Prospect Spotlight: Davonte Yates (2019)

JOPLIN, Mo. — A 6’2 2019 guard, Parsons’ Davonte Yates is putting together a big offseason after a strong junior season for the Vikings and is showing he is a player to watch this upcoming season.

An athletic guard, Yates likes to drive the ball to the basket and get opponents in foul trouble and get to the free throw line. He brings an aggressive mentality to the floor and enjoys competing against opposing guards.

He averaged 13 points and four rebounds per game and helped Parsons finish the 2017-18 season 17-8 overall and place fourth at the 4A state championships and the squad returns nearly its entire varsity roster this season.

The team has opened the summer by going 7-0 at Missouri Southern Team Camp in Joplin and will play at Creighton in Omaha, Neb. this weekend as well as at Kansas State in late June.

“We’ve been playing together ever since we've been kids so our team chemistry is already through the roof,” Yates said. “We all know how to play with each other and know what to expect from each other. Being able to play with the guys that I play with is something I will always remember and we all know what our goal is as a team and we plan on achieving that goal once march comes and we know that the process for that starts now in the summer.”

Yates says he is working on his basketball IQ this offseason and looking to find open teammates and find opening to score.

“I also want to work on my ball handling and mainly my shooting, because I know to get to the next level you need to be able to shoot the ball,” he says. “I’m willing to work on anything that I feel somebody sees a weakness in my game.”