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- Posted on: Sun, 04/17/2011 - 5:05pm #28075
cward23ParticipantDiminutive Aquille Carr blows by competition
By Ben Glicksman, SI.comAt 5-foot-6 and 140 pounds, Aquille Carr has heard it all. He’s too short. An afterthought. Can’t hang with the big boys.
The Patterson High point guard responds the only way he knows how: He plays.
“I just let it show on the court,” he said. “My game speaks louder than words.”
That’s been an effective silencer, as Carr can flat-out ball. He’s a prolific scorer, punishing opponents both off the dribble and around the perimeter. He has explosive speed, electric ballhandling and court vision that could rival Steve Nash’s. He averaged 31.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.5 steals while leading Patterson to a 25-2 record in 2011.
Numbers don’t tell the whole story. In a game against Lake Clifton (Md.) last January, matching Carr against 6-foot-3 Kansas point guard Josh Selby, Carr torched the future Jayhawk for 39 points and 19 assists. Only a freshman at the time, he was nothing short of brilliant.
“Everything that left my hands, it just felt like it was going in,” he said. “I couldn’t miss.”
He followed that up with performances of 43, 40 and 39 points this season, continuing his torrid tear. Most notably, he snapped the Patterson single-game scoring record — which had held for 50 years — by pouring in 57 points in a 103-71 victory over Forest Park (Md.) on Dec. 29. It was a performance for the ages.
“Ninety percent of my shots came from layups,” he said. “Basically, it was like throwing rocks in the ocean.”
Carr’s magnitude of dominance shouldn’t be dismissed. The most physically-imposing players rarely achieve such eye-popping totals, let alone a feisty point guard who is often more than a full foot shorter than the competition. Yet if his track record is any indication, he has the drive to succeed at the next level.
He began playing basketball at just four-years-old, challenging eight-year-olds by the time he was five. He worked tirelessly to hone his handle, dribbling with a tennis ball to perfect his craft. In grade school, he played keep away from defenders. In junior high, he blew by them. Now a sophomore, he simply toys with them, pulling crossover moves better suited for a video game.
His inspired play and work-ethic have caused scouts to take notice, and the smaller-sized Carr has attracted some big-name programs. His current top five includes Wake Forest, Memphis, Kentucky, UConn and Syracuse, though he’s also received interest from Arizona, Xavier and Texas. Two years from now, he should be a backcourt fixture for a major conference contender.
And after that? Hopefully, the NBA. Carr wants to continue defying the odds, to prove that the age-old notion that basketball is a big man’s game is a mere suggestion.
He also has a message for all those that doubt him.
“It’s all about how big your heart is,” he said.
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/17/2011 - 6:02pm #522586
Da1potParticipantI’ve seen him play and he is the truth. I just hope Maryland and Georgetown don’t let him leave the DMV though I doubt that will happen…
0 - Posted on: Sun, 04/17/2011 - 6:35pm #522601
sheltwon3ParticipantIs he finished growing because if he can grow 3 more inches, I dont see why he doesnt make it in the league.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/18/2011 - 4:43am #522672
kingoftheplaygroundParticipanti posted a topic of the same name w/ a video of some of his highlights a couple weeks back. Im really big on Prep ball and hes the most exciting player in high school basketball today that ive seen.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/18/2011 - 6:47am #522732
Da1potParticipantHe plays like Iverson did in high school but he is even shorter than A.I. but he is definately on the same level athletically.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:11pm #522860
UNITEDweRISE31Participantit’s rumored tht he has a 48 inch vertical i wouldn’t be surprised since he can dunk and does anyone know how the other under six foot phenom, kiwi gardner is doing
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:16pm #522862
Leftovers16Participantcomparing a high school kid’s vision to that of STEVE NASH! are you freakin kidding me… there are a bunch of these guys running around all the time I highly highly doubt he would make it in the nba
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:33pm #522864
OnionsParticipantIsn’t he really old? He’s like a 17 year old sophmore.
I doubt he continues to grow. Sure, people grow all the time until their 20’s and sometimes later. But those guys are usually 6 feet+ at a good age already, then go on a growth spurth like a Durant, Henson, or Davis. If he’s 5’6" at 17 (or 16, not sure), I don’t see him going on a big growth spurth, if he even goes on one.
That said, kid is a beast. He destroys everyone he plays. Incredible athlete, scorer, and great pg instincts. He would be the next coming if he were at least 5’11". He has that much talent.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 04/18/2011 - 4:46pm #522943
cward23Participantthere are alot of short soph doing what he is doing?..which ones since you seem to know that there are alot of them. Which ones so we can know what you know
0 - Posted on: Tue, 04/19/2011 - 10:32am #523220
OnionsParticipantWhere was that even implied in the post?
All I simply stated is that he’s about two years older than he should be for his high school class, thus he is unlikely to grow much, if at all. 5’6" is short.
Then I went on to say that he would be one of the best NBA prospects out there if he had several more inches to his height, which would put him at respectable size.
And for sophs I would rather have over him: Randle, Parker, Gordon, Koenig, Gill… To name some.
0 - Posted on: Wed, 04/20/2011 - 4:33pm #523630
quinceyh1Yet another baller from the DMV :)…the next Shawnta Rogers
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