Prospect Spotlight: Darrius Washington (2021)
The freshman class is shaping up to be one of the best the state of Kentucky has seen in the last decade. Fern Creek has 2 of the top 7 players in our 2021 rankings in Jaden Rogers and Darrius Washington. Zion Harmon and Trey James get a lot of the early hype in the class but Darrius could wind up being the best college prospect in the class by graduation. Darrius is 6’6″ and has the length and wingspan that college coaches covet. As Washington continues to develop perimeter skills and becomes stronger and more athletic, he should be on the radars of college coaches. I recently caught up with Darrius to discuss his expectations for his high school season and the impact of being ranked high at a young age.
PHKY: Recap your AAU season. Who did you play for and how did it go?
DW: I played AAU for the Louisville Legends, we had a pretty good summer. We played in Las Vegas. That was exciting and tough but I learned a lot.
PHKY: You’ve already starting to get varsity experience. How do you see your role as a freshman at Fern Creek?
DW: I’m looking forward to helping the team out anyway I can, playing hard and getting better everyday.
PHKY: You’re going up against Ahmad Price, Clint Wickliffe, Anthony Wales, etc in practice every day. What have you learned from those guys?
DW: Those guys have a lot of experience. They’ve played in big games like last year in the state tournament, so I just try to listen and learn from them.
PHKY: What are your goals for yourself for this season?
DW: My goals are to get better daily, play hard and learn as much as I can so I can help out.
PHKY: What are your goals for your team for this season?
DW: I just want us to be as good as we can and go to state and try and win the championship.
PHKY: You’re ranked as the #4 player in the state of Kentucky in the 2021 class (in our rankings). Do you think that puts a bullseye on your back? Do you like when people are trying to make their name by going against you?
DW: I try not to think about that too much. I just want to go practice hard, listen to Coach Schooler and be a good teammate.
Darrius is certainly a name to know in the freshman class. He is already seeing varsity action for the top ranked Fern Creek Tigers. His role should continue to expand over the season and by this time next year, he’ll be counted on to start and lead his team. As Darrius continues to grow and develop, he possesses high major upside. Ultimately his work ethic will determine if he reaches that level. Darrius is definitely a name to know both now and in the future.