Kentucky’s Most Exciting Players to Watch
As we hit a little of a down period for basketball, we turn our focus to breaking down some of the more fun players to watch, best shooters, dunkers, etc as we start the slow march to October 15th and the official start of the high school basketball season. Here’s a look at some of the most exciting players to watch in the Commonwealth.
KyKy Tandy, University Heights – Tandy is a freak athlete who is equally capable of breaking a defender’s ankles with a vicious step back jumper or crossover. Not to mention that KyKy is always trying to dunk everything when he gets in the paint. Tandy is a unique offensive talent with ridiculous athleticism and skill. There’s a reason KyKy is a top 100 player in every ranking and he is the most exciting player to watch in Kentucky in my opinion.
Zion Harmon, Marshall County – Harmon is a smaller guard at 5’10 or so but he is electric with the ball in his hands. Zion is one of the best passers you will see in the state. He is also more than capable of scoring 40+ points in any given game. Harmon will absolutely pull up from 30 feet or deeper. Even when his Adair County team was getting blown out by Scott County last season, Harmon still showed the full skill set and kept the crowd entertained in an otherwise boring game.
Dontaie Allen, Pendleton County – The first Kentuckian to commit to play for John Calipari in the last 5 years, Allen just showed the country what many in the 10th region have known for several years. Dontaie has range out past the NBA three point line and finishes everything in transition with authority. Allen’s athleticism isn’t as impressive as Tandy but he gets plenty of dunks that get crowds on their feet.
Jackson Harlan, Clinton County – Committed to Western Kentucky, Harlan is exciting for the fact that he will shoot from anywhere and is capable of scoring 40+ points every time he touches the court. This summer he went for 42 and 47 in consecutive games and scored the ball at all 3 levels. Look for Jackson to put on a show in several gyms across the Commonwealth this winter.
Dieonte Miles, Walton-Verona – Miles is basically a unicorn in Kentucky basketball. He’s 6’10 and can score the ball inside and out. Two weekends ago in Louisville he hit 6 threes in a game including three straight trips down the floor. Dieonte is a shot blocking and dunking machine too. Look for several big games and potentially multiple triple doubles in his senior season at Walton.
Derrin Boyd, Caldwell County – Derrin is exciting to watch because he plays super hard. Boyd flies all over the floor and makes plays. The type of motor he plays with reminds me of former Caldwell County Tiger and current Lipscomb Senior Eli Pepper. Derrin is in the second region with powerhouse programs like UHA, Hoptown and Christian County and Boyd would absolutely fit in and star at any of those schools.