Oakland Tech’s ArDarious Grayson is the kind of point guard every coach dreams about having.
Off the floor, the 6-foot-2 floor general carries himself like a true gentleman. He takes pictures with young fans after games. He goes to the crowd to thank all of his school’s supporters. And whether he wins or loses, he always finds a way to crack a smile.
But on the court, Grayson is as competitive as they come.
For each of Tech’s 31 games this season, Grayson was the most feared player on the court. His innate ability to put the Bulldogs on his back was on full display this season as he willed Tech to big win after big win – especially when it mattered most.
Grayson had already cemented a long legacy of winning at Tech. In four years, he won four Oakland Athletic League titles, two OAL MVPs and a Division II state title in 2024.
This year, Tech was placed in the Division I bracket for the NorCal playoffs, but that didn’t phase Grayson. He was the catalyst in Tech’s playoff run that saw the Bulldogs rattle off two wins – one against top-seeded Inderkum-Sacramento on the road.
In his final high school game, he scored 36 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out seven assists, blocked four shots and recorded three steals as Tech lost in a heartbreaker to San Ramon Valley in overtime in the NorCal semifinals. He almost sent the game into double overtime, but his halfcourt shot hit the backboard and slowly rolled around the rim without dropping through the net.
“We made it far,” Grayson said. “We lost in the third round on a shot that rimmed out for me, but I’m proud of our team and proud of how far we came.”
That’s the type of competitor Grayson is.
He’s the “never say die” player that every coach yearns for. He won at the highest levels and when the games got harder, he rose to the occasion.
For that and numerous other reasons, Grayson is our choice for the Bay Area News Group player of the year.
“ArDarius Grayson has been nothing short of exceptional. He’s spectacular, man,” Tech coach Karega Hart said. “He’s been one of the hardest workers I ever coached, one of the most coachable kids and the ultimate competitor.”
Grayson finished the season averaging 17.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists. He will be attending Weber State – the alma mater of fellow OAL point guard Damian Lillard – next season.
While known for his acrobatic finishes and deadly mid-range pull up, Grayson was most feared when the game was close.
In a tight game against Fremont-Oakland this season, Grayson struggled to find a rhythm through the first 24 minutes, but opened the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run by himself that notched the Bulldogs a key victory.
Against Iderkum, Grayson knocked down a contested pull up 3 from the corner and a pair of free throws with 48 seconds left to seal the improbable victory in Sacramento.
“He has that gumption,” Hart said. “He is fearless and the ultimate competitor. You trust guys like that, because he’s not going to be small in the big moments. He lives for the moment.”
Grayson leaves his high school career with no regrets. Though he didn’t raise the Division I state trophy, Grayson is content that he showed the doubters that he and his team were one of the Bay Area’s best.
“One of my main goals this season was to get a Division I scholarship and end my senior season proving that I could be a Division I player,” Grayson said. “But we also proved that we can win in a higher division. I’m just so proud of that.”
