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Deyonta Davis was always on the national radar, but he was sharply undervalued when he committed to Michigan State in December of 2013. When he chose the Spartans over Memphis, Iowa State, and Northern Illinois, 247 Sports' composite rankings listed Davis as the 162nd best player in the class. From the moment he committed the spotlight on Deyonta grew and he has taken advantage of the new attention scouts have been giving him. With his junior year in front of him, his collegiate decision behind him, and the Big Ten patiently waiting in the wings, Davis had a huge opportunity on his plate and dove in accordingly.
Deyonta was hugely effective as a junior for Muskegon High School, helping them to win a Class A state title while racking up considerable numbers for himself. Like many high school post players destined for high major collegiate play, Davis averaged a double-double putting up 15 points per game and pulling down over 13 rebounds per contest. His production continued into AAU play, where he matched up against more well-known prospects and prospered.
Writers and scouts have taken notice. On Tuesday, Davis made his biggest splash yet in the world of recruiting when he landed at 18 on ESPN's latest rankings for the class of 2015. ESPN is currently the only service that ranks Deyonta as a five-star player, but he has risen on other boards as well. Davis is now ranked 34th in 247 Sports' composite rankings and, with his senior season ahead of him, still has plenty of time to impress scouts before joining the collegiate ranks. Tom Izzo looks to have spotted a diamond in the rough in Davis and more and more it looks like the Michigan State Spartans will have quite a player on their hands before Deyonta leaves campus.