Every year, there’s a slew of prospects who soar under the radar despite taking all the necessary steps to be recruited. Some ultimately become unsigned seniors fighting for their livelihood just to receive a chance to further their career at the collegiate level. However, college coaches typically catch on before it’s too late and scoop up these undervalued prospects for pennies on the dollar—often times with enough leverage to dictate the whole situation to their personal advantage. It’s really an unfortunate hindrance for the kids, who are ultimately just seeking out the best place to fulfill lifelong goals and dreams. Take someone like Julian Keitt, for example. His next-level abilities were easily identifiable at a young age and, although his production took a little time to translate, he clearly had the makings of a noteworthy talent. So, what needs to happen for Kiett to be appropriately valued' While that’s somewhat of a loaded question, let’s take a closer look at his journey…
Although he was known internally by his coaches and teammates with Palmetto City Hurricanes, Kiett first surfaced at our Jr. Phenom 150 Camp as an eager eighth-grader. Being his coach at camp provided a first-hand preview of his special qualities as a player and person, but his growth from a young, 5-foot-9 pit-bull into a dynamic, 6-foot-4 beast was certainly less predictable. Nonetheless, his extremely positive showing at camp only continued into the following travel ball season with the aforementioned Hurricanes. Along with Upward Stars and Julian Phillips’ Capital City Vipers squad, the Palmetto City Hurricanes group stood out amongst the top teams throughout South Carolina—and Kiett played a massive part in their success.
After a productive summer, he began his high school journey with Gray Collegiate and received an invite to our South Carolina Top 80 Camp. His status among the top guards in South Carolina’s Class of 2022 was far from cemented, but a few folks began jumping on the bandwagon. The uphill battle seemed to begin after the camp, where there simply weren’t minutes or opportunities for Kiett on a talented, veteran-laden roster. This is no knock on the coaching staff in any way, as they thwarted opponents by an average scoring margin of 25 PPG en route to securing a state championship title. Also, seeing as how Jazian Gortman barely played, it would’ve likely been difficult to award any freshman with significant chances.
Following the coaching and team success he experienced, Kiett set out to Irmo High School for a new situation and potential opportunity to be their focal point. Playing time came easy, but he was still forced to fight for opportunities with other noteworthy prospects. As a sophomore, Kiett posted nightly averages of 9.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.7 SPG. While he was among the Yellowjackets’ top producers, it still felt like he stood on the cusp of greatness. His ability and reputation earned him a position with Upward Stars, which led to a pretty strong summer season. It didn’t take long for folks to start buzzing about Kiett, and it was clear that a potential breakout was looming for the two-way guard.
That’s exactly what happened. Last season, Kiett averaged 14.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.9 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. His role expanded, and the production followed. Since then, he’s returned to his roots with the Palmetto City Hurricanes and looks as appealing as ever. Now, the confusing matter is trying to figure out his overall lack of recruitment. It seems as though a long, athletic, high-motor guard with toughness, defensive prowess, and playmaking ability would be a priority amongst scholarship-level programs. Kiett is also an excellent transition player and displays an understanding of how to make hustle plays and overwhelm opponents without necessarily requiring the ball in his hands. Add in his unselfish mentality and positive attributes as a teammate, and there’s no reason for him to hold less than an abundance of offers. Right now, Miles College is the only staff to be involved. Kudos to them, but he should have way more action within his recruitment. It’s still early, but Kiett should emerge as a major target for various programs.