At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Reggie Raynor of Northwood Temple and Team Felton.
Reputations have an interesting way of affecting prospects at the high school level, both for better and worse. Raynor is an example of someone that has been labeled as an athlete so aggressively that many people cannot acknowledge the amount of growth he’s undergone throughout the last few years. He’s definitely a constant threat to put his elbow in the rim, regardless of defensive pressure, but is much more than a leaper. This season with Northwood Temple, Raynor can be found initiating offense, creating off the dribble, attacking the basket, and scoring the ball with improved efficiency from all three levels. Additionally, he’s a game-changing type of defender with excellent versatility and instincts for forcing turnovers. Raynor’s trajectory has been phenomenal over the last calendar year and should only continue to trend in a positive direction going forward.
We’ve seen Raynor countless times, including most recently at our Hoops and Dreams Showcase, where we stated: “Anytime the name “Reggie Raynor” pops up, one is quick to get excited about his otherworldly leaping ability but he’s far more than just a dunking specialist and not enough people are talking about it. Of course, Raynor is an absolute monster in the open floor and when attacking the basket, as he’s always a candidate to go chest-to-chest with defenders and try to rip off the rim. However, the amount of development within his overall skillet throughout the last calendar year is undeniably impressive. After transferring, Raynor has become the focal point and primary decision-maker for a new-look Northwood Temple team. His ability to get downhill and impose his will around the basket has not changed, but he’s grown noticeably as a passer, ball-handler, and shooting threat. Raynor has made a clear point to improve his jumper and, although his mechanics remain the same, started to shoot the ball at a very high percentage from midrange and beyond the arc. He’s also still just as destructive and bothersome on the defensive end of the floor. So, after shoring up the only real deficiency within his game, what more do coaches want from him' Raynor continues to be recruited by a variety of D2s and LM programs, but can (and might) ultimately go higher.”
That final statement seems to carry more weight now than ever before, as Raynor has narrowed down his list to just four schools: Catawba, Mount Olive, Queens, and UNCG. Despite holding multiple Division I offers, Raynor has been pursued exceptionally hard by Division II programs in hopes that he’ll ultimately fall through the cracks. He certainly has the talent and mentality to have a long, extremely successful career at a variety of Division I programs but could truly be a program-altering addition at the Division II level. Either way, whichever college coach is awarded with Raynor’s services should be ecstatic for the short and long-term future.