Darius Garland

[TonyG]

Best player in the state period. Could go to college right now and have more impact on a program than anyone else. Very very very very special kid. He put on a show in memphis this weekend, and I dont think I've ever seen a player on this level bring workouts to real life as he does. He's not the fastest or best leaper but he isn't unathletic either and his skill is unmatched. After 10 lbs of muscle this kid will be extremely scary. Looks like BA has another pro player in the making, and i think he will follow in his father's footsteps and have a successful career but possibly more fruitful. You could say Chandler this or Moss that or even Alo but there's no comparison and this is coming from a homer lol. 

[mjhoops2016]

He should transfer to Mt Juliet and help win the district 9aaa the toughest in the state.

[alumnicoach85]

He should transfer to Mt Juliet and help win the district 9aaa the toughest in the state.

 

Kmsl you can't be serious right?

[Shozen]

From what I have seen; he is a very talented young man. Judging by his current offers and ESPN ranking others feel the same. However I feel he is extremely small compared to other people he is going to be going against.

 

But to say he is already showing NBA quality is extremely far fetched. He needs way more size if he plans on competing at schools like Duke and even more size to compete in the NBA. Last I had seen is he like 6 feet 160 pounds.

 

With that said his vision, passing and ball handling is unmatched in the state.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Shozen

[dmm88]

Saw him at the playday they had before the season started. High level college guard for sure. Now, NBA.......he is probably 6"0 on a good day and looks like a toothpick. He is a good athlete, but not someone who is jumping over people. Lets see him in college after 3 years.

[GCPioneer]

I haven't seen Darius Garland play in person... is he better than what Joe Jackson was?

[TonyG]

He needs the weight for sure. But i wouldn't justify his ceiling bc of height. Mike Conley isnt a hair taller than 6 ft and steph is every bit of 6'1. You cant get caught up in a guy's size over his production. There are guys shorter than him in the league actually. I'm not saying he's a definite NBA guy but if he continues to transcend as he's doing and makes the right college choice he will have a legitimate shot. He's already the number 1 pg in 2018 so i wouldn't discount him rising more at all. As far as the reference of him being able to compete at duke or another big program due to his size that's irrelevant; Tyus Jones 6'0 (Timberwolves) Tyler Ullis 5'9 (Suns). He's only a junior and he actually can run a team while also getting his 25 nightly which most ranked guards struggle to do either or. You can reference he only does this because he's at BA but he did extremely well in EYBL while playing up and he barely missed the USA team last cut which included 2017 guys. They play Pebblebrook out of GA Saturday which has the nations best scorer in the 2017 class and it will be a good matchup. The kid is good. 

[TonyG]

I haven't seen Darius Garland play in person... is he better than what Joe Jackson was?

Better play maker, handler, and all around shooter than Joe was in 09. I wouldnt say he's the better scorer bc Joe foot put the ball in the basket. Athleticism is definitely not a question I dont think I've seen a short guard more athletic than Joe was. The only thing I believe held joe back from pro ball was play making for others and Josh Pastner lol 

[quizlo11]

He is certainly very good and will excel in college. But if I was talking about what recent players I have seen in TN that I think have an even higher ceiling than him, I'd pick one of these guys personally...

 

Braxton Key

Jaylen Barford

Tyger Campbell 

Chandler Lawson

Zion Harmon

Edited December 16, 2016 by quizlo11

[TonyG]

He is certainly very good and will excel in college. But if I was talking about what recent players I have seen in TN that I think have an even higher ceiling than him, I'd pick one of these guys personally...

 

Braxton Key

Jaylen Barford

Tyger Campbell 

Chandler Lawson

Zion Harmon

imo

Braxton Key - nope

Jaylen Barford - not even close

Tyger Campbell-  older than garland. 17 y.o. sophomore. Exciting player but i dont see him being to garland's level next year (which should really be this year) 

Chandler Lawson- good but does not impact his team as much as garland does. Garland has beat east twice (yes i know it was the summer) and has been the reason BA is going for 3 in a row (give cbhs some credit for choking too). And East couldve won last year without Lawson and dont get started on the lack of agility 

Zion Harmon - too early to say. I know guys in memphis that were top 25 between 8th and 9th grade years but are not ranked due to everyone else growing getting more athletic and developing. 

 

Some of these guys may be flashier but as far as ceiling in their position I can't see it. It's pretty hard to be a below the rim PG and be ranked #1 (yes it's still early i know) in the era of the dennis smiths, cole anthonys, trevon duval etc who are highflyers, The players you mentioned were good players but none have been as elite as garland comparing whatever point of their game they're at right now. And let's not sit here and act like Duke isn't the most heralded offer of them all. 

Edited December 16, 2016 by TonyG

[twhite21]

ive seen every player on this list from a coaching and refereeing standpoint.  Garland is the most impactful of all.  Campbell is good but not to Garlands level. Harmon will be great, lacks humility.  Key overated.  Lawson benefits from the talent around him.  No knock to his talent but they make life easy for him.  Barford a great talent but not to the level of the other names mentioned on this list.  Garland has the ability to control the game with his scoring as well as his playmaking.  Prototypical point guard.  The knock is his size but his bigger than campbell and harmon.  Recent growth spurt has him close to 6'2.  When its all said and done Garland has the highest ceiling of all and will be the name you hear for several years to come

 

 

imo

Braxton Key - nope

Jaylen Barford - not even close

Tyger Campbell-  older than garland. 17 y.o. sophomore. Exciting player but i dont see him being to garland's level next year (which should really be this year) 

Chandler Lawson- good but does not impact his team as much as garland does. Garland has beat east twice (yes i know it was the summer) and has been the reason BA is going for 3 in a row (give cbhs some credit for choking too). And East couldve won last year without Lawson and dont get started on the lack of agility 

Zion Harmon - too early to say. I know guys in memphis that were top 25 between 8th and 9th grade years but are not ranked due to everyone else growing getting more athletic and developing. 

 

Some of these guys may be flashier but as far as ceiling in their position I can't see it. It's pretty hard to be a below the rim PG and be ranked #1 (yes it's still early i know) in the era of the dennis smiths, cole anthonys, trevon duval etc who are highflyers, The players you mentioned were good players but none have been as elite as garland comparing whatever point of their game they're at right now. And let's not sit here and act like Duke isn't the most heralded offer of them all. 

[quizlo11]

ive seen every player on this list from a coaching and refereeing standpoint.  Garland is the most impactful of all.  Campbell is good but not to Garlands level. Harmon will be great, lacks humility.  Key overated.  Lawson benefits from the talent around him.  No knock to his talent but they make life easy for him.  Barford a great talent but not to the level of the other names mentioned on this list.  Garland has the ability to control the game with his scoring as well as his playmaking.  Prototypical point guard.  The knock is his size but his bigger than campbell and harmon.  Recent growth spurt has him close to 6'2.  When its all said and done Garland has the highest ceiling of all and will be the name you hear for several years to come

 

 

Agreed that Harmon certainly lacks the humility... I would even add that he doesn't even know what a team is. He is what AAU represents. Himself. But while all that is true, there is a reason that when Harmon played against Garland last year at BA, the very first thing that Greg Paulus did after the game was go talk to Harmon's coach. Anyone who was at that game saw that Harmon was the best player on that floor... at least that night he was. I also do agree with the comment though that its still very early for him though. Lot could happen. He certainly has the arrogance to be capable of destroying his own chances. 

 

However, I simply disagree greatly with your assessment of Jaylen Barford. Of all the kids I mentioned, I'd take him first. Size. Strength. Speed. The kid is scary good. Not that "one-on-one" matters much in terms of overall assessment, but Jaylen Barford would embarass Darius Garland in a one-on-one matchup. Saw Barford at Motlow and his explosiveness was borderline astonishing. 

Edited December 17, 2016 by quizlo11