Name: Jayden Wright

School: Benet, senior

Sport: Basketball

Why he was selected: Wright scored 21 points to lead Benet to a win over Warren at the When Sides Collide Shootout.

He was voted the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Other nominees included Downers Grove North basketball’s Campbell Thulin, Wheaton Academy basketball’s Hayden Schroeder and Wheaton North wrestling’s Julian Flores.

Here is his Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge:

You guys are 23-1, ranked No. 1. How do you feel about where you are and how can the team still improve?

Wright: Man, being 23-1 and ranked No. 1 in Illinois is awesome — shows how much grind the team’s been putting in. But yeah, we can still step it up. Like, ramp up our defense on fast breaks and cut down on those silly turnovers to stay solid the whole game.

What was the adjustment like to now being the team’s primary point guard? How did you prepare for it?

Wright: Adjusting to being the main point guard wasn’t too bad, but I had to prep hard for it. Over the summer, I worked on my handles a ton, watched a bunch of film to get better at making plays, and tried to level up my leadership to run the squad.

Has it been different this year at all being on a team that’s the defending state champion? Has it been a challenge at all to stay hungry?

Wright: Yeah, it’s kinda different this year as defending state champs — teams come at us super hard, like we’re the big bad wolf. Staying motivated isn’t that hard though; we just tell ourselves last year’s win is old news, and we grind every day, treating each game like it’s for all the marbles to keep that fire going.

How did your commitment to Eastern Illinois come together?

Wright: My commitment to Eastern Illinois just kinda fell into place. I’m a legacy — my dad Jason played there from 2001-05, and my grandpa Jerry’s in the EIU Hall of Fame for football — so it felt right. Coach Marty Simmons and the guys talked up how my passing and shooting could help right away, and after the visit, I was like, yeah, this is it. Signed on November 19, 2025.