Quinton Pressley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com.

Remember his name.

Mekhi Walcott, class of ‘27, is going to be a player to look out for.  The 16-year-old guard is heading into his sophomore year and has already made the Northeast section take note. Walcott dropped a career high 20 points against Casteel High earlier this season, showcasing his crafty playstyle and diverse scoring ability.

Originally from Sacramento, Calif., Walcott moved to Arizona when he was 4. Basketball was inevitably going to find its way to Walcott because he grew up with his whole family playing the sport. 

“I always had a ball in my hand since I was a baby,” said Walcott.

His family didn’t just play the sport, they excelled at it. His uncle, Ryan,  played at UCLA and his uncle Mike spent some time in the NBA. Walcott added that he looks up to them and they are his biggest inspirations.

The combo guard takes a lot of pride in being a basketball player and believes it’s a huge part of what makes him who he is.

“I feel like basketball is a big part of my identity,” said Walcott.

Before becoming a starting freshman on the varsity team, Walcott gained notice after he set the AAU scene ablaze. Instagram account, Cazzieballislife, posted two highlight reels for the point guard, which started his stock to rise. 

“It was cool to be able to get my name out there,” said Walcott. 

The trending hooper then approached his next biggest challenge, varsity basketball. As expected, the transition from AAU was not a piece of cake, due to the faster pace of play.

However, just making the team wasn’t enough for “Kthang”, he wanted to prove that he deserved a spot on the court. Walcott trusted the process and eventually became a starter for the championship contending Wolves. 

“It was a grind…then I ended up starting,” said Walcott.

The Wolves ended up going 21-8 during the season and won two playoff games before falling to Basha High School in the quarter finals. Even though the season didn’t end up how he wanted, there were still important lessons he learned along the way.

“My biggest lesson learnt this season is don’t take anything for granted,” said Walcott.

Walcott also got to enjoy playing with his incredibly talented cousins, Kalek and Kaden House. He equally enjoys playing with all of his teammates, but being able to play with family is a rare thing.

Walcott has the potential and toolset to go the distance. He has dreams of playing Division 1 college basketball and eventually to make it pro. With his confidence and belief in himself there truly is no telling what he can accomplish.

Looking forward to next year, the Desert Mountain Wolves are stacked and hungry to win it all. So be warned, Walcott and his pack are on the way.