At this point, it should be no secret that our neighbors to the south have some of the most underrated basketball talent of any state in the country. Sure, South Carolina might not necessarily have the depth of prospects like North Carolina but their top grouping could consistently go toe-to-toe against the best players from almost any other state (including North Carolina). Even looking back at the previous classes, there are guys who went from widely underrated in high school to absolutely thriving'like Aaron Nesmith, Ja Morant, James Reese, etc. Now, there's an incredibly loaded collection of point guards stacked up within the Class of 2022 and this series will take a closer look at each one. Next, we look at Julian Kiett of Irmo High School.
Over these last few years, the path for Kiett has been somewhat of a winding road. Although he's consistently shown high-level flashes, being able to put everything together is a different story altogether. Kiett doesn't have a lack of tools or ability; rather situations just haven't seemed to result in his favor. He plays with an incredible motor and sports a very strong frame for a guard at the high school level. Kiett is a destructive defender with quickness and sharp anticipation instincts, which allows him to overwhelm majority of opposing backcourt players. He regularly turns defense into offense and makes great decisions in transition. Kiett also has the understanding of being a threat with or without the ball in his hands, often displaying great cutting ability.
Last season at Irmo, Kiett seemed to continually trend upward throughout the season. He posted nightly averages of 9.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.7 SPG. Those numbers are quite strong, particularly given his role alongside Dylan Williams and CJ Washington (who is set to graduate). The future is bright for Kiett, especially if his trajectory can remain on its current path.
