Imahri Wooten has spent his first month on campus looking more like a player who’s already been around the block than a freshman trying to find his footing.
That’s notable at Rutgers, where the roster makeup has shifted from last season’s group of seven true freshmen to a much smaller incoming class. Wooten is one of only two freshmen on this team, alongside Marten Tonejc of Slovenia, and he’s the only American-born true freshman in the mix after playing at Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, N.Y.
The early buzz around Wooten has come from the way he carries himself. Senior Darren Buchanan said he immediately stood out in pickup runs because he played with confidence instead of easing in.
"He came in and he wasn't like a regular freshman, honestly," Buchanan said this past week. "When he came in, he was aggressive with the ball.
When we played pickup, he would be aggressive, looking for his shot. That is kind of rare when you are a freshman coming into a situation like this, with a lot of older guards.
You would think they would try to sit back and learn, but he's like attacking and still learning at the same time. I am definitely a fan of Imahri."
At 6-foot-5, Wooten already has the size to make an impact, especially on the defensive end. But Steve Pikiell also sees plenty to like when the ball is in his hands.
"He shoots the heck out of the ball. He is really athletic," Pikiell said of Wooten.
"He's been great. Awesome kid.
He doesn't say a word."
Wooten’s toughness showed up in a very literal way during Tuesday’s practice. After taking an elbow from Gevonte Ware that knocked out a tooth, he kept going.
"He knocked his tooth out and still practiced and now he went running to the dentist," Pikiell said post-practice on Tuesday. "He never missed a beat."
Wooten arrived with a solid recruiting profile, finishing his high school career with a player rating of 87 and ranking as the No. 62 small forward in the 247Sports recruiting class of 2026.
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Rutgers Golf Just Got Another Huge Chris Gotterup Moment
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For Rutgers fans, the appeal goes beyond one hot week. Gotterup left New Brunswick as one of the most decorated players in program history, and this win only sharpens the sense that his game still has room to climb. The John Deere also carries extra meaning in his pro story, which makes this latest breakthrough feel less like a surprise and more like another checkpoint in a career that is starting to stack up big moments. [Read more 🡒]