Lakes’ 6-foot-7 forward Kenzel Massey one of South Sound’s top basketball recruits
Moving from Baltimore, Maryland, to Pierce County wasn’t the only big change in Kenzel Massey’s life as a sixth-grader.
He also started to grow — quickly. Massey shot up from 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-2 that year and hasn’t stopped, currently standing just above 6-foot-7 as a junior at Lakes High School.
But Massey, who spent his freshman year at Foss High School before transferring to Lakes in his sophomore year, isn’t a slow, clunky, back-to-the-basket kind of big man for Lakes. He’s a fluid stretch four with a guard’s handle, impressive athleticism and a jump shot to match.
Considered a four-star prospect and the state’s No. 7 ranked junior recruit by 247sports.com, Massey has been one of the area’s most dynamic scorers this season for Lakes (7-5 overall, 4-3 PCL 3A). He’s averaging 21.1 points per game and 5.6 rebounds, shooting 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the arc.
“He’s a do-it-all player,” said Lakes coach Jordan Barnes. “He plays both sides of the ball extremely well. He’s really long. He’s 6-foot-7 but probably has a 7-foot wing span. His ability to defend, ability to extend on his jump shots — there’s not many kids who are going to block his shot. He can get down the lane. He’s kind of universal. He can go grab a rebound, get a key blocked shot.”
And Massey handles the ball well for his size, too. For someone who harbors ambitions of one day playing in the NBA, he received some advice from a middle school basketball coach that stuck with him.
“He told me to be a guard,” Massey said. “In the league, you’re not going to be a 6-foot-7 post player. You need to work on things that will help you in the future.”
That versatility has made Massey tough to defend this year. Guards and undersized matching up against him defensively, and post players are too slow.
“When you put a 4 or a 5 on him, often times, he’ll make them look foolish,” Barnes said. “They’re used to guarding an inside post presence. But he can shoot and he can take you out of your comfort zone. He can take advantage in multiple ways. That’s what makes him a little more dynamic than most post players. He’s a stretch wing that can shoot the ball and get to the hoop. He suits really well for the next level.”
It took Massey some time to grow into his body as an underclassman and acclimate to the speed of high school basketball, but this season has been his true breakout campaign.
“His growth has been in his ability to take advantage of the moment and capitalize,” Barnes said. “He capitalizes on big shots and big moments. That maturation is hitting him. It’s good that he’s doing it now as a junior. He’s learning every day.”
Colleges have taken notice, too. The offers haven’t rolled in yet but there’s definite Division-I interest. Barnes said he fields several calls every week from college coaches inquiring about Massey. The junior forward said he’s been consistently talking with the University of Portland, Pepperdine, Montana and Idaho State.
“They like that I’m an offensive player,” he said. “They know my game. Right now, I’m just getting information about the schools that will help me to know about the schools.”
Massey, who right now is a somewhat lanky forward, said the next step is to add some weight to his frame and said he plans to make that a priority in the offseason.
“That’s my goal this summer,” he said. “I want to be stronger. That’s what’s keeping me from being one of the top players in the country. I want to work on my defense, too. Other than that, get more consistent, get bigger and stronger, so nobody can knock me off my path.”
