@fullname - Sports Extra - Kansas State University Athletics

Photo by: Lathe Cobb Photography

Dai Dai Ames

Position:
Guard
Ht./Wt.:
6-1 / 185
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Chicago, Ill.
High School:
Kenwood Academy

FEATURES (click on headline for link)

Quality Strides in a Short Time (K-State Sports Extra, Nov. 28, 2023)
Ready for the Moment (K-State Sports Extra, Nov. 6, 2023)

HONORS

2023 Jordan Brand Classic All-American
2022, 2023 Class 4A First Team All-State Team (AP, City/Suburban Hoops Report)
2023 Class 4A First Team All-Stat Team (Illinois Basketball Coaches Association)
2022, 2023 First Team All-City Team (Chicago Sun-Times)
2022, 2023 All-Area (Chicago Sun-Times)

CAREER OVERVIEW

Opted to transfer in April 2024 after one season (2023-24) at K-State.
Played 31 games with 16 starts as a true freshman in 2023-24, averaging 5.2 points, 2.0 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game.
Arrived at K-State after a stellar career at Kenwood Academy in Chicago for head coach Mike Irvin, helping the Broncos to 54 wins the past 2 seasons and back-to-back Illinois Class 4A Super-Sectional titles – the first in the school’s history.
Scored more than 1,500 career points in his prep career, including an epic school-record 65-point outburst in a win over Southland College Prep on Dec. 26, 2022.
Just the school’s third-ever Jordan Brand Classic All-American and one of 5 such Big 12 freshmen to earn the honor.
Apart of a high-regarded freshman class that was rated in the top 25 by several organizations, including No. 18 by 247Sports, No. 22 by ESPN and No. 24 by Rivals.

Career-High Points: 16 at Iowa (3/19/24) while at K-State
Career-High Rebounds: 5 at Texas (2/19/24) while at K-State
Career-High Assists: 7 vs. South Dakota State (11/13/23) while at K-State
Career-High Steals: 3, twice

vs. Bellarmine (11/10/23)
at LSU (12/9/23)

AS A FRESHMAN AT K-STATE (2023-24) | 5.2 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 2.0 APG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)

Helped guide the Wildcats to a 19-15 overall record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and a trip to the NIT.
Saw action in 31 of 34 games, with 16 starts, including each of the last 13 games… Totaled 638 minutes, averaging 20.6 per game… Missed 2 games (at Texas Tech (1/13/24), vs. 9/9 Baylor (1/16/24) due to injury.
Averaged 5.2 points on 35.3 percent (54-of-153) shooting, including 32.9 percent (23-of-70) from 3-point range, with 2.0 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game… Connected on 69.8 percent (30-of-43) from the free throw line.
In his 13 consecutive starts to end the season, averaged 5.7 points on 44.8 percent (26-of-58) shooting, including 45.2 percent (14-of-31) from 3-point range, with 1.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 22 minutes per game.
Scored in double figures 8 times, including a season-best 16 points at Iowa (3/19/24) on 6-of-8 field goals, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, in the NIT First Round… Posted 3 double-digit scoring games in the last 5 games, including 10 points at No. 14/15 Kansas (3/5/24) and vs. Texas (3/13/24) in the Big 12 Championship.
Tallied 12 points in his first-ever home game vs. Bellarmine (11/10/23) on 4-of-9 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
Connected on 23 3-point field goals during the season, which ranked fourth on the team and tops among reserves… Made 2 or more treys in 6 games, including a season-high 4 at Iowa (3/19/24) in the NIT First Round.
Totaled 35 rebounds, including 24 on the defensive end… Had a season-best 5 at Texas (2/19/24).
Dished out 61 assists, which ranked third on the team… Posted at least 3 assists in 12 games with a season-high 7 vs. South Dakota State (11/13/23)… Also registered a Big 12-high 4 assists in wins over No. 25/21 BYU (2/24/24) and No. 6/6 Iowa State (3/9/24).
Saw action in 16 of 18 Big 12 games with 10 starts… Averaged 4.0 points on 37.5 percent (21-of-56) shooting, including 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from 3-point range, in league-only games with 1.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.8 minutes per game.
Scored in double figures in 2 Big 12 games, including a high of 11 points at No. 4/4 Houston (1/27/24) on 3-of-5 field goals and 4-of-4 free throws in 16 minutes.
Coached by Jerome Tang.

SUMMER 2023 | INTERNATIONAL TRIP TO ISRAEL, ABU DHABI | 7.3 PPG, 1.7 APG, 1.3 RPG

Played in all 3 games with 1 start in the Wildcats’ historic 10-day trip to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel, and Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., which ran from August 9-20.
Averaged 7.3 points on 38.9 percent (7-of-18) shooting with 1.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 21.7 minutes per game.
Scored in all 3 games, including a tour-best 11 points vs. Al-Shajah Club (8/18/23) on 5-of-9 shooting in nearly 27 minutes… Also performed well in the close loss to Team Mexico (8/17/23) with 9 points and 3 rebounds in 23 minutes.

HIGH SCHOOL

Selected as 2023 Jordan Brand Classic All-American, becoming one of 32 high school seniors to earn the recognition… Just the third Wildcat to be chosen a Jordan Brand All-American, joining Curtis Kelly (2006) and Wally Judge (2009).
Was rated as a consensus 4-star prospect by all major recruiting services, including ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and On3… Listed among the ESPN 100 and Rivals150… Rated as a top-20 point guard nationally and the No. 2 prospect in state of Illinois by 247Sports and On3.
Played three seasons (2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23) at Kenwood Academy, where he helped the Broncos to their greatest period in school history with the school’s first-ever Class 4A Super-Sectional titles in 2022 and 2023… Helped the team to a 28-7 record, including the school’s first Chicago Public – Red South Conference title, and a trip to the Class 4A Super-Sectionals as a senior in 2022-23… The school also reached No. 1 in the IHSA Class 4A poll for the first time.
Saw action in all 35 games for Kenwood Academy as a senior in 2022-23… Averaged 21.4 points on 51.3 percent (218-of-425) shooting, including 60.6 percent (172-of-284) from inside the 3-point arc, with 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game… Connected on 81.9 percent (150-of-183) from the free throw line.
Led the team in nearly every offensive category, including scoring, field goals, 3-point field goals and free throws, as well as assists… Totaled more than 700 points (632+) on the season.
Scored 20 or more points in 15 games, including a school- and tournament-record 65-point outburst in a win over Southland College Prep on Dec. 26, 2022, at the 61^st annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament… Went 28-of-41 from the field, including 7-of-15 from 3-point range… Also added 7 assists and a season-high 7 steals.
Registered 30 points vs. Lindblom on Dec. 1, 2022, on 9-of-15 shooting and 10-of-13 free throws… Scored 27 points in a loss to nationally ranked Camden on Jan. 20, 2023… Sank 2 free throws with 5 seconds left to cap an 18-point effort in Kenwood’s first-ever win over perennial power Simeon on Jan. 10, 2023.
Tallied a double-double (points/assists) in a win over PLTHS on Jan. 17, 2023, with 23 points and a season-high 10 assists to go with 5 steals.
Twice was named First Team Class 4A All-State (2022, 2023), including consensus honors as a senior in 2022-23 from the AP, Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, Champaign News-Gazette, City/Suburban Hoops Report and SBLive… Chosen Second Team Class 4A All-State as a junior in 2021-22 by the coaches association… Also twice selected to the Chicago Sun-Times First Team All-City and All-Area teams (2022, 2023).
Led the Broncos to a 26-9 record, including an 8-1 conference mark, and their first-ever Sectional title as a junior in 2021-22… Scored 21 points in Kenwood’s 75-62 loss to rival Whitney Young in the Illinois Class 4A Super Sectional.
Missed 10 games due to injury as a junior in 2021-22… Averaged a team-leading 24 points on 58 percent (104-of-178) shooting, including 51 percent (43-of-84) from 3-point range, with 4.7 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.2 rebounds per game… Connected on 65 percent of his field goals inside the 3-point arc... Was a stellar 83 percent (38-of-46) from the free throw line… Led the team in scoring and steals and was second in assists.
Coached by Mike Irvin.

AAU

Played with the prestigious Mac Irvin Fire during the 2022 summer grassroots season.
Averaged a team-best 18.2 points on 47.5 percent shooting, including 34.6 percent from 3-point range, to go with 4.5 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 28.8 minutes per game.
Coached by Mike Irvin.

PERSONAL

Darrin Sylvestor Ames, Jr., was born on June 2, 2005, in Chicago, Ill.
Parents are Darrin and Juanita Ames… Has three older brothers (Quentin, Josh and Quenique).