The photo here is not Photoshopped. And it is not a giant playing against little kids. It’s 13-year-old Isiah Stokes of Memphis, who stands at 6-foot-7, making him look like a giant playing against little kids.
Stokes is the younger brother of sophomore Jarnell Stokes, basketball player at the University of Tennessee. He’s just an inch taller than his kid brother, who, by the way, already is being recruited by the Volunteers to play basketball there.
Isiah Stokes is in the eighth grade.
And he is a terror. On the basketball court, he is just as intimidating against a bunch of 13-year-olds. And while he probably makes a mean defensive end on the football field, on the basketball court he’s well on his way to becoming one of the most sought-after players in the country.
He scored 29 points and 8 rebounds with 2 assists in one highly publicized AAU tournament outing. It was a dominating performance that made college coaches drool.
Not only does he tower over his middle school peers, but he is 220 pounds, too. With his brother at 6-foot-8, it’s apparent there’s a serious growth gene in the family. Meaning, there is no telling how tall Jarnell Stokes will end up. If he does add a few more inches, watch out. In fact, scratch that. Even if he doesn’t grow, Isiah is already 6-foot-7 – plenty tall enough to do damage in the athletic world.
The quicker he gets on with that future, the quicker middle school running backs can play football without fear of being assaulted by Big Foot.
That photo of Stokes chasing down the ball carrier, which was provided on Instagram by his brother, shows the phenomenal disparity in size that makes Stokes a phenom that will bear watching for years to come.
