Local basketball star Jaydon Wise-Malcolm secures dream basketball scholarship in the US
- Ben Sedgwick
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
17-year-old basketball player, Jaydon Wise-Malcolm has accepted an offer to play for Southeastern Preparatory Academy in Florida, USA. The move comes after an impressive campaign for the Teesside Lions in NBL Division 1 and excelling at various international camps with the Richards Elite basketball programme.
On his move, Jaydon Wise Malcolm said: "It was a blessing, and I'm really thankful. The opportunities that Ryan Richards (the founder of Richards Elite) has given me. Ryan has given me the platform to perform in international camps. Those were key to getting me on Southeastern’s radar. Then there was the development from playing for the Teesside Lions in both the youth setup and the men's team. They were the first basketball team I ever played for at 14, and I can't understate how important they’ve been in building my skills and understanding of the game. It’s surreal, and I’m very happy—but I can't get too comfortable because I still have to go there and earn my spot."
The offer is a full-ride scholarship and he will be at the prep school for two semesters. Jaydon will be living without his family for the first time, as he makes the move to Florida. He described this as quite "daunting" but also necessary to chase his basketball dreams.
To play in the NBA would be a dream come true for Jaydon and to be the first player from Middlesbrough to achieve that would be a major source of pride for him.
Teesside Lions CEO, James Thomson, has overseen Jaydon's development since he started with the Lions. He said: "Jaydon joined us as a relative newcomer to basketball, and in under three years he has developed remarkably. We are very proud of him, for his dedication to the sport and the many highlights he has given Teesside Lions. We're proud of him not just because he is a great basketball player, but more importantly the fine young gentleman he has become. He is a credit to our club, his parents and to basketball itself."
Jaydon is the second player from Middlesbrough to secure a major US scholarship in basketball in recent times. In the summer of 2025, Charlie McKenna moved to America and joined Williston State College in North Dakota.
Good luck Jaydon, hope you do Middlesbrough proud in the States!
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