Career
He played at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Layman was considered a "late bloomer" at King Philip Regional High School. Despite his 6"9 height, he preferred to play on the perimeter.
He played Amateur Athletic Union basketball with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club.
As a senior, he averaged 26 points, five blocks, and four assists per game. When he first stepped on the College Park campus, Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun described Layman as "painfully shy." He started 17 games and averaged 5.5 points per game as a freshman.
His game initially centered around shooting 3-pointers and he even described himself as a guard. Layman gained attention for his long wavy hair, which he began growing out as a freshman.
His hair even got its own Twitter accountant
Layman improved his averages to 11.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He had 61 3-pointers and 27 blocks. After his sophomore year, Layman embarked on a rigorous personal training program with graduate assistant John Auslander to improve his strength and ballhandling.
After breaking his hand in June 2014, Auslander attached Layman to Velcro pulleys to build arm muscle and used a squatting machine that did not require the use of his hands.
“From the end of his sophomore year to end of his junior year, Jake improved as much as any player I’ve ever coached,” according to Mark Turgeon. Teammates described Layman as a quiet leader who led by example.
lieutenant resulted in him breaking out of a 5-for-23 shooting slump that spanned two games prior. As a junior, Layman was a Third-team All-Big Ten selection by the media.
He was twice named Big Ten Player of the Week.
Layman was nominated for the inaugural Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Layman led Maryland to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the first time in five years. He finished third on the team in scoring behind Melo Trimble and Dez Wells with 12.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding with 5.8 rebounds per game.
Layman shot 47 percent from the field despite enduring a late season slump.
After speaking with an National Basketball Association advisory committee, Layman decided to return to school for his senior season and forgo a possible second round selection in the 2015 National Basketball Association draft. Layman has drawn comparisons to National Basketball Association forward Chandler Parsons.
Both players have the size to grab rebounds but also the shooting ability to hit 3-pointers. Of the comparison, Layman noted, “I feel like his game fits a little more in the North.B.A. than in the college game, and that’s what I feel like.
I think I’m a guy that doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands all the time to really make an impact.
I feel like I could be one of those guys that hangs out in the perimeter and just shoots 3s and slashes to the basket when he needs to”
In the summer of 2012, Layman was on the under-18 United States national team that defeated Brazil for the gold medal in the International Basketball Federation Americas championship. He played more than expected due to an injury to Sam Dekker. Layman played 12 minutes per game and averaged nearly eight points and four rebounds per game.
In an opening round game versus Mexico, Layman led the United States. team in scoring with 18 points.
Layman has four brothers. Despite growing up in Massachusetts, Layman"s family is from Belorussian Air, Maryland.