There are some players who stand out as a young age showing a lot of potential, and then you have those who you have no doubt as young players are destined to be stars. The latter is the category that 5'5" guard Kaia Henderson (New Hartford '22) falls as she continues to prove herself as one of New York's best every time she hits the court.
As a 7th Grader two years ago Henderson played on the varsity level and averaged 13 points per game for the Spartans, but as an 8th Grader this past season she turned it up to a different level by dominating Syracuse area teams to the tune of 26 points, 6 steals, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists a game.
For anyone of any age those numbers would be incredible, but for someone who is just entering high school for the first time this week like Henderson they are numbers that prove she is a big-time talent with a sure fire high-major Division 1 future.
While playing against players in the Section 3 region who were in some cases 5 years older than her, Henderson was nothing short of a star doing anything and everything asked of her by her New Hartford team.
Once the summer came and it was AAU season and that's when Henderson really broke out on a national stage. She was playing with the Syracuse Royals and played up on the 17u level, going against many of the top guards in the country which proved to be no problem for Henderson as again she showed to be a lightning quick guard with the ability to create for others displaying great court vision, while also scoring from near anywhere on the floor.
Even though Henderson was very young for her Royals team she was looked upon as a leader and showed to be mature well beyond her years, a role she says she embraced as the summer went on.
"I love to talk so I think that helps being a point guard," Henderson said. "I like to pass and cut too so I'm always ready to make plays for my teammates and score when I can too."
Many would've thought that playing against a higher level of competition throughout the month of July with the Royals would've rattled Henderson, but it seems that just the opposite was the case as she herself said that she was as focused as ever and wasn't surprised by her performance knowing exactly what she was capable of regardless of who was in front of her.
With 4 years of high school still to go Henderson's stock should only continue to rise but already according to Syracuse Royals coach and program director Matt Oswalt the likes of Syracuse, Villanova, Providence, Virginia Tech, and UMass have already begun to make Henderson a priority.
It truly is scary to think just how good Henderson could end up being. A great kid both on and off the court, everyone admits that the sky is the limit for Henderson according to her coaches, with Henderson saying she is still in awe a bit of the attention that is coming her way as she puts her name firmly on the page as one of the best young prospects in the country.
"I'm honored by it all really," Henderson stated. "I hope people see me as someone who can play well, and good things can happen for me in the future."
