Jaxson Davis announces he’s leaving Warren, will play senior season at Kansas prep school

Warren boys basketball coach Zack Ryan has known Jaxson Davis since Davis was in the sixth grade.

“When I was at Carmel (Catholic), COVID happened,” Ryan said Friday. “I didn’t know what to do so I started a Zoom camp from my driveway. This was May 2020. That was the first time I kind of saw him. I’ve known him and his dad a long time.”

On Friday Davis, the three-time captain of the Daily Herald Lake County All-Area team, announced on social media he is transferring from Warren to prep school Monarch Academy in Kansas City, Kansas.

Monarch Academy competes in the Nike EYBL Scholastic League, one of the top high school basketball leagues in the country.

Ryan said he met with Davis on Monday and learned about the move. Ryan added Davis informed his Warren teammates last week as well.

“Jaxson is doing what is in his best interest for him, basketball-wise,” Ryan said. “I support that and I wish him nothing but the best. We had a good, long conversation. You could tell it was tough for him to do that, but at the end of the day he is doing what is best for him and his development. As much as it is sad to see him go for Warren and the state of Illinois, he is doing what he thinks is best for him and I 100% support his decision.”

Davis did not return a message Friday.

“My goal has always been to challenge myself, continue growing and become the best player I can be, and after careful consideration, I believe the opportunity to compete on the EYBL Scholastic circuit will provide the highest level of competition and best prepare me for the transition from high school basketball to the high-major collegiate level,” he wrote on social media.

Ryan called Davis not only a great player, “but a great kid, too,” he said. “It’s a big loss for Warren and a big loss for the community. We had a great three-year run together, won a lot of basketball games and broke a lot of records. We had individual and team accolades. I told him, ‘Hey, man, we had a great run.’

“Everyone’s path is different and he’s taking a different route. It’s part of the landscape of how high school basketball and college is these days, and that’s the reality. I’m happy for him and can’t wait to keep following him.”

Davis, regarded as the top Class of 2027 recruit in Illinois, averaged a Lake County-best 23.8 points last season in helping Warren go 30-4, win the North Suburban Conference title at 14-0 and advance to a Class 4A sectional that likely would have had a different result had Davis not been injured in practice the day before the sectional semifinals.

Warren played in the Class 4A championship game his sophomore season, losing to Benet.

He leaves Warren as its all-time leading scorer with 2,163 points and was 520 points shy of breaking the county all-time scoring record held by New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson of Stevenson.

Davis also won the last two Illinois Mr. Basketball awards.

Earlier this week Davis announced a scholarship offer from Kentucky, one of 18 high-major offers he has. He also has offers from much of the Big Ten.