By SAM LANCE
MESA, AZ — Class of 2026 five-star Jalen Montonati just keeps improving. Since his high school season ended, the forward has been in the weight room consistently and has gained about seven pounds. He’s been improving his body and working on his game everyday. The results showed at Nike EYBL Session 1.
Montonati — the 6-foot-7 forward — posted averages of 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game to help Mokan Elite to a 2-1 record. Montonati was especially good against Team WhyNot, scoring 24 points on 5-of-11 shooting from 3-point range in a narrow loss. If it weren’t for a clutch 3-pointer in the closing seconds by Tajh Ariza, Montonati would’ve been the hero.
This summer will be an interesting change of pace for Montonati, who was coached by his father, Brian Montonati during his junior year at Owasso (OK), where he won the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year. His father played at Oklahoma State from 1997-2000 and was the leading scorer on an Elite Eight team his final season.
“It’s a little different coming from my high school team where I’m kind of the guy and everything kind of runs through me,” Montonati told ZAGSBLOG. “And then transferring over to a program like Mokan that develops guys to get them ready for college and for the next level, I’m just adapting to the style of play. We have a great group of guys. We’re really talented. So I’m just trying to fit in and find my role with other talented guys.”
Last time ZAGSBLOG caught up with Montonati, the five-star named Arkansas, Baylor, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech as some schools mostly in contact. Now?
“Louisville has came into the picture,” Montonati said. “They really talk to me a lot. I love their coaching staff, the energy that they bring. They came I want to say two weeks ago to check me out during workouts. And just kind of the same people you said have been staying in contact. Oklahoma State I think next week is coming to do an in home visit with me. So I’m just looking forward to catching up with them.”
Montonati also had Kansas State in for a visit at his school recently. Oklahoma State will be in on Tuesday, April 29, and BYU and Oklahoma are also expected soon. Montonati said he’s looking at the Wildcats to be his first official visit in June.
“I love coach [Jerome] Tang,” Montonati said. “Ever since he’s been talking to me, he’s a really religious guy. That’s big for me. He’s just a great energy, great guy to be around. He came and saw me I think last month and just talked with me and my dad and my mom and just said great things about where the program is headed. How he sees me fitting in, which direction he wants to get the program in just like the Elite Eight run they had a couple years ago. He wants to maintain that success for Kansas State. And just talking to him, a lot of energy and very charismatic guy.”
Montonati has been on several unofficial visits so far in the process to schools like Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma State. He broke down those trips to ZAGSBLOG:
Arkansas: “I saw them play against Florida, talked to [John] Calipari and the rest of the coaching staff. And obviously, the historic success coach Calipari has is really big time.”
Kansas: “Just seeing the historical Allen Fieldhouse, it’s always a really cool experience. And talking with coach [Bill] Self, coach [Jeremy] Case, coach [Kurtis] Townsend, the whole coaching staff is really accepting and really nice to talk to. Obviously, they have a historic program developing wings and getting them to the NBA which is something that definitely intrigues me. I’m looking forward to see what they do this year.”
Oklahoma State: “Just the family aspect that they show me. I kind of grew up around the program my whole life because of my dad. And just seeing how they welcome me in open arms and seeing the fans come up to my dad, say how much of a fan they were of him just watching him play, the fan support is just big time.”
Montonati is looking forward to starting official visits this summer into the fall and then eventually narrowing down his list and making a decision.
“I want to cut down my list probably after Peach Jam,” Montonati said. “And then eventually make a decision in the fall sometime. But you never know with this transfer portal thing and coaching changes. So that’s my goal. If anything changes, it is what it is. But I’m not going to set an official date or anything like that. I’m just kind of taking it day by day.”
The first EYBL session in Arizona wasn’t a live session where coaches can come out and watch prospects close up. The next session in Memphis from May 16-18 will be, though. Montonati would like to show coaches this summer that he’s a winner.
“That’s the main thing I value myself as,” Montonati said. “Everywhere I go, I just want to win and bring that winning feel too it. And then obviously improve my skills. Ball handling has been a main one. Playmaking. I feel like I did a good job of that today in this game. And then just getting stronger. My body looks a lot different than it did last summer. So just continuing to get stronger and show scouts I’m willing to work. That’s the main thing about me. I’m going to be the hardest worker to any program that I go to.”
Montonati is ranked the No. 18 overall prospect in the 2026 class by 247Sports.
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