One of our very own at Phenom Hoops, Jeff Bendel, put it best just a few months ago in his piece talking about some of the top 2022 prospects in the state of North Carolina.
6’7 DJ Nix may be the most underrated prospects within his class for North Carolina, especially considering his undeniable productivity.
Well, Nix has continued that focus this summer and is hoping that his hard work, hours in the gym, and his work with Team Charlotte 17u will help pay off in his development and recruitment.
“My summer has been great,” Nix told Phenom Hoops. “I’ve been in the gym working on my game and I’ve been with my school team, prepping for the upcoming season. While I go to the gym to improve all parts of my game, I have put an emphasis on shooting. As far as my travel team, I’ve accepted the invitation and challenge of playing up two classes with Team Charlotte 17u. Coach Jeff is helping me to reach my potential by demanding my best and encouraging me to play with my game within his system.”
His game at the high school level last year was impressive, as he joined up with another top freshman in Jaden Bradley, among others, to showcase what Cannon hopes to be a fun few years ahead.
Nix provided that power, size, and versatility down low in the post for the Cougars, as he brought a nice blend of skill and athleticism to the table.
But now, he is hoping to prove and develop even more with his game, as he has focused on a few areas this summer.
“This last season at Cannon was a great experience for me,” he said. “I got to see next-level basketball being played and you get better going against better talent. Now, in addition to being in the gym working on basketball stuff, I’ve also been working on my hops, explosion, and overall strength. I’m looking to build upon my freshman year and be even better in my sophomore year. I love being the focal point on this team and it puts me in a situation where my team depends on me, night in and night out and I love it.”
Nix is an intriguing prospect to watch on the floor, especially with his potential at such a young age. That is exactly why schools have been expressing interest early on, as several big programs are already reaching out.
“Mostly the communication I have received is through my coaches and mail,” Nix said. “Some coaches have seen me workout and the communication has been great, as they’ve talked to my coaches and dad. I’ve heard great things from several Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Brown, as well as Charlotte, Louisville, Texas Tech, Auburn, East Tennessee State, and several others. My school coach shared with me that San Diego State compared me to Kawhi Leonard at my age, so that was pretty cool. I’ve also heard some draw comparison of my game to Draymond Green.”
Nix also mentioned that schools like Florida State, Notre Dame, Houston Baptist, Southern Alabama, and others have expressed interest as well, but his coaches and parents have been handling most of that so far.
“It’s a blessing that so many are interested,” he replied. “I try to just focus on getting better.”
Nix has plans on making a few visits, unofficially, with his family but no specifics have been made. As of right now, outside of focusing on developing his game, Nix was chosen to attend the Basketball Academy, which is a camp where he attends functions in a college-like format, being one of the few 2022 prospects selected.
With the work that Nix is putting in this summer and with what he learned last year as a freshman at Cannon, expect Nix to come even harder this upcoming high school season. And with that, expect those interests to turn into offers and that list of interests expanding.