This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled to Rock Hill, South Carolina for Session II of our Phenom Team Camp. Both sessions were absolutely overflowing with talent, even with other noteworthy events taking place within the Carolinas. This article will take a closer look at some of the most impressive standouts across the three days….
6’4 ’20 Zavian McLean (Village Christian)
There should be no debate about the top player from the weekend, as it was Zavian McLean (and it wasn’t close). He was downright dominant each time he stepped onto the court, leading his team on both ends with constant IQ, poise, and toughness. McLean scored the ball with incredible efficiency from all three levels, finishing everything at the rim, pulling-up from midrange or beyond, and spotting-up whenever possible. He looked exceptional with the ball in his hands, consistently making the right read and setting up his teammates for success. McLean is such a heady defender that contains his assignment and forces a ton of turnovers through pristine positioning and high-level anticipation skills. He’s nearly unstoppable in the open floor, given his ability to mix it up, which makes his strong rebounding ability even more significant. There isn’t a single hole within McLean’s game, which is a big part of what makes him such a dynamic prospect. It’s an outright travesty that McLean doesn’t currently hold multiple Division I offers, but that is guaranteed to change within the coming months.
6’3 ’21 Javonte Waverly (Henderson Collegiate)
Over the last few months, arguably no team has been as tough as Henderson Collegiate, which has a lot to do with Javonte Waverly at the helm. At this point, he’s definitely one of the two or three best point guards in North Carolina’s Class of 2021, and there’s really no question about it. Waverly has been in a minor shooting slump for the last two weeks, but still affects every single facet of the game—which is a major separator between him and these other guards. He’s so smart and it’s literally evident in every decision/movement he makes. Waverly conducts the offense in an extremely calm, mature manner, and understands how to balance the offense with his playmaking ability. He’s really crafty with the ball in his hands and always appears to be a step ahead of everyone else on the court. Waverly is a dog-like defender that rebounds at a high rate and makes intelligent decisions in transition. He began to regain his three-point shooting towards the end of the weekend, which only made him more impossible to guard. It would be difficult to imagine any team in their classification throwing out a better duo that Waverly and Kalib Matthews.
6’6 ’20 Reggie Raynor (Northwood Temple)
It’s impossible to predict what college coaches will do during summer, but it feels like Reggie Raynor has to start collecting more offers sooner than later. He’s long, strong, and an elite athlete that stands out as the clear two-way leader of this new-look Northwood Temple group. Raynor has always been a highlight-reel type of player, but his ability to shoot the ball with efficiency is what made a particularly lasting impression. He knocked down a lot of spot-ups, pull-ups, and still attacked the rim with unparalleled relentlessness. Raynor knows how to communicate and set the tone quite well with this team, especially as a primary decision-maker. He’s tightened up basically every area of his game, but has maintained the qualities that make him a special type of player. Raynor has bully-like tendencies on defense, given his rugged nature, quality feel for the game, and ability to get blocks/steals at a nonstop rate. He’s only going to continue to get better as the upcoming season progresses, so it would be wise for more Division I coaches to get involved.
6’3 ’21 RJ Felton (Aiken)
If not for the aforementioned McLean, RJ Felton would’ve been the obvious choice for the “best player in attendance” title. However, Felton was still nothing short of phenomenal in each of Aiken’s games this past weekend. He showed the ability to truly control the game while leading his team in every statistical category. Felton is an athletic, physical two-way guard that can fill it up from anywhere on offense, given his ferocity/fearlessness as a penetrator and ability to shoot the ball efficiently from beyond the arc. He creates extremely well for himself, but also sees the floor quite well and is capable of making plays for his teammates. Felton plays with such a unique intensity to his game, which is quite apparent on defense—where he appears to be more bloodthirsty than anyone on the court. He does a great job of leading by example and setting the tone on both ends of the floor. Felton could be poised for a breakout season, as he’ll be the unquestioned alpha-dog on this Aiken squad.
6’1 ’21 Callahan Reed (Lake Norman Charter)
Arguably, no team was more exciting to watch than Lake Norman Charter, largely due to the flair that Callahan Reed brings to this team. He’s somewhat unassuming, but has proven time and again that he can compete and outperform almost anyone in his path. Reed is a well-rounded point guard prospect that offers an exceptional blend between scoring and playmaking. He displays a quality feel for the game and places a strong emphasis on getting his teammates involved above all else. That being said, when his perimeter shot is falling, Reed is incredibly difficult to contain. He’s a better defender than the opposition seems to think and was able to accumulate multiple steals through intercepting passing lanes. As of today, every D3 and a vast majority of D2 programs should be expressing serious interest in Reed.