A young forward to keep an eye on in North Carolina is 2023 6’8 Beckham Tharpe, who has been playing extremely well this summer with the Carolina Riptide and had a good high school at North Iredell. Whether it was with the Riptide or North Iredell, Tharpe has consistently been a standout on the court and one that many would say could be a special type of player. He is a long, mobile, and fluid forward with a really good touch around the rim. Tharpe is also always active, as he isn’t just a one-trick pony, scoring in a variety of ways, allowing his defense to help turn into offense.
Our guys at Phenom Hoops have viewed Tharpe countless of times, having this to say about his game:
“Beckham has all the tools to be an extremely special player. Long, athletic forward who impacts the game on both ends. Beckham does a great job contesting shots at the rim. He runs the floor extremely well and has great touch around the rim. He also has the ability to step out and knock down perimeter shots.” – Tyler Lewis from Open Gym with Riptide
“Beckham has a lot of potential. If he continues to work and get better, he has a chance to be a Division I player. He has a good skill set to go along with great size and length. The versatile forward has the ability to beat you in many different ways. His length allows him to cause chaos on the defensive end altering and blocking shots. He excels in transition and has a great touch around the rim. Beckham finished the game with 14 points. “ – Game Report in Feb. 2021
“2023 6’8” Beckham Tharpe is an excellent offensive rebounder & gets plenty of easy scoring opportunities. His father said he just started playing basketball a couple of years ago, originally a soccer player. He plays like a big guard sometimes.” – Ranking Report from Summer Havoc in 2020
With his size, touch, and fluidity on the court to go along with his upside, Tharpe is a young forward to start watching this summer and in the coming high school seasons. He has a chance to play at the next level as he continues to develop his game but shows an early glimpse of his potential, while also always playing hard on the court.