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How Ohio's Jason Preston went from high school benchwarmer to NBA draft boards in three short years

Jason Preston was thinking about a career covering basketball as a sportswriter ... until it turned out he had something to offer on the court. Blake Nissen | Ohio Athletics

David Martinson paused before responding, with a hint of laughter through the phone.

"My first thought is I might be the worst high school basketball coach in this country," Martinson said.

Martinson, the head coach at Boone High School in Orlando, Florida, was referring to a former player, one who didn't actually play much during his time at Boone under Martinson. As a senior, the player scored 52 points total.

Fast forward four years, and that player is one of the premier mid-major guards in the country. Forget 52 points in an entire season, he scored a combined 52 points in back-to-back games late last month. He notched a triple-double last season, and he's on the draft radar of several NBA teams.

So what happened in between for Ohio star guard Jason Preston?

"Sometimes I even play in my head, maybe I should have played him more," Martinson said. "But God has a plan for all of us. And that was Jason's plan."