Central High School's terrific 6-foot-2 rising junior point guard Grant Mattingly has established himself as one of the premier young basketball prospects in the state of Arizona over many years of dominating his competition. Now, the 6-foot-2 rising junior point guard is ready to step out from the shadow of his older brother and emerge as one of the state’s brightest stars. A member of Arizona’s loaded 2028 Class, Mattingly is regarded as one of the elite overall prospects in the class, and one of the top young guards in the Western United States. After helping lead Central High School to back-to-back 5A State Championships alongside his older brother, John Mattingly (University of Nevada signee), Grant now enters what should be a defining junior season, as the unquestioned leader of one of Arizona’s premier basketball programs.
John Mattingly recently signed with the University of Nevada, where he will begin his collegiate career this fall, after finishing one of the most decorated careers by a guard in recent Arizona history. During the past two seasons, Grant had the opportunity to learn alongside his older brother, while helping Central post an incredible 31-3 overall record last season - capturing their second consecutive 5A State Championship. Now the spotlight belongs to Grant. While Central will feature a much younger roster this season, I fully expect Grant Mattingly to elevate his game to another level while leading the Bobcats back into championship contention.
His production over his first two varsity seasons has already been exceptional. As a freshman, Mattingly averaged 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game, immediately establishing himself as one of Arizona’s elite young guards. Last season, despite sharing the spotlight on a veteran championship team, he averaged 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game, while once again helping Central capture a 5A State Championship. Those numbers only tell part of the story. I expect Mattingly to post some of the best all-around statistics in Arizona this season, as the focal point of Central’s offense.
Simply put, Grant Mattingly is box office. He is as good as any point guard in Arizona, regardless of class. His greatest strength is his tremendous basketball IQ. Mattingly possesses an advanced understanding of the game, that allows everything to appear effortless. He consistently plays under control, never seems rushed, and makes outstanding decisions with the basketball in his hands. His court vision ranks among the very best in the state, and he sees plays developing before they happen, and has an uncanny ability to deliver passes that few players even recognize are available. At times, his feel for the game allows him to toy with defenders. Mattingly gets anywhere he wants on the floor, while consistently creating quality opportunities for teammates. He is an outstanding floor general whose unselfish style makes everyone around him better. He is also an excellent shooter with deep perimeter range, and possesses a polished mid-range game that forces defenses to guard him at every level of the floor. His ability to stretch defenses with his outside shooting creates driving lanes that he attacks with confidence and efficiency.
I recently had the opportunity to watch Mattingly compete during the Section 7 Tournament, where he was one of the event’s top overall performers. He was simply a joy to watch throughout the weekend and looked every bit like one of Arizona’s premier young prospects. His outstanding summer should continue this weekend at the Vegas Live event, where he will once again lead Central High School against elite national competition.
If college coaches have not yet prioritized recruiting Grant Mattingly, they should. This young man is unquestionably a Division-I basketball player. More importantly, he is the type of cornerstone player that winning college programs are built around. His outstanding work ethic, love for the game, competitive nature, and team-first mentality separate him from many prospects his age. Mattingly is a no-nonsense competitor who plays the game the right way every possession. He brings tremendous energy, displays outstanding leadership qualities, and is respected by teammates, because he is always looking to make those around him better before worrying about his own statistics. Those characteristics cannot be taught. They are part of who he is.
As his junior season begins and his recruitment continues to grow, I fully expect many Division-I programs to enter the picture. His combination of size, basketball IQ, leadership, shooting ability, court vision, and unselfishness makes him one of the premier guards in Arizona regardless of class.
Personally, Grant Mattingly has become one of my favorite overall prospects to watch in the state. I look forward to following his outstanding junior season and monitoring his college recruitment as it continues to develop. If his first two varsity seasons are any indication, Grant Mattingly is only scratching the surface of what promises to be an outstanding high school career.
Arizona Preps Scouting Report: Grant Mattingly is as good as any point guard in Arizona, regardless of class. His greatest strength is his tremendous basketball IQ. Mattingly possesses an advanced understanding of the game, that allows everything to appear effortless. He consistently plays under control, never seems rushed, and makes outstanding decisions with the basketball in his hands. His court vision ranks among the very best in the state, and he sees plays developing before they happen, and has an uncanny ability to deliver passes that few players even recognize are available. At times, his feel for the game allows him to toy with defenders. Mattingly gets anywhere he wants on the floor, while consistently creating quality opportunities for teammates. He is an outstanding floor general whose unselfish style makes everyone around him better. He is also an excellent shooter with deep perimeter range, and possesses a polished mid-range game that forces defenses to guard him at every level of the floor. His ability to stretch defenses with his outside shooting creates driving lanes that he attacks with confidence and efficiency. A big-time point guard prospect that you can build a team around.
