We are always keeping an eye out for players that bring intrigue to the floor.  One player that many may have not heard of yet is 2023 6’6 Dylan Purnell who played with Word of God this past high school season and is playing with Garner Road 2023 Bryant this summer. 

Purnell’s long frame when we first saw him captures your eyes, as he fits the mold of a natural wing.  Early on, he showed a lot of potential with his game, displaying a nice jumper with his game and with great length to rise and finish over defenders, while also showing that he can create for himself and plays with great poise on the court.

Jeff Bendel had this to say when he first watched him at the Jamboree Bash:

“The Juice All-Stars Showtime group has steadily improved throughout the last few months, and Purnell is a massive part of their identity and success. He’s a long, wiry wing/forward prospect with great IQ, size, and a blossoming offensive skillset. Purnell already does pretty much everything well, but will only continue to get better going forward. He’s certainly a prospect worth noting.”

Patrick O’Brien then wrote this about him when he watched him at the Holiday Classic:

“I liked what I saw out of the young sophomore.  He is a long, wiry frame and showed that he can operate along the wing or rise up over defenders with his length.  Smooth jumper as well.  Intriguing prospect to really keep an eye on but I liked what he showed today.”

We recently caught up with Purnell and it seems like he is excited about showing more of his game this summer with Garner Road.  He has been putting in the work each day, improving his feel and game.

“It’s going good so far,” Purnell said when asked about his summer so far.  “Hooping-wise, I’m in the gym working on my skill training and my IQ, putting up lots of shots, and working on my body.  I’ve been working on my dribbling, shooting, moving without the ball, defensive and offensive positioning, and my counter moves reacting off the defense.”

Purnell is an intriguing player to keep an eye on this summer and down the road, so be sure to check him and the rest of the team out when they take the court at the Phenom Stay Positive Classic and other events down the road.