Dear Jersey, Darius Adams is Back
A couple of years ago, I represented NJ Athletics in an interview with a sophomore guard out of Manasquan High School. At the time, he was a talented scorer that had the whole state in a frenzy over who could guard him. Despite not only having a bunch of offers, but also the tools of what it took to be a great basketball player, his name was not the biggest compared to other players in the country. Fast forward to now, he is a McDonald’s All American and committed to play for one of the most prestigious programs in UConn.
This weekend, Darius Adams will be returning to the Garden State for the Metro Classic, where his new school La Lumiere will be taking on Colonia and St. Rose this Friday and Saturday. When asked about how it feels to come back home, Adams expressed a bunch of excitement to once play again at home.
“I honestly can’t wait,” said Adams. “It’s kind of like a homecoming for me. I’m really grateful to be a Jersey hooper because I feel like we’re the best, so I’m excited to come back and put on a show.”
Since transferring to La Lumiere (Indiana) after winning a state championship in 2023, Adams has proved that no matter where he plays, his game should never be questioned. The Lakers play in the Nike EYBL Scholastic league, which is arguably the toughest conference around the country for high school basketball. Some of the other teams include Montverde Academy, IMG, Link Academy, and several other top programs.
When you play against competition of this nature, you are responsible for improving your game. That is exactly what Adams did.
“Being here has helped me in so many ways,” Adams expressed. “The competition I am playing over here is on another level. Not only that, but competing against my teammates every day in practice has helped me as well. I’m happy I got to come here and improve my game so I can get ready for college.”
With how much Adams dedicates himself to his craft, it is not surprising that Coach Hurley recruited him to come to Connecticut. With back to back national championships under his belt, Hurley’s intensity has not only generated team success, but also has allowed several players to develop to become professionals.
Surprisingly, Adams isn’t worried about that, though. Instead, he wants to do his best to make sure he can become a great teammate and contribute in any way he can.
“With how great the culture is at UConn and how many great players are over there, I just want to be able to get on the court,” Adams said. “I’m just blessed to be a part of a program like that. If I am able to contribute over there, that will be more than enough for me.”
Make sure you guys check out Darius this weekend. Not only is he going to get buckets, but he is going to show you why he is going to be very successful in the future.