BY ZACH SMART
LAS VEGAS–After attaining a U-17 FIBA World Cup gold medal, culminating 7-0 steak in which his Team USA thoroughly throttled foes to the tune of a nearly 50-point average margin of victory, then flying from Turkey to Las Vegas, Class of 2027 Florida Rebels point guard Cayden Daughtry discerns he has a major decision soon to be cooking on his front burner.
While the crafty, shot-making 6-foot guard for Cavalry Christian is most concerned with the task at hand, a matchup between his Rebels team against Vegas Elite at the Las Vegas Convention Center, he understands the magnitude of an upcoming decision.
Daughtry thus envisions whittling down a list of schools akin to a child’s Christmas gift list before one of the summer’s biggest proving grounds.
“I’ll cut it down by the end of Peach Jam, most likely,” said Daughtry, who cited Louisville, Florida State, Michigan, Miami, Texas, Florida, Providence, Tennessee, Kentucky, and several others among the handful of high major heavy hitters actively pursuing him.
“Right now, the focus is on keeping the main thing the main thing. Then, we’ll likely come down to a Top-12, a Top-10, and have some conversations moving forward from there.”
Back during Christmas time, at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., Daughtry showed out as a diminutive guard capable of breaking games open with intergalactic range, crafty finishes, and a knack for dissecting defenses with his handle.
Fast forward to the summer. Daughtry 26.8 points and 4.5 assists during EYBL Session II, cementing his status as a timely outside shot maker with an advanced IQ and purity of vision as a play-creator.
Offers from LSU, UConn, Texas, and Kentucky followed.
In a current climate where big guards have become prioritized, Daughtry is a rare throwback. He discussed some of the recent talks with several potential suitors on Wednesday.
Daughtry on Michigan: “Obviously they’ve been busy and they’ve had to get everyone back. It has been busy times over there with Coach (Dusty) May leaving (to take the Dallas Mavericks head coaching position). I just had a call with (assistant coach) (Kyle) Church. I see a good future there, for sure.”
On Kentucky: “(Assistant Coach) Mo Williams has been telling me he loves my game. He’s always preaching to me how we play the same way he did and are similar players. He really just keeps emphasizing that Kentucky is the place for me.”
Florida: “Coach (Todd) Golden has been illustrating the same message: they want to get me to the league as quickly as possible. They envision me as a one and done type of guy. They’ve compared me to Walter Clayton.”
Texas: “They’ve been telling me they want a missing piece to help them get to the Final Four. Coach (Sean Miller), he’s come very close, but he’s never been to the Final Four.
He feels like I am a guy who can elevate the program even more. I can help them win, they can help do what they can to get me to the next level after that.”
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