Although North Carolina is regularly advertised as the 'Hoopstate', South Carolina is notorious for putting some of the best athletes (across all sports) into the professional ranks on a yearly basis. The state doesn't generally receive as much attention as it probably should, and players often soar below the radar as a direct result. Even prior to all the covid restrictions, college coaches have always seemed to treat the Palmetto State as a secondary priority. Aside from guys like Zion Williamson and Julian Phillips, it's rare to see these prospects receive appropriate recruitment until much later in the overall process. Please note: being featured in one article versus another has absolutely no bearing on value, level, or anything else. Let's take a closer look at some more names worthy of attention from college coaches…
6'6 Jordyn Surratt (Dorman)
Easily one of the most frustrating recruiting situations in the Southeast, Surratt continues to soar under the radar amongst college coaches. It's still genuinely perplexing to try and make sense of the confusion. Surratt is a long, strong, athletic 6-foot-6 wing/forward prospect with rebounding instincts, defensive versatility, and a low-maintenance offensive identity. We've addressed the nonsensical ideals from various coaches in the past. Furthermore, Surratt possesses workable shooting mechanics and a natural understanding of how to fill in the gaps as needed. It's strange that folks are so determined to resist, considering he's a terrific prospect and someone who should still be a priority for various Division I programs.
6'1 Russell Branch (Barnwell)
Although it's difficult to say without any definitive evidence, the lack of offers being presented to Branch can only be attributed to being tucked away geographically. He's a smart, tough point guard prospect with the ability to consistently dominate his assignment on both ends of the floor. Branch displays an excellent offensive balance between scoring and playmaking, and does a great job of forcing defenses to collapse before making quality reads. He's a reliable defender with sharp instincts and useful rebounding ability for his size. Branch plays with poise and pace to his game, offering a steady, reliable presence at all times. His skillset and clear understanding of how to lead by example should make him way more valuable in the bigger scheme of things.
6'5 Jordan Simpson (Orangeburg-Wilkinson)
Arguably no prospect on this list has changed their identity more in the last calendar year than Simpson, who certainly has the makings of a useful scholarship-level prospect. He made a visible shift in his approach as an overall teammate, which allowed his phenomenal array of tools to naturally shine. Simpson is a strong, physical, athletic wing prospect with size, toughness, and a sturdy frame. He's a nice penetrator and pull-up shooter from midrange, but can also knock down three-point jumpers and assume some secondary playmaking skills as needed. Simpson also makes his presence felt as a defender and rebounder, yet still has clear upside in those areas. He should have an extremely productive upcoming season.
6'3 LeBron Thomas (Trinity Byrnes)
After continually performing throughout the years, the smart, heady Thomas is approaching his final stretch of high school basketball. At times, his recruitment has been as active as anyone on this list, but it still feels like he should have more schools in pursuit. Thomas' ability to touch the paint, create for others, and set the tone defensively has never wavered. He has shown steady improvements as a three-point shooter. Thomas rebounds very well for his position, pushes transition play effortlessly, and makes intelligent decisions with the ball in his hands. It's extremely difficult to say anything other than positives about him, especially when accounting for his nonstop production and lack of baggage. Various programs would be landing an asset in Thomas.
6'7 Drake Downs (Mauldin)
While the appeal should be fairly obvious with a strong, mobile, athletic 6-foot-7 forward prospect like Downs, yet his lack of recruitment doesn't reflect this notion. He's a reliable interior scorer with the ability to finish through contact or above the rim, or effectively find opportunities from the block. Downs can also knock down the occasional jumper or attack within a dribble or two, and has the necessary fluidity to regularly beat opposing forwards off the bounce. He displays a great rebounding presence and clear understanding of how to alter shots defensively. Although Downs is already an appealing, productive two-way player, there is still considerable upside remaining. Scholarship-level coaches will ultimately be vying for his services at the next level.
