Heading into the 2024-25 season, sophomore guard Jayden Lemond will look to make a splash for BU. After transferring from William & Mary, where he appeared in 22 games off the bench, Lemond has made his way to Binghamton to join the Bearcats for the upcoming season. As one of five transfers joining the Bearcats, Lemond will look to be BU’s new floor general.
“I’m a really good playmaker,” Lemond said. “I like to make my teammates better. I like to get shots for my teammates. I could just make plays for myself, both on offense and defense, and I feel like that’s what I do the best.”
From a young age, Lemond had a basketball in his hands — his father Troy played professionally in Venezuela. Lemond was also inspired by LeBron James, who he considers to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
“LeBron James inspired me a lot,” Lemond said. “I would also say, my dad … Being around him since I was a kid, and he always had the ball in my hand. That was just one thing that made me glued to the instinct of the game of basketball.”
With the loss of guard Symir Torrence, who led the America East in assists with 7.2 per game, the fifth-best in the entire nation, Lemond will look to fill his shoes. As a true point guard, Lemond will run Binghamton’s fast-paced offense, which was middle of the pack in the AE last year, scoring an average of 72.1 points a game.
“I just want to come in and do what the coaches in the team need me to do,” Lemond said. “I feel like our roles are pretty much similar, me and [Torrence], because he [was fifth in] the nation in assists. That’s something I like to do. I like to pass a lot. So I feel like I can come in and do a really good job at that.”
Lemond showed promise in his freshman season, averaging 8.8 minutes a game, during which he averaged 1.5 points, 1 rebound and just under an assist per game on 45.5 percent shooting from the field. Notable performances include a nine-point, six-rebound game against Virginia Lynchburg and a five-point, four-rebound and three-assist stat line against UNCW.
“We had a coaching change, and I just kind of wanted a new environment and a new and better fit for me, honestly, overall,” Lemond said.
Outside of basketball, Lemond’s hobbies consist of listening to music, spending time with his family and journaling to help him prepare mentally and emotionally.
“I just like to listen to music and hang out with friends and family,” Lemond said. “I like to go outside a lot, go on walks. I journal a lot.”
When asked about his goals for the upcoming season, Lemond said he wants to be the best version of himself through his leadership on the court.
“My goal for myself is just to do the best that I can,” Lemond said. “I want to do the best that I can in my role and be the best version of myself, whether that’s on offense, defense or just being a great overall leader.”
The ultimate team goal remains the same — winning the AE title and making it to March Madness.
“I would say the team goal is just winning,” Lemond said. “The end goal is the America East Championship … I feel like the main important thing is just getting one percent better every day and just making sure that I stick to that standard.”
When asked to give a message to Bearcats fans for this upcoming season, Lemond provided a simple but strong-headed response.
“We need everybody to come out and support,” Lemond said. “We got a great group of guys this year. We’re gonna get a lot of wins, and we’re gonna make history this year.”