Josh Primo becomes first AZ Compass Prep basketball player taken in NBA draft

Chandler AZ Compass Prep's national high school basketball program has only been around four years but can now say it has one of its players in the NBA.

Josh Primo was taken by the San Antonio Spurs as the 12th overall selection of Thursday's NBA Draft.

Primo played two seasons ago at AZ Compass Prep, joining a team that included now Kentucky guard TyTy Washington, Frankie Collins (Michigan) and Jabari Walker (Colorado).

Primo, 18, is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard who came from Canada to be part of AZ Compass Prep. He played one year at Alabama before entering the draft.

"I knew it when I first got him," AZ Compass Prep director Pete Kaffey said. "I told my staff, 'This kid is an NBA player.'

"He was the youngest kid to play on the Canadian national team. He shot the ball so well."

Kaffey isn't surprised that Primo went as high as he did in the draft, the youngest player at 18.

"His youth plays a big part," Kaffey said. "He's the youngest player in the NBA draft. He's got the positional size. He's very skilled for his position."

Kaffey, former recruiting coordinator at Henderson (Nevada) Findlay Prep, said that Primo reminds him of Rashad Vaughn when he was at Findlay Prep in 2014, before playing at UNLV, then entering the NBA draft. Vaughn was the 17th overall selection in the 2015 draft, four spots behind current Suns star Devin Booker.

"The NBA really values shooting and youth," Kaffey said.

Kaffey can see another future NBA draft pick in Washington, among others, from his program.

"We've only been around for four years," Kaffey said. "We want to let the state of Arizona know we're doing something positive. We watch to change lives. I think we're on the right track."

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