Devon Barnes: Quiet Brilliance
In the deep Southwest pocket of the state, Lawton Christian boasts one of the most underrated talents in the state with junior guard Devon Barnes. Barnes performed on the EYBL last summer, playing with Drive Nation (TX) and posting an…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIn the deep Southwest pocket of the state, Lawton Christian boasts one of the most underrated talents in the state with junior guard Devon Barnes.
Barnes performed on the EYBL last summer, playing with Drive Nation (TX) and posting an impressive highlight reel on the premier circuit.
Aside from Team Griffin’s Oklahoma-heavy roster, Barnes was the only player from the Sooner State to grace the EYBL last summer.
Perhaps his most important performance, however, came in March, when the then-sophomore netted 31 points, six assists and five steals, leading the Crusaders to the 2019 HCAA State Championship over Destiny Christian.
Devon BarnesAnd it was lucky that Barnes’s path crossed LCS.
Barnes spent his formative years bouncing between states as his father, who served in the U.S. Military, made stops in Georgia, Texas and California before the Barnes’ path led them to Lawon, Oklahoma; just a couple miles from the Fort Sill Military Reservation in 2017.
“There were a lot of seniors on that team,” Barnes said, “and I felt like they were a team that could compete against the top teams in Oklahoma but never got the chance.”
The wide-eyed freshman made an impact for the Crusaders almost immediately.
“I didn’t start,” Barnes said, “but after out first game I did.”
It wasn’t long before his name began to gain traction.
“My career really took off, and I got stronger, more confident in my game,” Barnes said. “I averaged 18 and 8.”
The subsequent summer, Barnes said, his game took off even more.
“The AAU season in Baltimore helped a lot with my recruitment,” Barnes said of his sophomore summer with Team BBC in the Adidas Gauntlet.
From there, Barnes joined Drive Nation in his junior summer, and the rest is history.
Barnes credited his love for basketball to his cousin, Will Barton, while he payed at the University of Memphis, as well as his father introducing him to the game at a young age.
Barton, now a star for the Denver Nuggets, runs a select skills camp that Barnes attends each August.
Barnes said he shares that passion to help others.
“My ultimate goals are playing for a high major school, then going pro and making my own AAU team for the area I was raised in,” Barnes said.
Did we miss something? DM @McKinnisBryce via Twitter.