๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ Diamond Doves Season Preview

The Diamond Doves are on the rise, heading into the season with lofty expectations thanks to blossoming superstar, Javon Bardwell. Learn all about the Diamond Doves roster down below.

Diamond Doves Season Preview

๐Ÿ“ Key Returners: Javon Bardwell, Anthony Granger

๐Ÿ“ Key Departures: Deshawn Gory, Isaiah Henry, Kaidon Rayfield

๐Ÿ“ Head Coach: Jud Kinne

๐Ÿ“ 2025 Regular Season Record: 8-12

๐Ÿ“ 2025 Playoff Finish: L, 77-110 vs. Cold Hearts (1st Round)

๐Ÿ“ Top Storyline: Can the Doves break their curse? 

The Diamond Doves have been a cursed franchise in their brief existence, falling in the first round in each of their first two years at OTE. However, last season they showed signs of improvement, as they finished the regular season in fifth place. The question is are those signs of improvement a precursor of bigger and better things to come in the regular season and more importantly in the playoffs? The answer to those questions will fall squarely on the shoulders of blossoming superstar Javon Bardwell ๐Ÿคฉ

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 ๐Ÿ˜ค

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 ๐Ÿ’ช

The Diamond Doves also added a couple of top international prospects to this seasonโ€™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 ๐ŸŒŽ

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 yearโ€™s squad. The Diamond Doves schedule will be released in the coming weeks so make sure to stay tuned into OTEโ€™s social pages ๐Ÿ“ฑ

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