Worcester Academy head coach Jamie Sullivan, initially, didn’t have the heart to tell his girlfriend’s daughter the news. It was July 1 when Amir Jenkins had suddenly committed to West Virginia, and he knew about their unique bond. He waited until later that night, showing her the Instagram post when he picked her up from the movies.
Tears started streaming down her face, realizing she had only gotten one year with Jenkins at Worcester Academy. She wondered if he would remember their special handshake.
“That goes into the impact that he had on a young little girl that’s 12 years old and doesn’t even like basketball,” Sullivan said. “She sits on my bench and reads a book. …
“But she had a special connection to Amir Jenkins, and I see it wherever we go.”
Jenkins, who reclassified to 2025 and will play for West Virginia next season, put together one of the most decorated high school basketball careers in Massachusetts history, which included winning back-to-back MIAA championships at Worcester North, then a NEPSAC championship at Worcester Academy as he blossomed into one of the country’s best prospects. That only begins to tell the story of his impact in his hometown. The Worcester, Mass., native is the pride of his city, a hero of sorts and a beacon of hope.
Appropriately nicknamed the “Wolf of Worcester” for his fierce style of play on the court, Jenkins leaves an unforgettable and legendary legacy in Worcester as he goes on to West Virginia.
“The pride that he had to wear that Worcester jersey, the Worcester Academy jersey that just says Worcester on it,” Sullivan said. “I think it took on a whole new meaning when he started to realize the enormity of what it meant to put that jersey on, to represent Worcester Academy, but also to be from Worcester.”
When Sullivan first saw Jenkins, he was a scrawny 12-year-old kid. The coach was organizing a camp with kids from Switzerland and Spain, and to get them accustomed to the American game, he invited some local kids through connections he had at Friendly House, a non-profit organization in Worcester that serves the community. Sullivan was immediately struck by Jenkins’ fierce competitiveness, still one of his greatest strengths.
“You could see it in his face,” Sullivan said. “You could see it in the way he was competing, how he would get the ball and run it down to score it. I just remember thinking to myself, ‘Oh man, he reminds me of his uncle, he reminds me of his father.’”
Jenkins was rooted in basketball, and the game was taught to him by his family. He was trained by his father, Tishaun, who’s a Salem State great, and his uncle, Naadir Tharpe, who played at Kansas. His entire family, including his mother Lolita, instilled in him the meaning of humility. From a young age, he was always grounded by morals and doing the right things. And he watched those who came before him, understanding the importance of embracing his roots.
WOLF OF WORCESTER: How Amir Jenkins became a national name in lone season at Worcester Academy
After Jenkins spent his freshman season at Springfield Commonwealth, where he played for his dad, he chose to return to his hometown and team up with his childhood friends at Worcester North. They had one singular mission: Bring the first state championship to their city. They did it twice.
Alongside the likes of Tahlan Pettway, Ty Tabales, Khari Bryan and others, Jenkins was a staple of both championship teams as they won 45 consecutive games. It was significant that Jenkins chose to return for the second season. He took on a bigger role and showed what he could do, but more importantly, made history in his city, and showed it what was possible. Jenkins and the rest of his teammates could have gone to prep school sooner, but they chose to come together to represent their city.
“Worcester being the second biggest city in New England, (it was like) why can’t Worcester have a Division 1 state title?” said Al Pettway, who was the head coach at North for those two titles. “Never mind that it hadn’t happened at North, it’s never happened in the history of this city. To bring two to the city, not just for the North, but for the community and the 508 area code, was just a big uplift in the city and to say that Worcester now can say we have one.
“I think it was huge for our community because we were going through some stuff at that time, and to bring a championship to the city, I thought was a great reward for all of us, not just for North but for the entire city of Worcester.”
While North was going on its run, Worcester Academy was winning titles, too. But Sullivan kept hearing more and more about Jenkins.
Sullivan remembers a poignant moment that told him a lot about Jenkins during the guard’s second year at North. The coach runs an event every Halloween called “Hill-O-Ween,” where Worcester Academy hosts a safe trick-or-treating experience for kids in and around Worcester on its campus with the Worcester Police Department. That year, Sullivan saw a group of kids from North at the event who were fooling around, not being malicious but just being kids, and he went over to have a quick word with them.
“I’m like, ‘Guys, this is about the kids. This isn’t about you,’” Sullivan recalled. “And Amir shook my hand and said, ‘Coach, I got you.’ …
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘This kid is a leader to grab my hand and shake it and say, I got you.’”
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Sullivan kept hearing about Jenkins that season. BABC coach Leo Papile kept imploring Sullivan to take Jenkins at Worcester Academy. Sullivan, a Worcester native, said he’s guarded about kids from Worcester. “You have to be the right fit,” Sullivan said. But after watching him play and meeting with his family, the stars aligned.
Jenkins’ move to Worcester Academy was mostly seamless. There were certainly several teaching moments; Sullivan instilled better leadership qualities as Jenkins learned to lead through adversity. He was empowered to coach the team and be coached through hard moments. And as he, ultimately, led the Hilltoppers to another NEPSAC championship, it was important for him to carry the tradition of the program and his city. He wanted to make statements throughout the winter, and he came through in all of the season’s big moments, from their signature win over Blair Academy at the Hoophall Classic to the playoffs.
“He had to prove himself and prove that his team, our team, our team was worthy of that national spotlight, was worthy of people talking (about us),” Sullivan said. “It was making sure that Worcester Academy wasn’t forgotten about because we lost TJ Power, Tre Norman, Kayvaun Mulready. The culture is built to be able to sustain kids that leave and graduate to go on to college. He wanted to preserve that and make sure that people knew that was still going on and it will continue to go on.”
That was part of Jenkins’ message to Sullivan when he called to tell him he was leaving. That they were in good hands with Cam Hailey and the other returning players.
“(He said), ‘Cam’s still there, we’re still good,’” Sullivan said. “Reassuring me that he knows, and the group text, the things that he wrote to his teammates, it’s just special. …
“He really, really strived to be really great at Worcester Academy, and it wasn’t just on the basketball court.”
Beyond his obvious basketball gifts, it’s Jenkins’ infectious personality that Sullivan will miss the most. Pettway has always loved his sense of humor. The whole package made him uber-popular, and something of a celebrity among the youth in Worcester beyond. Sullivan remembers a time when they were at Chipotle in Cambridge, Mass., and kids recognized him. He visited a middle school earlier this year and kids wanted his autograph.
“He has shown kids from inner city Worcester that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Sullivan said. “I think that kids see a little bit of hope.”
Jenkins handled the attention, the fame, with maturity and humility.
“He’s humble. Everybody loves Amir,” Pettway said. “His sense of humor and that smile on his face. I think his legacy is huge.”
Added Sullivan: “He has humility, and that’s why a lot of disappointed coaches were calling me (when he committed).”
Jenkins' legend grew in July. Even after committing to WVU, the point guard returned to BABC to finish out his grassroots career at the Adidas Palmetto Road Championships. He led them to the quarterfinals of the national tournament, where he led an epic comeback that included a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the game to overtime. Even in a loss, Jenkins' winning pedigree was clear. He didn't even have to be in South Carolina — there was obvious risk — but it was important to him. The next weekend, he suited up for Team NSSA, which is coached by his uncle, Tharpe, as he played alongside Bryan one last time. Jenkins has not, and will never, forget his roots.
As Jenkins heads to Morgantown, there’s great belief that he’ll continue to do greater things. Pettway thinks the best is yet to come, and a professional career is possible with his talent and work ethic. But what he did in Worcester, and for the city, will certainly never be forgotten. His legacy in his hometown, for a proud city, is cemented.
“I’m from Worcester, I’m born and raised here, I grew up in this neighborhood,” Sullivan said. “It’s a pride. We are very prideful people. We’ve always been the second fiddle to Boston, we’ve always been the doormat for a lot of people, the little brother that nobody wanted here in Worcester. There’s been a lot of people that have tried to stop that, have tried to negate that and we’re not allowing it.
“Having another kid from Worcester, another kid from Central Mass, call it, it doesn't get its due diligence when it comes to really good players. … I think everything that we did, the proof is in the pudding.”
