By ZACH SMART
A thunderous lob threat and soaring above-rim finisher who has made a fluid mid range game a critical component in his arsenal, Class of 2028 guard/wing Billy Stanfield III is on an upward trajectory since a convincing showing at Peach Jam.
Vaccuming in rebounds and piling up a handful of double doubles for Team Melo during U-16 action, Stanfield III has reaped the rewards of his play with offers and budding interest from high majors across the country.
“In recent days, I have been hearing from Pittsburgh, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, USC, Oregon, basically most of the programs who have already offered, as well as a few other schools,” said Stanfield III.
West Virginia is the most recent offer for the 6-foot-7, 208-pound Stanfield III, who plans on visiting LSU soon.
Stanfield III turned in several games of double digit rebounds, including a performance of 19 points, 13 boards and three assists en route to a victory over the GA Stars.
The Baltimore native earned an offer from Mississippi State last month and had North Carolina among several programs in to see him during the exposure-rich DMV Live’s second session.
A physically imposing wing, Stanfield III averaged 15.4 points and 7.4 boards while utilizing his length and multi-positional defensive aptitude with Team Melo, en route to Third Team All Peach Jam honors.
Stanfield cited looking beyond his offensive game as a pivital factor in differentiating himself this summer.
“Being a focal point on defense and really impacting all areas of the game,” said Stanfield III of his primary area of focus.
With the recruiting process still in the embryonic stages, the 16-year-old Baltimore native has shifted his gaze to seizing the leadership reins at Calvert Hall (Md) in the traditionally powerful Baltimore Catholic League.
Nurturing Stanfield III’s day to day development and has been Stanfield III’s father, Billy Stanfield II.
Once a hotly pursued recruit out of Baltimore himself, Stanfield II is currently a Sr. Pastor of Impact Church.
“We’re just honored as a family that all of these schools have been offering our son and expressing interest,” said Stanfield Sr.
“I’m certainly tough on him, but I still want him to be a kid. I have to say he is ahead of schedule. We continue to work out and do all the things necessary for his development. We’re trying our best as a family to keep the noise down. Culture and fit are really big factors for us.”
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