By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Jaylen Petty, a 6’0” guard, has returned to Rainier Beach High School for his senior season. Petty, a University of New Mexico commit, left Rainier Beach after his freshman year when his family moved to Auburn, WA. Petty, who spent two years playing and setting records as a member of the Auburn High School basketball team, says that he is happy to return to his old neighborhood and hopes to lead the Vikings to a state championship.
“My family moved out to Auburn after my freshman year, and now we are back in the neighborhood I grew up in — the ‘Southend,’” says Petty with a big smile. “As for Seattle, I have grown up here, but I loved Auburn, and I do miss it. But Seattle is where I grew up, so it wasn’t different for me to come back and feel at home.”
Rainier Beach Head Basketball Coach Mike Bethea felt that his team was incomplete after the departure of Petty, and says it meant the world to him to have Petty back on the team for his senior year.
“When he first came in, we had a group of buddies that all came in together, and we felt that we had a team that could make a strong run to the state championship, but it was incomplete without Jaylen after he left,” says Bethea.
“They all came to me together, played AAU together, and he was just kind of like that missing piece, and when his parents moved back into the area, from a team and friends’ standpoint, it just meant the world to the team,” added Bethea. “From a coaching standpoint, to bring Jaylen back [was huge]. [Jaylen] is what I call a closer, and I think he can close the deal for us at state this year.”
Jaylen’s mother, Nicole Petty, says that the family has a rich athletic legacy in Seattle and that it’s only fitting that Jaylen finishes out his high school career in Seattle.
“Both of his sisters played basketball at Rainier Beach, his older brother played at Beach and Auburn, his dad played at Garfield, and I played at Garfield and ran track there as well. This community has been home for us; this is where he grew up,” Nicole said. “It was a great experience for him at Auburn. They have an amazing coach, but of course, coming back to where he started was a good experience as well.”
During his two seasons at Auburn, Petty played in 63 games, was named the North Puget Sound League MVP both years, and led the Trojans to the state tournament twice. In addition, he reached a scoring milestone of 1,000 points in just 45 games.
“I feel that I reached 1,000 points quickly because, with the belief and freedom from Coach Hansen, and any coach, I am able to accomplish great things,” Petty said. “But, throughout my two seasons at Auburn, I never thought I was close, lol.”
Looking back on his high school career, Petty feels that from his freshman year to his senior year, he has seen a lot of growth that has helped make him a better player.
“My knowledge, strive, confidence, consistency — all things that always could drive you to be better — have grown me as a player,” Petty said. “But really, my love of the game and wanting to continue to show who I am through being a basketball player really keeps me getting better each year.”
Recently, Petty led the Vikings to a 100-32 blowout win over the Nathan Hale Raiders, where he set the Rainier Beach single-game scoring record of 61 points, along with 15 assists and 15 steals. A major accomplishment considering that many current and former NBA players like Marjon Beauchamp, Doug Christie, Jamal Crawford, Dejounte Murray, Kevin Porter Jr., Nate Robinson, and Terrance Williams all played basketball for Rainier Beach.
“It is always a blessing to know you were able to make history in your hometown. As well as the love and support of the past legends who put on the jersey before me continues to bless me,” said Petty.
“I don’t really focus on how many points I score, but what I can do to help my team. The energy and determination we all have helps me get the points that I score,” he added. “I am proud of the support and love that I have received.
I have been able to keep driving to get better within God, knowing that he is always with me and teaches me lessons along the way.”
When it comes to his playing style, Bethea compares Petty to former NBA star Allen Iverson.
“I compare him so much to Allen Iverson. Jaylen reminds me so much of Iverson — that same swagger and same killer instinct,” Bethea said. “You know, they’re both undersized, but it is almost to Jaylen’s advantage, and he is that Iverson-type player.”
While Petty returns to Rainier Beach with his own personal set of accolades, he is quick to point out that basketball is a team sport. And as a team, Rainier Beach — the top-ranked team in the state — is loaded with talent. With players like Kaden Powers, Nyale Robinson, and others, Rainier Beach is expected to make another run for a state championship — something that eluded them last year when they lost to Eastside Catholic, 65-57, in the state 3A championship game.
“Teamwork is everything,” says Petty. “You can’t win one versus five.”
“In the game of basketball, to see your brothers win, get buckets, and have fun is what it is all about,” added Petty. “It is never about the tough teams we face, but the discipline and teamwork of your own. So, with that, I plan to win state with my family — Beach — and show that there is no doubt to what you can do with God behind you.”
According to Nicole, Jaylen is just as focused on his grades as he is on the court. His older brother, “Junior,” was an exceptional student and, leading by example, helped instill the same values of education into Jaylen.
“Jaylen is an exceptional student-athlete. He is driven and gives it his all both in the classroom and on the court. Ever since he was younger, he has always been one of those students where, if he saw something that didn’t look right in the grade book, he would advocate for himself and contact his teachers,” Nicole said. “His older brother set the tone for him by coming home with really good grades and [Jaylen saw] the positive response that it had.”
One thing that Petty does not have to worry about is where he will go to school next year. Petty chose the University of New Mexico over offers from eight other schools, including the University of Washington.
“One of the things I told him is to be able to come in here his senior year and put himself in a position to be able to go to the school that he wanted to go to. And I am happy he chose New Mexico to play at the next level,” Bethea said. “Coach Pitino and I are really close friends, almost family, and I know that I am handing them off an extension to me.”
Nicole’s main priority as a mother is her son’s happiness as he finishes his senior year at Rainier Beach and transitions to the next level in basketball. She values his character and faith, emphasizing that who he is as a person matters most.
“I know in basketball that his main goal is to win and to compete. We are on this journey together, and after college, he has goals of continuing to play beyond that,” Nicole said. “I support those goals of his, but for me as a mother, his character and who he is as a person is more important, and I am so grateful to see him on this journey because ever since he was really young, this is what he has wanted, and he is doing it.”
Petty feels incredibly grateful to be living his childhood dream of playing basketball at the next level. He firmly believes that, with God by his side, there’s nothing he can’t achieve.
“Knowing what you want in life, what possibilities and opportunities you can gain just by doing what you love is mind-blowing, and I know God is with me every step of the way, so why not try my best in everything that I do,” Petty concluded.
Source: Seattle Medium
