throughout the process. “The big thing is I’ve been able to show my versatility,” Layman said. “As a defender and a scorer.”
Clark has talked to several NBA scouts about Layman. He gives positive feedback to all of them, and he’s received the same in return.
“What they’re seeing is a high-character guy that still has a ton of upside and will do whatever he’s asked to do,” Clark said. “They’re looking at this kid with an open mind and a big imagination. I don’t think anybody’s pigeonholed him into a certain role.
“The exciting thing about Jake is his best basketball is ahead of him. If he lasts until the middle of the second round, wow. Somebody’s going to look really good for finding a bargain at that spot.”
Chris Dortch is the editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
You can email him here, follow him on Twitter and listen to the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Hour.
