We’ve seen a lot of players come through our doors over the years, varying in appearance, skill level, and everything in between. We decided to put forth a “Getting to Know” series on some players who have attended events but still remain on the lesser-known side of things. Each of these prospects embody being a student-athlete and getting it done in the classroom as well as on the basketball court, and today’s edition will take a closer look at Isiah Golden of Olympic High School and Charlotte Dragons.
We’ve seen Golden numerous times over the summer, including at our Queen City Showcase, where we stated, “The Charlotte Dragons were quietly among the more consistent teams on display, largely due to the leadership and play of Isiah Golden. He’s incredibly smart and tough with the necessary skillset to control the action on both ends of the floor. Golden is very quick and effortlessly breaks down opposing guards, which allows him to get downhill and touch the paint at a nonstop rate. Although he’s a great playmaker with excellent timing and precision on his passes, Golden also stands out as an efficient scorer from all three levels. He’s an intense, rugged defender with great anticipation for jumping into passing lanes and forcing turnovers. Golden makes his presence consistently felt in transition and rarely has a lapse in judgment on either end of the floor. Despite being somewhat under-the-radar entering the event, Golden certainly solidified himself as a scholarship-level floor general.”
Though somewhat undersized, Golden has clearly proven himself as a worthy next-level prospect on both sides of the ball. He’s smart and tough as nails, which is an ideal combination for any successful floor general. Golden offers a strong balance between playmaking and three-level scoring, but often finds himself burdening the offensive load for this squad. He’s quick and crafty, allowing him to break down defenders and get wherever he wants on the court. Golden leads by example and shows a willingness to make the hustle plays whenever possible. There are a lot of enticing qualities about the point guard, but his will to win is certainly towards the top. Expect to see Golden at the next level by this time next year.