Earlier today, Kaden Hammond announced his transfer to The Burlington School and reclassification into the Class of 2025. While there should be a ton of excitement surrounding the move, it's important to look at the bigger picture in order to properly understand what this means for Hammond and the Spartans going forward.
After suffering a major departure on the interior, Hammond steps in and immediately fills that void as a productive, low-maintenance big man. He's strong, physical, and able to reliably impact the game on both ends of the floor. Hammond is a walking double-double machine with touch, toughness, and an understanding of how to utilize his body to overwhelm opponents in a variety of different ways. He possesses great hands, footwork, and polish around the basket. Hammond can finish over either shoulder, above the rim, or faceup and knock down jumpers. He also stands out as a really intelligent passer from the block and elbows, and is capable of threading the needle to cutting teammates. Hammond clears out space well to secure post position and ward off opponents on the glass, and doesn't shy away from physical play on either end of the floor. He's not insanely explosive but moves well for his size and knows how to position himself for constant success. Hammond is a steady, reliable defender who knows how to wall-up and alter/block shots at a healthy rate. He plays hard, doesn't bring any baggage to the table, and knows who he is as a player'which makes for a highly appealing prospect.
Between Hammond's ability and the Spartans’ dearth of traditional big men, this should be a perfect situation for both parties. As previously stated, there is truly nothing preventing him from being a nightly double-double for this group. Furthermore, it'll be interesting to see his progression after adding another year of potential development. Hammond's move and reclassification will inevitably make waves throughout North Carolina.
