By RayJaun Stelly

Entering his final high school season, Foster High School’s Jeremiah White, one of the top prospects in Washington state, is looking to take the Bulldogs to new heights. For those who are unaware, White began his high school career at basketball powerhouse Rainier Beach. Now, with a fresh start, he aims for more than just putting up points, getting stops defensively, and winning games.

“What led me to my decision for a fresh start was off the court; my family and I had things we needed to take care of, and I wanted to help them as best I could. I had to be closer to home and take care of my mom, who needed surgery,” said White. “I needed to be there to support her, and with that, Coach Jerry Petty has come to me as a man and a coach, relating to my struggles while helping me develop and pushing me past my limits to be the best player I can be.”

White continued, “I felt I had to do what’s best for us as a family and take that step to elevate.”

In his three years with the Vikings, White played a critical role, with two opportunities to hoist the WIAA 3A State Championship trophy. Both times, they fell short, losing to Auburn in 2022 and Eastside Catholic this past season. Although losing hurts, there’s a lesson in every loss and motivation within it that fuels players like Jeremiah.

“There’s no worse feeling than losing a championship. The moment the buzzer goes off is an unbearable pain that no high school player wants to feel more than once, but that pain can either make you or break you,” said White. “It has molded my mindset to never feel that way again. Every time I think I can relax or get comfortable, I remember that feeling. The experience was great, and it has taught me many things; through the losses, I feel like I’ve learned how to win.”

Losing in the state championship for a second time kicked things into high gear for the 6-foot-5, 175-pound wing. During his final AAU season and current off-season, White took the time to analyze his game. With self-reflection comes accountability and an understanding of why things are the way they are or why they happened. Jeremiah embraced the challenge of being a leader, recognizing that each of his teammates' roles is just as important as his own.

“I’ve been mentally trying to take over not just the game but my team as well. I want to be the player my teammates look up to and go to when they need something because I learned you cannot win games by yourself. You need your teammates, and if you lead, they will follow. Of course, getting better on the court is key, but improving in many different ways is important as well.”

With the ability to defend at a high level, grab rebounds and go coast-to-coast, run the offense as if he’s a point guard, slash and finish around the rim, and take defenders off the dribble for mid-range pull-ups, White can dunk on those in his way despite the contest.

An all-around two-way player, White has still been under the radar regarding his recruitment. In this era of social media, where you can see your peers or competition getting offers left and right while yours come in slower than others, it can be a difficult pill to swallow. However, Jeremiah views it differently.

“My recruitment has been a little slow, but I don’t see it as a bad thing. I just see it as I need to work harder. Every chance I get to play against someone ranked higher than me, I know what I need to do and never back down from a challenge,” said White. “I feel that with consistency, work ethic, and the right mentality, I can turn it all around. But I also know it’s all in God’s hands. If He gave me something too soon, I wouldn’t know how to take care of it because He hadn’t taught me yet. Whenever He knows I’ll be ready, it will happen.”

Proper preparation prevents poor performance; the ‘Five P’s’ best describe class of 2025 prospect Jeremiah White. Under the guidance of head coach Jerry Petty, he and the Foster Bulldogs look to make a historic run behind White’s leadership on and off the floor.

White stated, “My personal goal is to win, of course; that should be the only thing on my mind. My individual achievements will come as we win, and I want to show myself a level that I know I can reach and play at that level every game.”