A Way Too Early Intro: Keyshawn Herring, 6’1″ CG, 8th Grade (2027)

Listen. We’ve been here before. It’s not the first time that I’ve written about a middle school basketball prospect. This won’t be the last time either. However, know and understand that you’re about to read about an exceptional young athlete that loves the game of basketball. 

Keyshawn Herring is a 6’1” combo guard that plays his middle school basketball for Rochelle Middle School in Kinston, NC. He’s from the same city that has produced notable basketball players like Jerry Stackhouse, Brandon Ingram, Reggie Bullock, Cedric Maxwell and many more.

He’s going to be a top notch player one day in high school and possibly beyond. I’ll give you 4 reasons why.

1. Athleticism – As an 8th grader, he already possesses high level athletic prowess. He’s quickly becoming a threat to routinely blow by a defender and dunk the ball in traffic. As a primary defender, he moves his feet well and creates problems for any ball-handler that doesn’t have a tight handle on the ball.
2. Competitiveness – It doesn’t matter who he’s matched up with. He’s going to compete and play the same way against everyone. Despite playing up during the travel ball season, he still routinely dominated games in multiple ways. As the competition grew, his production also increased. It’s rare to find a player that competes as hard as he does.
3. Instincts – Sometimes players make plays that make you say “wow”. Keyshawn possesses the ability to split double teams and drop off incredibly difficult dump-passes through the teeth of defenses. He’s also adept at reading passing lanes. Opposing teams often look confused when he comes out of nowhere to pick off passes.
4. Skill – In addition to all of the aforementioned abilities, he’s still a skilled basketball player. He has the ability to consistently knock down shots from spots all over the floor. He can handle the ball well with either hand, whether it be creating a scoring opportunity for himself or others. His skill alone would allow him to be a dominant player at this stage.

At the moment, he’s arguably one of the top middle school players in eastern North Carolina. There is a ton of time between now and his graduation year in 2027. Until then, let’s enjoy watching him live out his process. Check out some of his footage below. To be continued.