Sunnyslope High School is a favorite to win next year's Open Division State Championship. The program is loaded with talent, and the future for the program is now, as the Vikings have one of elite programs in the state. Last season with a younger group, Head Coach Ray Portela and his experienced and long-time successful coaching staff led the program to another excellent season, as the program again finished as a runner-up for the Open Division State Championship. A big reason for the program's amazing success now and in the future, has been the strong post play of 6-foot-11 rising junior post Darius Wabbington (2027 Class). Wabbington is unlike any other prospect we have seen in the state of Arizona in recent years, and many high-major Division-I college programs are now in the hunt for him - extending offers to the talented young post prospect.
The future is exceedingly bright for the Sunnyslope program, as the Vikings have loads of serious young Division-I talent for the future, but no one with more promise than Wabbington. While Wabbington is still very young and has a lot of room still for growth and development, it is very obvious that this young man is truly special and has a future as bright as any I have ever seen.
As a result of his promise for the future, college programs are already beginning to line up for Wabbington, as recently he received numerous more high-major offers, as a result of his strong play on the Nike EYBL circuit, while playing for his talented club program, the AZ Unity, a heavily Nike-sponsored club program that features many top-rated prospects that college programs are pursuing hard.
After Wabbington's performance this spring in several sessions of the Nike EYBL circuit, he has now reeled in numerous big offers from Villanova, Purdue, Louisville, Texas Tech and Providence, to go with previous offers from Washington, Arizona State and Cal State Northridge. His list of offers will only continue to grow a great deal over time, as it is still very early in the recruiting process for Wabbington. I expect a large number of more offers to pour in for him over time. It will be a wild recruiting process at some point to land this future superstar, whom I believe will develop into something very special.
Coach Portela and his staff have worked hard with Wabbington to develop him throughout the season. The Vikings are very talented at every position on the court, but Wabbington provided something that most teams do not have - a large inside post presence that can also step outside and shoot the basketball and stretch the defense. Wabbington is very skilled, but his ability to rebound, contest and block shots will be big for this Sunnyslope program over the next two years.
I will look forward to bringing you more recruiting updates on Wabbington as they continue to pour in for him over time.
Arizona Preps Scouting Report: Wabbington is a tremendous young prospect, unlike anything we have ever seen at his young age and from the state of Arizona, not an implant. The son of former University of Wyoming standout and local product Derek Wabbington, Darius is a different mold, as he has excellent size and physicality already at a very young age, and moves very well for his size. He also has an advanced skillset for his young age and runs the floor very well. He is a strong finisher already at a young age and will continue to develop and grow a great deal throughout his future high school career. He has grown physically and has also trimmed down physically. He will be a 7-foot plus prospect with versatility and a high skill level., Fundamentally sound. A very big time elite national prospect for Arizona's 2027 Class, that will soon become a household name nationally among basketball enthusiasts and also college coaches. Plays for an absolutely loaded AZ Unity EYBL program that competes on the Nike EYBL Circuit.
