Westwind Prep Academy's 6-foot-3 senior guard Kye De Laveaga is still an unsigned senior prospect at this point in his high school career. The sharp-shooting senior guard, among the purest shooters of the basketball in the state, is still mulling over his recruiting options at this time, but this week De Laveaga made a strong case for himself.
With Arizona's top high school programs competing against one another this weekend in their respective state finals, the Westwind Prep National Team was competing in two games in Las Vegas, Nevada, this week, against top-rated national competition - something that has prepared the players at Westwind this season for the collegiate level. This season, the Westwind Prep team has competed against top-rated prep school programs and also local junior colleges.
With his team competiting against #1 nationally ranked Findlay Prep (NV) on Thursday evening, and then Impact Basketball Academy (NV) on Friday evening, Kye De Laveaga absolutely exploded. First, in a narrow loss to the nation's top program, Findlay Prep (NV), a game which Westwind actually led by 4-points with 4 minutes remaining, De Laveaga led his team in scoring with 15 points. Then on Friday, in a one-point loss to Impact Basketball Academy (NV), De Laveaga absolutely exploded for a huge, game-high 35 points - hitting (9) three-pointers in the game.
Kye also recently turned in a good performance in this year's Southwest Prep Classic, a prep school tournament that featured many of the top prep school programs in the West - a prep tournament that Westwind Prep National won.
Kye has developed as a player at his own pace, but has really developed as a player over the past two years, while playing as a pure-point guard for Horizon High School as a junior, and then while playing against nationally ranked competition this season at Westwind Prep. Kye transferred to Westwind Prep in his final senior season when his father, Jeff De Laveaga, took over the basketball program at Westwind last spring.
Kye is still considering his plans for college, as he has received serious interest from numerous smaller programs this season, as well as strong interest from numerous IVY League programs. He is also considering a year of post-graduate play next season - another year to develop physically as a player before moving on to college.
Kye has also flourished in the off-season, during the spring and summer. Last summer, Kye helped lead his club program, the Arizona Magic Pump N' Run-2013, to a runner-up finish in the Adidas Super 64. The previous summer, as a rising junior, Kye led his same club program to a big semi-final finish at the Adidas Three Stripes tournament in California. In the event, Kye went off – leading his team in scoring and pumping in big numbers throughout the event.
Kye's younger brother, 6-foot-3 junior guard Tate De Laveaga, recently gave an early verbal commitment to Northern Arizona University.
Kye is also an excellent student and carries a perfect 4.0 CUM GPA.
Arizona Preps will continue to follow the recruitment of Kye De Laveaga closely this spring, and bring you any updates as they continue to develop.
Arizona Preps Scouting Report: Kye is a sharp-shooting combo-guard prospect that finds the open spot on the floor, and knocks down shots with consistency from the perimeter and with range. He has a left-handed shooting stroke and a quick release on his shot – making him tough to defend. He also does a nice job of giving pump fakes and putting the basketball on the floor to create space or drive the ball to the basket, where he is a crafty finisher in the painted area. Kye also has a solid handle of the basketball and does not waste dribbles, as he is a catch-and-shoot prospect or likes to score off of one dribble pull-ups. Kye is a combo-guard prospect that is capable of playing either guard spot on the floor, but is at his best from the scoring position on the wing. Possessing a high basketball IQ, Kye is also a very good passer of the basketball and looks for the open man on the floor. He is very unselfish as a player and does an excellent job of getting his teammates involved in the game. He is also a very good defender and works hard to keep his man in front of him. He slides his feet well and sits low defensively. While he is still maturing physically a great deal, Kye is nowhere near the player he will become over time. His best years are well ahead of him as a player and he should develop a great deal over the next year 5-6 years of his playing career. Kye has very good upside as a player – suggesting that with much more physical strength and maturity, his athleticism and ability to play the game will really take off.
