Prospect Spotlight: Delvin White (2020)
Coach John Harrington didn’t get a chance to watch Delvin White as a sophomore last season at Hamilton High School, but heard he was one of the better sophomores after Christmas on a roster that was talented from top to bottom.
At that very moment, Harrington realized White would be a great fit at Briarcrest Christian School, playing alongside rising point guard Kennedy Chandler and junior forward Marcellus Brigham. At 6-foot-2 ½, weighing 155-pounds, White is athletic to play positions 1-4, which will give Harrington the flexibility to run different lineups next season.
During the Jerry Peters Memphis Summer Classic last month, White was primary at shooting guard, while Chandler was running the offense. Whenever Chandler went to the bench, Harrington placed White at point guard. Defensively, White is long enough to defend multiple positions. He will need to improve on his foot speed and avoid reaching.
Offensively, White has a niche for driving to the basket, which is his bread and butter. But, to play at shooting guard, he will need to develop a jump shot. Following the end of the classic, Harrington had a short talk with White about working on his jump shot before the summer is over with.
Harrington hasn’t coached White long at all, but sees his ceiling is very high, and will push him each day in order for White to reach his full potential.
“With somebody like Kennedy and Delvin, their ceiling is a lot higher. You have to constantly push them,” Harrington said. “Because, in fact, there’s more work to be done with them. The sky is the limit for kids like that. “
With excellent play from White, who didn’t seem lost on the court with his new teammates, the Saints went 5-1 in the classic. In four of the team’s six games, White scored in double figures. He had 10 points against Melrose, 10 against MBA, 12 against Center Hill, and 13 against Hillsboro.
White made 18 of 28 shots from the free throw line, and finished with 23 rebounds and 10 assists.
One of the main reasons why Harrington feels White’s ceiling is very high is because of his willingness to improve.
“He’s very creative. In the first couple of days we had him practice before we went to MUS, he’s very coachable,” Harrington said. “He wants to be coached. He’s asking questions. He wants to get better at the little things. He’s going to become a better outside shooter in the next couple of months.
“He’s very good at attacking the basket. He’s very long and athletic, where defensively he can be a really good player.”
White will be joining a talented junior class that features Reggie Neely, Omari Thomas, Division 1 football prospect Jabari Small, and Brigham. Small just recently picked up an offer from the University of Tennessee. Thomas is also a highly-touted D1 prospect in football with 25 offers.
In the early days of June, White received a D1 offer from the UT-Martin Skyhawks, who are in the Ohio Valley Conference. South Alabama is showing some interest in the combo guard, but has yet to issue White an offer.