Novato High's Josh Devore had choices, a number of them enticing. The 6-foot-8 frontcourter could have landed close to home at San Francisco State had he chosen to do so. But, in the end, he did remain in the Golden State, just the southern part. He decided to attend California Lutheran, located between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. CL is a member of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (which consists of nine teams throughout the southern California area). The men's basketball program is currently ranked eighth in the nation.
"(Head) Coach (Russell) White and 26-year-old (Associate Head) Coach Kyle (Milligan) reminded me so much of my high school coaches," Devore explained."They wanted me even before the season started and told me I would play as a freshman. CL plays almost positionless offensively and in high school I play as a wing (even as the tallest Novato talent). When I visited, the players and coaches showed great chemistry during practices."
Devore did review the rosters of the various options he was considering, taking in the size of the centers and frontcourters. "Cal Lu has 4-5 bigs but will lose 3-4 to graduation (by the time he arrives)." Devore is already on a weightlifting program generated by the Cal Lutheran staff and he'll arrive there in August. The school is located 20 miles north of Malibu and it's the practice facility of the Los Angeles Rams. Devore caught sight of a few Rams on his official visit.
He did attend a Cal Lutheran camp in September but his official visit took place on the weekend of October 21 and 22. He committed to White and Cal Lutheran a few weeks later. "It was great to know where I'll be next -- a weight off my shoulders -- and going to a team that really wanted me was important."
Official Visit
On the first day of his visit, "I spent from about 4:30 p.m. to the rest of the night with the players." With the option of returning to his hotel room, he nixed that and slept in the school dorms, saturating his senses with the basketball program's culture while getting a solid sense of the school. "We went to McDonald's around 9:00 p.m. (rather than the usual fancy meal out with the coaching staff). It was great!" The next night he stayed in a hotel with his parents who had just flown down.
So what will Cal Lutheran basketball fans be seeing from Devore? "My best skills are my shooting and my playmaking. I play on the wing and average 4-5 assists a game this season." He shot 46% overall this season, 40% from long distance.
Regarding leadership, "I see myself as a leader, for sure. I'm always talking, be vocal with my teammates." It's often difficult for a freshman or underclassmen to emerge in such a role that is usually composed of upperclassmen but Devore will jump right in.
Best Basketball Moments
His top basketball moment took place when his Team Rampage AAU squad traveled to Las Vegas. "We played a top team right away, with 50 or so coaches in the stands and I had 25 points although we got blown out by 40 points." Another top time took place in his junior year "when we didn't play a lot of games but we swept Marin Catholic and Coach Mike Saia twice." Saia is a Marin County coaching legend and "I really respect him," said Devore.
Looking to major in sports management, Devore will enjoy an unusual minor. "It's jazz studies. I have a passion for it and play the trombone." When he was younger, "I really wanted to play the trumpet and was disappointed when I was assigned to play the trombone. I asked why the trombone and not the trumpet and I was told it's because my arms are long."
Citing his influences, Devore noted his mother who "for sure, has really helped me with my school work. I owe a lot to her" and "my father who played at College of Marin, then Sam Houston State." The Bearkats are a D1 program located in Huntsville, Texas. Devore's mother is a 6-footer while his father stands 6-foot-8. Devore and his father have competed countless times against each other. He also lauded Scott Morgan, a longtime hoops trainer in Marin County. "He taught me how to play when I was five, to keep my eyes up and how to shoot properly." Plus, "Brandon Bracy, who completely changed my life when I joined his Team Rampage," a travel team that plays across the country during the spring and summer.
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