Les Bentley for ESPN.com

Six-foot-11-inch center DaShonte Riley is the top senior in Michigan.

Riley Has A Different Outlook On The Recruiting Process

By Brendan Murphy
ESPN.com

DaShonte Riley had the requisite measurables to be the next big thing at Big Man U.

The 6-foot-11 senior center from Detroit Country Day is an eraser on the defensive end. And although his offensive game is a work in progress, with a few years of college seasoning, Riley could have All-American potential.

But weeks before he was to sign the national letter of intent to play for Georgetown University and coach John Thompson III and join a fraternity of power posts such as Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning, Riley got cold feet. The senior said he had hesitations because he made a rookie mistake.

"It wasn't that we didn't get along or anything," Riley said. "You know, [Thompson] is a cool guy and a good coach. In the end, I didn't think that we saw eye to eye on my goals and what they had planned for me. That's because of a lack of communication."

Now, one game into his senior season, Riley is back on the recruiting market. Although the scholarship offer from Georgetown still stands, Riley plans to go a different direction. He's looking at Virginia, Marquette, LSU, Cal, South Florida and Syracuse.

"I am just looking for the best situation," he said. "I want to have a good relationship with the coaches and the staff. I don't want my experience in college to be a passing experience. I want to go out and really enjoy myself and get better when I am at college."

He's come a long way from his sophomore year, when he tired easily and struggled to stay on the court for long stretches. His conditioning has improved steadily each year, and he spent time with a trainer this past summer. Country Day coach Kurt Kenner believes Riley is in the best shape of his life.

"When he first got here, he had a hard time sustaining any effort," Kenner said. "He was a tall, thin kid, and he would fatigue [quickly]. … I've seen him mature, I think a lot of it has to do with his commitment to physical development."

When Riley has taken the court this season, he's had an agenda. Although he averaged 10.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 8.6 blocks per a game as a junior, some people weren't all that impressed. He's heard Internet scuttlebutt and chants from opposing fans that he's overrated. As a senior, he's out to show his doubters that he has the talent to take over games and help Country Day to its eighth state title in 20 years.

"This is, I guess, my last chance in high school to prove that I am as good as I have been hyped up to be in past years," he said. "I think it's real important this year to go out and prove myself."

As part of his maturation as a player and a person, he said he won't let external criticism get in his head.

"Honestly, sometimes it does bother me," he said. "You just have to preserve and use it as motivation. I try not to read most of that stuff, but you just have to use it against them. It bothered me in past years, but I've learned just to forget about that stuff and just play basketball."

It's not that Riley doesn't have the skills. Kenner raves about Riley's passing ability and surprising range. But Riley is a bit timid with the ball. In fact, the coach said Riley's unselfish play at times poses a hindrance to his success.

"He possesses all the tools to be a 20- to 25-point scorer, but he's not assertive," Kenner said. "Part of it is his personality. He'd just as well see somebody else succeed as himself, so he'll pass."

Keener has coached many talented players, including Chris Weber and Shane Battier, through the years. He believes Riley's ability is among the best he's seen. In Kenner's eye, part of Riley's growth is about convincing him he's worth the hype.

"Sometimes I don't think he believes he's as good a player as those who watch him see," Kenner said. "DaShonte's a bit of an enigma. You can watch him on the summer circuit or in some of our games, and he'll be fantastic. And there will be other games where he's the invisible man at 7 feet tall almost."

Country Day's success depends on more than just Riley. In fact, the Yellow Jackets, who are ranked No. 22 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, boast a frontcourt that also includes Division I prospects Jordan Dumars, who is the son of NBA standout Joe and is bound for South Florida, and Miami-bound forward Donnovan Kirk. The catalyst for the team's success will be point guard Ray McCallum. A junior who transferred in from Indiana, McCallum is garnering interest from programs such as Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.

All the talent on the Yellow Jackets' roster takes some pressure off Riley. Any one of the team's starters is capable of stepping up on any given night.

"We've got a pretty good balanced team," Kenner said. "Because he's not a real assertive guy offensively, I am not sure that the other guys would see him as the top scoring option."

To leave a legacy at a program like Country Day, Riley knows that he must have a championship mentality every night. He believes that momentum should carry over to the next level.

"I gotta play hard night in and night out," he said. "I've had a lot of games where I regret that I didn't play harder in high school. I want to make sure I don't have any of that in college."

Brendan Murphy is a recruiting editor for ESPN.com. He can be reached at Brendan.R.Murphy@espn3.com.