Elite Wing Dontrez Styles Continues to Draw Big Interest
Kinston (N.C.) wing Dontrez Styles isn’t atypical of most high school basketball players who dream of racking up multiple Division I offers, taking extravagant official visits to campuses and receiving the full-court recruiting press from the top college basketball coaches in the country.
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What’s different about Styles is, well, he’s living that reality; just don’t expect him to contain his excitement about living his dream.
“Oh no, I recognize that it’s all a blessing,” Styles said.
The 6-foot-6 junior has taken visits to N.C. State and North Carolina and is also being pursued by everyone from Wake Forest to Maryland to Clemson, among many others.
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Louisville and Kansas were the most recent schools to reach out.
“I still get excited about the calls and texts and new schools,” Styles said. “It’s all fun for me.”
He said that, while he “wasn’t a fan of a particular team,” he did envision himself playing in specific conferences.
“Growing up, I always wanted to play in the ACC or the SEC,” Styles said. “But now I’m just open. Of course I’d love to play in those conferences, but I just want to go where it’s the right fit for me.”
For now, Styles said he’s putting his recruitment on the backburner to focus on pursuing a state title after falling last season in the third round of the state playoffs to eventual champion Farmville (N.C.) Central.
This season, Styles is averaging 21 points, eight rebounds and two assists a game for the Vikings.
“I need that state title so that’s what I’m putting everything in to,” Styles said. “I’m at school before it starts at 6 a.m. working out and going hard. I’m the last one to leave practice just getting extra shots up too. I know people work hard, but I always want to be the hardest worker in the room. I know that’s what got me here and I know that’s what’s gonna take me further.”