Legend Smiley, top Washington high school basketball prospect, leaving Garfield for California prep school
For the second year in a row, the top high school basketball prospect in Washington is leaving the state for a prep school.
Legend Smiley, a three-year standout guard at Garfield and reigning Metro League MVP, is leaving Seattle to play his senior season at Southern California Basketball Academy.
The 6-foot-5 Smiley is a four-star prospect, the No. 20 shooting guard in the country and No. 91 overall player, according to ESPN, and holds offers from Washington, UNLV, Montana, Utah State and, reportedly as of Tuesday morning, St. John's, among others.
It's been a busy June for Smiley, who could be poised to add to his crop of offers after a strong showing throughout spring EYBL circuits and June showcases. He played — and stood out — at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, then played with Garfield at Section 7 in Arizona last week.
A methodical creator, knock-down outside shooter and high-flyer at the rim, Smiley earned a spot in Garfield's rotation as a freshman, played alongside now-Washington Huskies guard Koren Johnson.
He led Garfield as a sophomore and starred for Seattle Rotary Nike EYBL in the offseason, and his game matured as he he grew physically and became one of the top prospects in the Pacific Northwest.
As a junior, Smiley averaged 23.5 points per game and helped Garfield to the Metro League quarterfinals, where it lost to O'Dea. He helped Garfield win the class 3A state championship as a sophomore and left the Tacoma Dome with 3A state tournament MVP honors.
Last June, four-star guard Zoom Diallo left Curtis to play his senior season at Prolific Prep (California) after leading the Tacoma school to two 4A state championships.
Diallo, who is signed with Washington, is the nation's No. 5 point guard in 2024 (247 Sports) and was the top prospect in Washington when he left.
-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports
ANDY BUHLER