️ Diamond Doves Season Preview

Bardwell is shaping up to be one of the faces of the league which was further evidenced by his announcement on Friday that he has committed to play for the Kansas Jayhawks, one of college basketballs Blue Bloods. Bardwell is coming off of a breakout season with the Diamond Doves in which he saw his rankings skyrocket and he finished the season as a finalist for the OTE Most Underrated Player award. He now enters this season ranked 26th in the class of 2027, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. Bardwell balled out last season, finishing as a top ten scorer with 17.7 PPG while also pulling down 5.4 RPG

Outside of Bardwell, the Diamond Doves have added some other talented pieces around him to hopefully bolster their unit. Jacob Williford is a three-star, 6-5 guard in the class of 2026 who is best known for his strengths and smarts on the court. Jordan Green is also a three-star prospect in the class of 2026 who has a knack for scoring from beyond the perimeter and for strong finishing at the rim. These two should complement Bardwell nicely as the Diamond Doves look to grow their team

The Diamond Doves also added a couple of top international prospects to this season’s squad. Marcus McDonald is a gifted 6-3 guard who is coming off of a summer playing for the Jamaican Senior Team at the FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifiers. The Doves also brought in Australian big man Bailey Holt who played with Australian U18 National Team in the summer of 2024

With the return of Bardwell and the infusion of new talent the Diamond Doves appear poised to make a leap in the standings. The Doves also brought in new Head Coach Jud Kinne who looks to infuse a new energy and culture into this year’s squad. The Diamond Doves schedule will be released in the coming weeks so make sure to stay tuned into OTE’s social pages