The Spalding leather ball looks up at its owner and says, “Boy, eighth graders are not supposed to be able to do this kind of stuff with me.” At 6’3” and cut like a gazelle, DeMar DeRozan looks down at this cynical ball with a shrug and says “I’m going to make a believer out of you too” and proceeds to cut, spin, jab step, and drive to the lane with a monster jam finish that elevates his elbow near the rim. DeMar can do things only other 8th graders dream about.
A burning desire seeps out through DeMar’s hazel eyes, “I’m going to be better than my brother one day” he repeats to himself in practice. One should be informed that his brother, Jermaine DeRozan, was a McDonald’s All American out of Lynwood High School in the mid 90’s who went on to star at Mississippi and recently played for the L.A. Clippers.
Personally, this evaluator has never seen such a mix of handles, pure scoring ability, and intense drive to succeed in one so young. He is humble yet confident that all his dreams will come true.
This 13-year old out of Enterprise Middle School in Compton is just like any ordinary 8th grader in many ways: he likes to play videogames, hang out with friends, and have fun joking around. But make no mistake about his abilities: he is totally off the charts.
For example, this past Fall at Dinos Trigonis’ Pangos freshman/sophomore camp featured some of the best 200 players that age in Southern California. DeMar showed breathtaking tip-in jams, glides galore to the basket, shot blocking, and a superior handle compared to the elite of this event.
His reward was being named to the top 20 game that featured an assortment of youngsters that are so advanced in their game that I predict that 80% of the participants will surely be offered basketball scholarships by Pac-10 level schools in the next year or two.
DeMar for all his superlative talents does have aspects of his game that need improvement before really being considered a total package and ready for elite 17 and under competition.
For example, his outside shot, while developing, is not as advanced as the rest of his skill set. He is an unselfish player with a high basketball IQ but his passing needs some improvement for him to be a true point guard against great varsity competition.
DeMar will be the first one to humbly point out the aspects in his game that need sharpening. He exemplifies the athlete who doesn’t talk himself up; he is just a nice kid on a basketball mission to be the best while treating everyone around himself with respect and kindness in the process.
Many of these qualities can be traced back to DeMar’s father Frank DeRozan, a hardworking employee of the city of Compton who was a superb athlete in his own right out of the south in the 1960’s. He went on to play for the San Diego Chargers for a few years before an injury cut his career short.
Undoubtedly, DeMar gets his confidence in himself from his father. The senior DeRozan showed great courage in the midst of oppressive racial discrimination of the Jim Crow 60’s to helping to break the color barriers of segregation by being the first African American to play sports with whites at Louisiana’s Vidalia High School in 1968-1969. The elder DeRozan preaches life lessons like patience, hard work, and dedication.
When DeMar is not out winning 14u AAU National Championships or leading his junior high school team to city championships you can find him playing with the big boys at Compton’s Luetis Park during his spare time.
DeMar is a one-sport athlete that finds playing against older kids fulfilling and challenging. His older brother Jermaine states that, “DeMar is way more skilled than I was at his age. When I take him out there it’s scary to think he might even be able to beat everyone there one-on-one in a couple years.”
Jermaine thinks that his brother reminds him most of Tracy McGrady in his style of play thus far. On a quiet night last summer the earth was shocked by one of DeMar's wildest team achievements: in a scrimmage against USA Today’s preseason #1 Mater Dei High School, DeMar helped lead his 8th grade team of phenoms to within an inch of victory!
Two points was all that separated this 8th grade team against the supremely talented team out of Orange county, and Mater Dei had to win that game on a last second three-point shot.
This kind of success on DeMar’s part has not gone unnoticed. Dinos Trigonis, a prominent event organizer and noted talent evaluator, said of this prodigy, “DeMar had to be a fabulous player to make my all-star freshman/sophomore game. I expect very big things out of him in the future.”
College basketball programs have taken notice as well. Syracuse flew in to see first hand in one of DeMar’s workouts a few months ago and came away impressed. I was standing behind a high ranking Adidas representatives when DeMar was entertaining the crowds at the Pangos sophomore camp.
The rep stated, “That kid is out-of-sight, he’s the one we need to invite to our camp this year.”
Making the cut to be invited to a shoe company camp is one of DeMar’s goals, but it is refreshing to hear him say that producing in the classroom is “way more important than succeeding on the basketball court.”
DeMar cherishes his A’s and B’s earned in junior high. His father says that DeMar will be taking advanced placement courses. Not having to rely on an athletic scholarship is the family’s goal for him.
DeMar’s family has looked into his attending a top flight academic institution and traditional city basketball power such as Serra high school in Gardena where 93% of the students go on to study at higher educational institutions.
DeMar says he looks up to players like Kobe Bryant and Shaq O’Neal for inspiration on the court. He looks up to his brother and dad off the court. But he wants to create his own style, his own way of producing “a rep” as a player.
For the AAU circuit that will be witnessing DeMar DeRozan and his young but furious Pump and Run team full of high major youngsters I have two words, “Watch out”.
There rarely comes along such a complete player with the mental edge, drive to improve, and ability to dominate a world of high school ball such as DeMar DeRozan.
Email Erik Woods at: ewoods@oxnardsd.org
