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Janiyah Hargrave Interview | Five-Star 2028 Recruit, Ohio State Champion & USA Basketball Prospect
Spotify / Apple Podcast Description — Janiyah Hargrave Some players have talent. Some have athleticism. Some have the mentality to keep coming no matter what happens. Janiyah “The Grave Digger” Hargrave is bringing all three. On this episode of SportsLifeTalk’s You Got Next, we head to Ohio to sit down with one of the most exciting prospects in the Class of 2028. The 5-foot-10 guard has already built an impressive résumé that includes a state championship, an undefeated 28-0 high school season, five-star recognition, and multiple invitations to compete at USA Basketball trials. But Janiyah will be the first to tell you none of it happened overnight. Her basketball story started in elementary school, playing outside with her father and battling her twin brother in one-on-one games. Those early family battles helped create the toughness and competitiveness that have become trademarks of her game. When asked whether her success came naturally, Janiyah doesn't hesitate: blood, sweat, tears and hard work. And when you watch her play, you see the results. Janiyah describes her game as FAST—and that's putting it mildly. She attacks the basket, impacts both ends of the floor, rebounds from the guard position, creates turnovers and plays with an athleticism that immediately jumps off the screen. She's already producing at a high level, but what makes her dangerous is that she knows exactly where she wants to improve. Janiyah discusses working on becoming more consistent with her pull-up jumper and catch-and-shoot three-point shot. She knows defenders already have to respect her ability to attack the rim, and becoming an even more dangerous shooter could open another dimension to her game. We also dive into her experience with USA Basketball, where Janiyah has had the opportunity to compete against some of the best young players in America. She talks about learning to communicate, meeting new people and becoming more comfortable competing in an environment where everyone on the floor can play. Then there's the championship run. Janiyah helped her high school team complete a perfect 28-0 season and capture an Ohio Division I state championship. And the way they finished it sounds like something straight out of a movie. With the championship game hanging in the balance, teammate Kayla Florin connected on a deep buzzer-beater to force overtime. Janiyah says her team then took control in the extra period—and she finished the championship game with 26 points. Perfect season. State championship. Twenty-six on the biggest stage. Yeah… “The Grave Digger” feels pretty appropriate. But one of the biggest themes throughout this conversation is relentlessness. When given the words powerful, dominant and relentless to describe her game, Janiyah immediately puts relentless at No. 1. Her reasoning is simple: when things go wrong, she doesn't give up. She keeps working until she can make it right. That mentality also shapes how she approaches recruiting. As one of the country's highly regarded young prospects, Janiyah will have plenty of opportunities, but she's looking for something deeper than a recognizable logo. She wants a college environment that feels like family—a place where people genuinely support her and where she knows she's made the right decision. And because You Got Next is about more than basketball, we also meet Janiyah away from the court. She plays percussion. She loves burgers, fries and Oreo milkshakes. She's a gamer who enjoys NBA 2K. Her favorite superhero is The Flash because, naturally, he's fast too. Her playlist includes Brent Faiyaz, Daniel Caesar, Tems, Rod Wave and Elevation Worship—and she even gives SportsLifeTalk an unexpected live performance during the Initiation. Janiyah wants to keep working, become more consistent, continue developing her game and eventually play basketball at a major college program. Considering what she's already accomplished, you probably don't want to bet against her.
