Recruiting Report: Derrin Boyd (2019)
Down in Western Kentucky is a player who has put up monster numbers over the past couple of seasons. Many haven’t heard the name Derrin Boyd before but he could quietly be a top 15-20 player in the 2019 class in Kentucky. Boyd is putting up the most impressive numbers at Caldwell County since Eli Pepper took his talents to Lipscomb University. Boyd averaged just shy of 24 points and just over 8 rebounds per game in his Junior season with 54/34/84 shooting splits. Boyd has some early college interest but hopes to impress coaches in July as he competes with SI Select. I recently caught up with Boyd to talk about his recruiting and his high hopes for his final season at Caldwell County.
PHKY: Describe your game for people who may never have seen you play. What are your strengths? What do you need to improve?
DB: My game is smooth. I don’t force anything. My mid-range game is very consistent and pure. I finish well around the basket. And I can knock the three down if you need it. I love the pressure; it drives me to be great. But I can definitely work more on limiting my turnovers. I make silly turnovers. My three point game can use some more consistency and I need to learn to take advantage of my opponents more often.
PHKY: Reflect on your high school season. Were you happy with your individual performance? Were you happy with your team results?
DB: I was fairly happy w my junior season in high school. I averaged 24 ppg and 8 rpg. I could’ve averaged 30 no doubt, but like I said before I gotta work on taking advantage of my opponent more often. The team went 14-14 but we could’ve easily won the district this year but didn’t mesh very well. We can improve on that a lot more next year and be ready for regional tournament.
PHKY: Who are you playing AAU with? How is your season going so far?
DB: I play AAU with SI Select out of southern Illinois. Right now we are 12-7. We have a very good team with size and people that can stretch the floor. Just waiting on that chemistry to come along and we will be a force to reckoned with.
PHKY: What schools are recruiting you? Any offers? If you have offers, do you have a leader right now?
DB: As of right now no schools are hardcore recruiting me. Except for Kentucky Wesleyan. Western Kentucky wants to see me play. I am going to team camp there on June 7-9.
PHKY: What can you take from your AAU season and apply to your next high school season?
DB: The AAU season is a much faster pace than high school and forces you to think much faster. You play against great talent every game and you learn every game. So I can take the mental and physical aspect of the AAU season and implement it into my game when I go back to playing high school ball and dominate the competition.
PHKY: What are your goals for your next high school season?
DB: My goals for next high school season are to average 30 ppg and 10 rpg with 5 apg. I plan on going to district and winning it and then going on to region to play in the regional championship game. I also look to improve on my decision making and my turnover ratio.
Boyd has the size and athleticism college coaches like to see on their rosters and is a capable outside shooter with plenty of room to improve on his perimeter game. The biggest thing Boyd needs to show is that he is capable of guarding elite wings at the college level. Caldwell County Coach Daniel Kukahiko heaped a lot of praise on Boyd, “Derrin is a high IQ player with a high ceiling. He is a high character kid with a good work ethic. He spends a lot of time in the gym working on his craft. Ball handling and shooting are among his biggest strengths and he possesses the ability to take over a game. He’s fun to watch and coach.” With a huge summer ahead of him and his senior season on the horizon, Derrin Boyd is a player who could move up near the top of our 2019 class rankings before he graduates. Boyd is definitely a player to track in Western Kentucky.