Prospect Spotlight: Damian Clayton (2019)
Photo by: Twitter: @damianClayton4
Damian Clayton is one of those players that simply loves the game of basketball and will do anything to reach the next level.
He’s an underrated player in the state of Michigan, and Clayton is using that to motivate him to reach his goal of playing college basketball. The 5-foot-10 Lincoln Park guard ended his junior season scoring 15 points per game and, with a good offseason, could average close to 20 next season.
Clayton is a very good shooter that can take over a game when he’s hot. What makes him so tough to guard is the fact that he is very aggressive driving the ball. If a defender is playing too tight, he’ll blow by him, and if a defender is sagging off, he’ll shoot over him.
“My strengths are shooting and getting to the basket,” Clayton said. “I’m working on getting my shot more consistently and taking my defenders off the dribble.”
Khalid Fleming is a top 50 player in the state of Michigan for the class of 2019 and Clayton has spent a lot of time working with him to improve his overall game. As juniors, Fleming and Clayton were one of the top guard duos in the Downriver League. As seniors, the two could evolve into one of the best duos in the state.
Clayton hasn’t received any college offers, but he’d like college coaches to know that he is a hard worker on and off the court. He values academics just as much as athletics.
He has the skills to play at the NAIA or Division III level. His playmaking ability is very noticeable on film, but one of the most underrated aspects of his game is his movement off the ball. He’s very active without the ball in his hands and that makes the offense flow. He is one of the main reasons Fleming is able to average so many assists.
The biggest thing that sets him apart from other players around the country is his ability to play multiple positions. His ball handling ability allows him to play point guard and break full court pressure, while his shooting, cutting and driving ability allows him to excel on the wing. His ability to impact the game in a variety of ways would be a huge asset to most college programs.
“My goal is to at least play college basketball,” Clayton said. “It doesn’t really matter what college, I just want to play basketball.”