Jahmai Drayton – New Hope Photo: Bradley Steiner (IG)
By: Faith Harris
Jahmai Drayton was given no mercy when he made his US basketball debut in the Capitol Hoops Summer League. Drayton’s Fairfax Christian team had to face the nationally ranked Jackson Reed Tigers in its first game. In Drayton’s second showing, he was dunked on in a viral clip labeled as one of Capitol Hoops’ “Dunks of the Summer.”
The game’s pace was different in the DMV, and Drayton knew he had to work harder to make it. That fire in the 6’11 forward that brought drastic changes is the same fuel that brought him to America originally: a new level of ball. He was insistent on getting to that level and had the work ethnic to do it.
“When I first came to America and I played, it was more fast paced,” Drayton said. “So having to adjust to that, it was most definitely a challenge.”
A year later, Drayton’s the one making highlight-worthy plays for his squad in the Summer League and starting to get offers he’s dreamed of. He averaged nearly a double-double per game during the CHSL season and has been highlighted as one of the best big men in the 56-team league. It’s a testimony to the insistence and hard work Drayton had to make it, and the people around him who supported that growth.
Five years ago, Drayton had never played competitive basketball. The Trinidad native was recruited at just 12 years old while walking in his neighborhood when Kern George, a coach at New Chapter Academy in Trinidad and Tobago, spotted him. Drayton was already 6’2 at that time.
“The moment I saw him, I just knew,” George said. “There was something about his presence.”
George was a former classmate of Drayton’s mother and asked her if he could join the program, kickstarting his career. The real challenge began there to teach Drayton not just basketball, but how to have coordination within his stature. George has to start “from the ground up” on basic movements like running or jumping properly, the coach stated.
New Chapter Academy taught Drayton the grind it was going to take to reach his vision of Division One basketball. New Chapter practiced at 5:30 a.m., and Drayton was ready an hour before to make the ride with his coach to workouts. His quick dedication to the game stood out to George. His coach recalled a day Drayton was asked about his dream program, and his player quickly answered, “Gonzaga.”
“That told me everything I needed to know about the size of his vision,” George said.
As he continued to develop as a player, Drayton also grew physically; Within six months at New Chapter, he had shot up to 6’6. George made the tough decision as his coach to send Drayton’s film out to overseas programs where his player could continue developing to reach that vision..
“I knew in my heart that keeping him in Trinidad would have limited him,” George said. “He needed more.”
Drayton received a scholarship to play with Zentro Basket in Spain and moved there at the beginning of 2023. Latin American basketball was characterized by more technique-focused training, where Drayton focused on refining his skills. He played there until September and spent the following school year in Mexico at the NBA Academy Latin America.
Drayton stepped off the plane in America in May 2024 and immediately began playing Summer League games with Fairfax Christian, a private school in Virginia. The group went just 2-6 in CHSL play, and Drayton averaged 5.9 PPG and 3.3 rebounds.
He didn’t settle for that performance. Drayton would wake up at 5 a.m. every morning and run a trail near his home to get in shape. He trained with Curtis Yarbough, owner of MoSkillz Basketball Training, who has crafted multiple collegiate players from the DMV area. He hit the gym daily and trained twice, sometimes three times a day, in the summer and continued to work through the season.
“I wanted it bad,” Drayton said. “I wanted to get better.”
Despite all his training, Drayton didn’t feel like he was hitting his full potential yet. A transfer to New Hope Academy midseason gave him the freedom and support he needed as a player to develop.
“I came there [through] half of the year and they really trusted me, like actually trusted me with the ball,” Drayton said. “When I got to New Hope, they trusted me, and I just started firing.”
The work paid off in season when Drayton exploded on the stat sheet. He averaged a double-double during New Hope’s season and posted his first career triple-double in February, finishing with 16 points, 22 rebounds, and 12 blocks against CMIT. He also joined the Washington Warriors AAU program and posted his first double-double there under a month into his career.
That coach and support system were right alongside Drayton when he received his first division offer on April 15.
“My AAU coach handed me the phone on the call,” Drayton said. “I was excited because I was always wondering, like, ‘What does that feel like?’”
When Bryant University extended the offer, it was bigger than just him. It was an offer and a moment for the village of people that supported him through his many stops to become the best player he could be. Drayton called both his parents, and his mom was in tears hearing the news, he stated. He’s picked up another five offers since then.
Just a year later in the league that started his US journey, Drayton doubled his production in the Summer League. He finished in the Top 5 for blocks per game and averaged another 13.3 PPG and 8.6 rebounds. The CHSL has been a safe place for him to test new skills, so he’s comfortable with them when high school comes around in the fall. George Mason and Old Dominion extended offers to Drayton throughout the Summer League season.
Drayton has two years remaining in high school ball before taking the next step. As his stock continues to grow, Drayton wants coaches to see his versatility as a player. Outside of his presence in the paint, the forward/center can shoot and dribble to make those necessary shots. His diversity in play experiences at such a young age has taught him multiple ways to approach the game.
With his playing background and such drastic improvement in just a year, he’s an intriguing prospect to coaches and teams looking for a big man. Despite where he lands, Drayton has proven he has the confidence and the work ethic to succeed at the next level and wherever basketball takes him.
“People [have] been telling me they’re proud of me for my improvement from last year to this year,” Drayton said. “I’m proud of myself too.”