Intro: Brennan Blackett’s Ascend

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pleasant Grove High School guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125357' first='Brennan' last='Blackett'] </strong>looks like one of the best prospects in the Class of 2027, but his journey to where he is has not been without its challenges. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 8th grade, he was able to make the [program_tooltip program_id='2091934' first='Utah' last='Gold'] team, which is a great AAU program that has been able to develop some great young talent. While that grassroots season was filled with frustration because Blackett had not hit a growth spurt like some of his teammates, and with a lack of consistent playing time, the frustration grew. "...but that year I learned a lot about different aspects of the game". </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett then entered his freshman season at Orem High School, where he started on the JV team. With a successful freshman year, he started to see a lot of growth in his game, and he started to grow physically as well. Blackett went from 6'2 to 6'5 in the span of 3 months. The physical growth really helped the rest of his game take off. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With his family moving to Pleasant Grove, Blackett had proved himself enough to earn a starting spot on the varsity team and with a breakout year, he was selected to play on the [program_tooltip program_id='3510287' first='Utah' last='Prospects EYBL'] club team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett continued to grow and he started the club season in the summer of his sophomore year at around 6'6. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I was about 6'6 and still skinny but I was a lot more athletic now, I had a very good start to the aau season earning an offer to CSUN and Weber State".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While things were starting to go Blackett's way, he got hurt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> "...my whole season flipped upside down, it seemed. My foot started hurting super badly, and I eventually got a CT scan on it, and the doctor told me I needed surgery immediately and that I would be out until high school season. This news was the worst thing I've ever heard. I was very discouraged".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett turned that discouragement into something positive; he started to see the game and learn from not being out on the floor. He attributes some of the IQ he has acquired to that experience, pondering "why me" but realizing it could be beneficial, even with potential recruiting delays. He understood he could grow in many ways and not take anything for granted. Sitting out and watching made him a much smarter player. He realized his voice as a teammate and a leader still mattered even while on the bench. He also dedicated time to the weight room during physical therapy. He's never wanted to play basketball more than when he was cleared to run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett got cleared to play in October and soon after received an offer from the University of Hawaii. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"This helped me so much mentally because it gave me hope that people haven't given up on me".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett averaged over 12 PPG on a very well-balanced team that made it to the semi-finals. In his first event with the [program_tooltip program_id='2110367' first='Utah' last='Prospects'], he was a standout at "The War before the Storm" in Texas. Blackett has a lot of upside and is getting a lot of attention from various colleges as he is still developing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett has a goal this grassroots season: to get his team to Peach Jam and win it all. He knows Utah is on the map when it comes to basketball, but he wants to keep adding to that. Personally, he hopes to play well enough to get some high-level camp invites to continue to get his name out there. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett has lofty goals when it comes to high school. He hopes to compete for a 5A State Championship and be considered for Mr. Basketball and Player of the Year. He says that his body is feeling better than ever, and working out with some of the best players in the country during the AAU season, he knows his skill set will improve. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackett is now about 6'7-6'8 and stronger. His athleticism is starting to really pop, and you can see it in his explosion on attacks to the rim. While still a bit under the radar, he is set to turn heads and pick up more steam when it comes to his recruiting. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->