After spending nearly two years deciphering which NCAA Division I basketball program would fit best, Prescott senior Jordan Malmlov’s answer turned crystal clear when he was notified of a roster vacancy on one of last year’s March Madness teams.

Malmlov had been in contact with Nevada – a Division I program in the Mountain West Conference that has made the NCAA tournament four times in the last six years – since his recruiting window opened the summer going into his junior year in 2021.

It wasn’t until the end of his senior year and after Nevada’s 2022-23 season ended – a 98-73 loss against Arizona State in the First Four – that Malmlov learned of an available roster spot on the Wolf Pack’s practice team.

The vacancy quickly caught Malmlov’s eye, as he had recruiting history with the program and the position would allow him to compete for a permanent roster spot and potentially earn a scholarship with a major Division I program.

“I’ve been talking to Nevada for at least a year and I’ve been on three or four visits there,” Malmlov said. “When I went there for a game, their offense was smooth and their coaching staff was welcoming. They said they like what I have and they think I’d fit.”

Although the coaching staff liked Malmlov’s game, they didn’t offer him a scholarship. Instead, he will compete on the practice team and spend the first year putting on muscle and honing his skills to develop into a game-ready Division I player.

Nevada’s projected roster for the 2023-24 season, which would be Malmlov’s freshman year, features a senior-laden lineup including several fifth-year players. He spoke about the excitement of competing for a spot at the next level and learning from those veterans along the way.

“They went to the tournament last year and they bring back a lot of people this year,” Malmlov said. “I’m excited for this first year to just soak stuff in and learn from those fifth-year seniors. The goal is obviously to earn a spot and it seems like the coaches like me and believe in me.”

The opportunity for a year of learning and skill refinement is much-welcomed by Malmlov. He hasn’t had a season solely dedicated to improving fundamental skills since before he got into high school.

Malmlov began playing integral roles on Prescott’s varsity team as soon as he stepped into the gym as a freshman. During that first year in 2019-20, he was an overqualified sixth-man for an excellent Cardinals team that finished the season with a 21-4 record.

Malmlov transitioned into an offensive focal point in his sophomore through senior campaigns and served as the team’s best player throughout grueling schedules that often included deep postseason runs.

“I think I’ll make a lot of strides in that first year,” Malmlov said. “Obviously I want to play, but I’m going to enjoy going to practice every day and getting extra workout sessions. It will be nice to have a section of the day just for practice and having gym access whenever I want.”

Malmlov leaves Prescott as a four-year varsity player who rewrote the record books. He averaged more than 21 points per game in each of his final three seasons with the program including a career-best 23.9 as a senior.

Malmlov’s career-high – which is also Prescott’s single-game scoring record – was a 55-point performance at home against River Falls on Feb. 13. He’s Prescott’s all-time leading scorer with 1,906 career points.

During his four years, Malmlov attempted nearly 900 three-point field goals, which averaged approximately nine per game. Despite the high volume, he shot just over 38% from beyond the arc, which makes him one of the best high-volume shooters the Middle Border Conference has ever seen.

He helped the Cardinals win two Middle Border Conference championships during his time with the program and in his junior and senior years, Prescott was ranked as a top-10 Division 3 team in the state in nearly every weekly Wissports.com coaches’ poll.

Malmlov’s mind-boggling offensive numbers – paired with highly efficient shooting – earned him back-to-back Middle Border Conference Player of the Year honors in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He also finished as a three-time First-Team All-Conference selection.

For Prescott head coach Nick Johnson, who helped Malmlov develop during his tenure with the Cardinals, seeing him get a Division I opportunity is well deserved because of his dedication to the craft and relentless work ethic.

“He’s a kid who deserves it,” Johnson said. “He has put his time and work in and what he’s done for our program, we couldn't be happier for him. It’s going to be fun following him and it’s crazy to think he’s going to a big-time Division I team.”

Johnson and Malmlov spoke regularly during his recruiting process which began nearly two years ago. During that frame, some schools came and went, but when Johnson learned of the Nevada opportunity, he told Malmlov to jump on it.

“We had always hoped that he would get a Division I opportunity and he had three or four that were very interested in the last five or six months,” Johnson said. “Some kind of faded away and said they didn’t have spots and then this Nevada spot opened. I told him this is a no-brainer.”

Johnson acknowledged that Malmlov will be an undersized guard at the Division I level, but he also believes that the sharpshooter’s intangibles, limitless shooting range and quick first step will help him have an impact as soon as he’s given the chance.

“He makes up for his size in different areas with his ball handling and shooting,” Johnson said. “Shooting-wise, he’s an absolute weapon and is as good as I’ve ever seen. If he gets to that point, their coaches will find ways to use him. He knows he’s going to have to earn it, but the opportunity he has in front of him is amazing.”