Vegas Guard Jevon Yapi Primed For Major Breakout
Las Vegas, Nev. — Dubbed the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas has become a hotbed for youth and high school guard talent in recent years. Following in the path of their predecessors, the Las Vegas Class of 2021 crop has a half-dozen backcourt prospects with high-major Division I offers. Daishen Nix was recently one of an elite group of players nationally to forgo college and sign professionally with the “G League Ignite” program, while transcendent stars like Zaon Collins and Jaden Hardy have become trailblazers for the city.
One player now calling, “next”, is Jevon Yapi. The Class of 2025 point guard stands only 5-foot-8, but is a wizard with the basketball, and has a hoops I.Q. equal to players many years older. In fact, the eighth-grader is so talented, he is on track to earn a varsity roster spot in the coming year at NIAA 5-A powerhouse Durango (NV) High School. During a recent conversation with Demon head coach, Chad Beeten, Yapi was the subject of discussion and his coach shared some of the traits that make his young floor general so special.
“What makes JY have so much potential and a chance to be a special player is really his savviness,” said Beeten. “He understands spacing, he understands positioning on the floor, [he] understands how to change speeds and pace. He just gets it.”
Yapi, who first started playing basketball at age three, took to the game instantly, starring on every travel team that he joined. In many ways, he is already a veteran of the grassroots basketball scene and is currently the leader for the eighth-grade “All Vegas” squad, which consists of some of the city’s most talented players from the Class of 2025.
There’s near-consensus locally that Yapi is one of the area’s most dynamic playmakers in his age and grade division, combining a sophisticated handle with next-level vision. While the young point guard certainly has a wow-factor to his game, which is highlighted by his flashy passing ability, it’s Yapi’s unselfishness and team-first mentality that makes him an unusual prospect.
“From the first time I saw Jevon, I knew he was going to be special,” All Vegas head coach Sterling Knox, Sr. commented following a recent workout. “He was doing things I’ve never seen any six and seven-year-olds do. When he first came [to me], he was already a great passer. He didn’t score but he made his teammates better; that’s what he did best. When I started my program, Jevon was one of the first guys on the team and he had no choice but to make the other guys better.”
Prep Hoops Next recently trailed Yapi on a night where the young player pulled double-duty, first practicing with Durango High School’s varsity squad, then later heading to a 90-minute practice with his All Vegas team. Despite the workload, the talented lead guard’s competitive spirit was on full display, as he consistently won every sprint and drill that was thrown at him and his teammates. After a night of two intense practices, Yapi spoke about the development of his game and the challenges that come with being a leader, while also being one of the youngest players on the team.
Editor’s Note as of 11/01/2020: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association postponed all school sports in 2020, and will reassess their postponement and/or cancellation in 2021. At the time of this story, the majority of the Durango (NV) High School varsity basketball team members were competing as a non-scholastic team known as, “Purple Reign”, which also included Jevon Yapi. As an eighth-grader, Yapi is not yet eligible to compete in a varsity sport at an NIAA member school, and it is necessary that this clarification be stated for the purpose of this article.
“I try to model my game after Chris Paul,” Yapi stated. “I admire his vision and ability to see a play before it happens. It’s been a challenge with my high school team because all of the guys are faster and stronger than the players that I am used to playing with. The level that is expected […] the overall intensity has been way more, so I’m trying to bring that same intensity [from varsity practices] to my teammates with All Vegas. I know that if my teammates get better, I will be better, too.”
Put simply, it’s going to be exciting to witness the development of Yapi. In a recent scrimmage, the overall feel, handle, and passing ability that Yapi displayed was enough to make even the flashiest of streetball legends take note. Yet, his pace and poise were never disrupted.
As he continues to grow and develop, it’s not unreasonable to believe that Yapi will become a bonafide NCAA Division I recruit in the next few years. Although it’s not an exact science, Yapi appears to have the skills and work ethic that will set him up for long-term success, and his potential has many in the Las Vegas basketball community excited.
Stay tuned for more from Prep Hoops Next!