Can you correctly predict the potential NBA career of a kid in 5th grade? Probably not. However, drawing parallels to Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson, an NBA veteran’s surreal prediction caught Isiah Thomas’s attention. The NBA veteran was able to successfully predict the high-school basketball career of his nephew. But how?

The NBA veteran strongly believes that more importance should be given to the selection process of young talent. He claims that “there’s a gift and a curse to ranking kids.”

The no.1 ranked Point Guard in high school

Rashad Keith Phillips is a former NBA D-League player who went undrafted in the 2001 NBA draft. Despite having an unsuccessful NBA career, Rashad Phillips found success in something much more special. Since retiring from basketball, he started a training and mentoring program for children called ‘Skills Unlimited’. As he continues to mentor young talent through his program, he uses basketball as a means for them to overcome their personal hurdles.

In his recent Instagram post, the NBA veteran said, “Too many adults with platforms are NOT doing the necessary work in order to find the kids that deserve to be ranked. A year ago, my nephew was unranked and unknown because the so-called evaluators didn’t want to do their research.

I tweeted about him, I IG’d about him, and sent film to numerous people. Today he ranks as the number 1 PG in the country. He did the work and earned his spot.”.

The NBA veteran had predicted that his nephew Darius Acuff Jr. would be the best high school player in the country. His nephew was in 5th grade when he made this prediction and years later, Darius Acuff Jr is one of the country’s top potential recruits.

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Standing at 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighing 175 pounds, the young point guard is making waves on the internet with his basketball highlights.

What’s next for the young point guard?

Darius Acuff Jr. has been hooping with authority as he averaged 21.4 points and 5.7 assists per game in his high school career. He led the Cass Tech Highschool to a 27-1 record and the school’s first ever Division 1 state title. The young point guard has received multiple college scholarships offers from universities such as Michigan State, Kentucky State and University of Alabama.

Darius Acuff Jr.’s basketball journey so far shows parallels with that of Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson. Magic did not get noticed for his basketball skills until he was in high school, and Stephen Curry didn’t get noticed until he was in college.

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Rashad Phillips has scouted some incredible NBA talent in his journey as a mentor too. He is best known for discovering NBA Guard, Temetrius Jamel ‘Ja’ Morant and predicting the success of NBA Guard, Rayford Trae Young. The NBA veteran has certainly got another one of his predictions right with his nephew and clearly believes in the saying, “Start them out young!”

What are your thoughts on the young high school point guard and Rashad Phillip’s mentoring program? Let us know in the comments below!