Griffin Starks Coming Into Own In Sophmore Season at Newport
By Deon Cash
Griffin Starks, one of the top sophomores in the country, had another good weekend early in the High School campaign down at a showcase event in Kentucky.
Starks is a 6'9, long, lanky, skilled forward with a load of potential. He has legit big time D-1 offers and plenty of interest, but still had work to do last summer.
He was long, but not strong. He had a skillset, but there was too much flash, and not enough grit. He could make shots but not consistently. He was still learning the game and searching to unlock his true potential.
Starks is a just turned 15-year old sensation, and he is soft spoken. But recently Griffin has started to grow into young man status from being a young teen, which will bear some responsibility as he will be recruited heavily over the next few years.
Coming from a athletic family background where his older brother played D-1 football and his sister played college hoops as well, it's in the genes.
After a rigorous schedule this summer which included the EYBL & Adidas circuit and some trips to Philly, Starks started to put definition in his game, his body, and in his preparation.
The hard work is paying off, as he is starting to show the glimpses that have some of the top colleges and NBA executives looking, along with some NBA players who have AAU programs.
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| Griffin Starks (M) with Morris Twins |
Starks who is currently at Newport HS in Kentucky, is the leading scorer, rebounder, defender, FG & 3-Point shooter for the 3-1 squad heading into the week.
With star G Taylen McKinney transferring before th season, it has dropped more responsibility on the sophomores broad shoulders.
He's coming off a huge game and weekend where he dropped 17-9-3 while shutting down one of the top players in the country in Ryan Wingard in getting the win.
Wingard, who was averaging over 20ppg, was held to just 4 points as Starks did most of the defending against the Top 20 player in his class.
As Starks navigates through his HS journey, he will face more guys who are ranked higher and will face bigger and bigger challenges.
When watching from a distance, Starks has all the pure tools the NBA loves. He reminds you of Wemby with his skillset, style of play, and demeanor on the court.
But it's the drive that has been instilled in him this last calendar year which will send him up the charts over the next 3 seasons.
Starks is a Top 50 player in the ESPN 2027 HS hoop rankings, but is as high as 30 in other national publications, which could be a sign for the talented prospect.
He should be a Top 25 prospect by the summer.
He's also a Top 10 player in the Northern Kenucky / Cincinnati area. As a sophomore, that definitely is a statement.
Look for more statements from Starks on the season as he embraces the leader role as a rising star for Newport.
Follow Griffin Starks, Newport HS, and S.E.Live365 on the journey during the 24-25 year.
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