Stokes Makes Unexpected Mark at McDonald's
Instead of the flashiest, Stokes was the subtly reliable star in a win for the West
Tyran Stokes wasn’t the game’s MVP or flashiest star. Still, his McDonald’s All-American Game performance was the stuff of dreams – at least for college coaches holding their breaths that he’ll soon choose them, then the pro scouts after that.
Project forward his role in the West’s 102-86 victory Tuesday night in Glendale, Ariz., and you just might see Stokes as a starting point guard, at least a very troublesome 6-foot-8, two-hundred-and-however-many-pounds combo guard, in an NBA All-Star Game, coming soon to an arena near you.
Stokes didn’t just stuff a couple of shots, he subtly stuffed the box score, tallying 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal.
In Seattle, we’ve become accustomed to seeing Tyran Stokes as a nightly fireworks show for Rainier Beach High School and that’s what the rest of the country already has seen, too. Playing on national TV against the top senior high-school players and prospects in the country, he revealed a side of himself that’s perhaps even more tantalizing: playmaker, crunch-time redeemer, a ticking timebomb impossible to diffuse that may not actually have to explode to wreak destruction.
Stokes played a lot like he did for Rainier Beach, deferring early on and trying to get his teammates involved, while talking on defense and making sure the ball moved on offense. He jumped in front of a pass and took the steal downcourt for a slam. He influenced shots and blocked a couple. When the game was on the line, then he really came to life.
It started less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Stokes had the ball in the right corner. He quickly faked left, then right, and exploded along the baseline for a reverse layup. He scored another reverse on a fast-break run-out, then made the best pass of the night, tossing a laser beam from beyond midcourt to Michigan-bound Quinn Costello for a layup.
Stokes followed that up with a well-executed cut down the lane for a pass and layup, and he closed his own scoring with 2:04 to play. Taking the ball at around the foul line, he dribbled it behind his back, spun all the way around, scored a layup through contact, and sank the free throw for a three-point play.
Jason Crowe Jr., who signed with Missouri, and Caleb Holt, who is headed down the road to Arizona, were named co-MVPs. They provided expected flash. Stokes offered something unexpected but undoubtedly more appreciated by people who would know the difference.