Good morning! Should have done my nightly before bed Huskeronline check!
Gradey came to Collegiate in 4th or 5th grade, following his two older brothers, neither of whom I taught but both of whom I hold in high esteem...both were better than average high school players, IIRC, just looking for a stronger education prep for college, where neither played. Gradey has always been a really good kid, really good student, but you could ALWAYS tell, basketball was his life...I THINK he carried a ball to class when allowed.
As a frosh, he was about 6'4", thin, way above average offensively , not as tuned into defense as he would have to become...but he has...led our team to the finals of substate where we squandered a late lead to just miss.....as a soph, he took us to 3A State, where we were in prime position after the first round to capture the title, before COVID shut down the tourney. Many coaches 'dropped in' to bump into him, including Fred and Doc, both of whom I met.
He then announced that summer that he was going to Sunrise to better prepare himself for next level. I guess I was not even thinking that was a possibility, and frankly our coach and program has produced numerous college players, my son included, but especially Mo Evans, who played 12 years in the NBA....so I guess at first i was a bit jaded. But it certainly has worked out for him, and it's obviously playing there has given him a level of comp he could not have gotten here. He still comes to a bunch of our school events...tight with ex-classmates.
These people who give that award don't make many mistakes...I think he will do great at KU, and I'm over my early angst about him leaving.