Imagine John Petty the football player.

At 6-foot-5 and possessing a big vertical, the reigning Mr. Basketball might have given defensive backs headaches quarter after quarter. That scenario could have played out, as the recent Alabama signee from Huntsville was known to buckle a chinstrap back in his middle-school days.

"I think I would have been pretty good at it, just from the height," said Petty, now a senior at Mae Jemison. "If I got a little more strength and speed, I think I would have been pretty good at that."

Alabama basketball fans are happy Petty stuck with hoops. The No. 1 player on this year's A-List of the state's top senior recruits is part of a Crimson Tide signing class that is rated second nationally. Petty has played with future teammates Alex Reese, Herb Jones and Galin Smith in AAU competition, and he's gone head-to-head against Collin Sexton.

RELATED: See the Girls A-List slideshow

RELATED: See the Girls A-List feature story

RELATED: See the Boys A-List slideshow

Petty and company have hopes of making the Capstone known for more than just football.



"I'm looking forward to doing that," Petty said. "It's going to be great. We've got the No. 2 recruiting class going in, and I think we're going to do a lot of great things while we're there."



Guiding lights



Petty has no shortage of people in his life helping him stay humble. At the top of that is his mother, Regena.



"She inspires me," Petty said. "I just want her to be able to have peace and be able to see me do great things; what she expected and what she dreamed of. My dream is to do big things, but I also know it's her dream for me to do big things. I want to fulfill both our dreams."



"We just try to stay focused and stay grounded," Regena told AL.com in March. "I'm pleased with everything he's accomplished, and I just sit back and watch God work in our lives."

The mother-son bond was on display at Petty's commitment ceremony Nov. 10 when he pulled an Alabama cap from a bouquet of roses that he had just presented to Regena.



"It goes back to his mom," Jemison coach Jack Doss said. "She's such a great influence in his life. She's a godly person and has passed that on down to him. He can handle when things go good, which everybody can, but we have to teach him how to handle things when they go bad, and she's done a great job of teaching him how to handle adversity."



Petty receives plenty of guidance away from home, too. Doss - who Petty described as a mentor and father figure - is a state basketball legend who holds an AHSAA-record nine state championships. Petty also spent time playing for an AAU team coached by former NBA star Penny Hardaway.



"Playing for Penny was great," Petty said. "One game, I could think, 'I did good!', but he'll tell me things from an NBA standpoint. That helps me a lot to do things the right way so I know what to expect and look for."



Last ride



Petty said he's playing relaxed now that his signing is out of the way. That's a scary thought for opponents this season after Petty averaged 19.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 2015-16 while undergoing the recruiting gauntlet.



"It felt great," said Petty, whose favorite player is LeBron James. "It was a great learning experience or me, for my mom and for everyone who was in my corner. It's just great to get it over with and be able to relax and enjoy my senior year."

RELATED: More photos of Petty

RELATED: Huntsville-region boys hoops roundup



Petty has helped Jemison off to a 3-0 start, and he'll be part of Jemison's national-tour-like schedule this season that includes stops in Massachusetts, Florida, Kentucky and Mississippi.



"It's my job to get him better on the court," Doss said. "We take pride in that. We don't want them to step back in any year. A lot of times when you've got a great player, coaches let them step back. We want them to be able to play when they get to college."



Even with all his accomplishments, there's still one major basketball goal Petty is chasing: Wearing the red, white and blue for Team USA. He was one of 18 finalists for last year's U18 National Team before hurting his knee during an AAU game.



"It would mean a lot," Petty said. "I was really looking forward to it last year, being able to represent my country. This year, I'm going to make sure that I'm healthy, go out and give it my all and try to make the team again."