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Southern Durham Secures Notable Transfer in KJ Terry
Last night, unexpected shockwaves were sent through North Carolina public-school basketball as KJ Terry announced his decision to transfer to Southern Durham. Previously at South Granville, he was headed to Crossroads Christian before changing course and joining the Spartans. After finishing as the NCHSAA 3A runner-up last season and graduating Jackson Keith (among other key seniors), the road...
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Is Caldwell Academy Becoming Underrated?
It’s amazing how quickly things change in the high school basketball scene. Player movement is somewhat expected, as it’s more common than ever before, but it now directly correlates with teams capable of contending for state championships. Each year, various teams increase their likelihood to win it all simply by bolstering their roster…this is nothing new. However, it feels like folks are...
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Rookies Who Could Outperform Draft Position (First Round)
#6- Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards) It’s probably a little overzealous to say that a top-six draft pick could outperform his draft position, as they’re already expected to be quite useful. However, Johnson looks like a steal for the Wizards. During two games of summer league, he more than solidified his status as an elite all-around shooting threat, and the numbers back this sentiment. He’ll...
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Carson Crew Ready to Turn Heads
As the high school season rapidly approaches, there’s no better time to start taking a closer look at programs throughout the state. Given the restructuring of the public-school classifications, things will look quite different for the first time in a while. The NCHSAA has expanded from four classifications to eight, subsequently doubling the number of champions and contenders across the board....
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Expected Breakout Seasons for 2028 Prospects
6’6 Mekhi Allen (Queens Grant) Despite already being widely regarded as a top prospect in North Carolina’s Class of 2028 (and rightfully so), it feels like Allen is poised to take the next step in his progression. The 6-foot-6 wing is coming off an impressive travel ball season where he found a lot of success playing up an age group for 4:44 Athletics. Allen was already a double-digit scorer as...
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Trio of Underrated Pieces Worthy of Offers
6’8 ’27 Dylan Twitty (Christ School) After announcing his decision to transfer to Christ School and reclassify, one would’ve thought Twitty’s recruitment would’ve already taken a major leap. Regardless, he’ll be a key piece for arguably the top program in North Carolina. Twitty is an elite rebounder whose physicality, nonstop motor, and nose for the ball make him a clear asset. He excels at...
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Is Hunter Gerould the X-Factor for Carmel Christian?
Now that we’ve finally reached the conclusion of travel ball and are starting to look forward to the high school season, there are numerous subplots and storylines worthy of attention. Among these topics is how Carmel Christian has a completely new look after several notable additions and departures. Folks should remember the incredible success guys like Kam Taylor, Bryce Slay, and various...
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Don’t Forget About Karon Watlington
Now that we’ve finally reached the conclusion of travel ball and are starting to look forward to the high school season, there are numerous subplots and storylines worthy of attention. Among these topics is how The Burlington School retooled its roster in such an efficient manner. We’ve already had multiple opportunities to see the new-look group, and they definitely impressed. Guys like Charles...
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Fully Reloaded: Forsyth Country Day Ready to Contend
The summer season of high school basketball has widely turned into the free agency period for many programs throughout North Carolina. These transfers are often due to a variety of legitimate reasons, like reclassifying or coaching changes, and they inevitably alter the landscape as a direct result. Consider Forsyth Country Day as an example. They already had a foundation of five key returning...
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Is Cody Peck Poised to Take the Next Step?
Every high school basketball player is on their own respective journey. Each year, we see various expected and unexpected prospects burst onto the scene. Some candidates are more obvious than others, but there’s no surefire indicator or attribute that guarantees success. However, considering the value of processing, rim-protection, three-point shooting, switchable defensive ability, and unique...
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Jayon Connor Starts Next Chapter at Forsyth Country Day
Anyone within grassroots basketball knows how much recruiting has changed over the last five or so years. Between the portal, additional years, and the involvement of money (NIL), high school prospects are becoming far less desirable. There’s no time for colleges to “waste” developing kids when they can acquire a plug-and-play piece elsewhere. In turn, this new approach has swayed many high...
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Player Standouts at Phenom Seros Invitational (Part Four)
7’0 ’27 Kevin Curtis (Atlanta Xpress) Given his sheer size, length, and mobility, it would be impossible to ignore the obvious appeal of Curtis. He’s a fluid, wiry big man with legit size and a steady interior presence on both ends of the floor. Curtis is a capable finisher who knows how fill the lane, lurk for lobs, and position himself for easy drop-off opportunities. However, most of his...
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Player Standouts at Phenom Seros Invitational (Part Three)
6’6 ’28 David Askew (Team Takedown) Given his status as the youngest player on the roster, it was easy to be intrigued by the flashes Askew highlighted on both ends of the floor. He’s a long, fluid big man with a solid motor and the ability to make his presence felt without needing a ton of touches. Askew plays hard to fight for rebounds, alter shots defensively, and run the floor in transition....
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Player Standouts at Phenom Seros Invitational (Part Two)
6’8 ’26 Alan Shi (Drifty Elite) The Drifty Elite roster certainly generated a lot of buzz, and Shi was as productive as anyone on the team. He’s an athletic, high-motor post player with great size, strength, and versatility on both ends of the floor. Shi rebounds the ball really well and can push the break himself or fill the lane in transition. He finishes above the rim with regularity, but can...
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Player Standouts at Phenom Seros Invitational
6’10 ’27 Lincoln Cosby (444 Athletics) It doesn’t take long to see why Cosby is such a highly regarded prospect. At 6-foot-10, he’s a walking mismatch. Cosby is an incredibly fluid athlete with an impressive skillset for his size/position. He handles the ball, creates well for himself and others off the bounce, and mixes it up as a scorer from all levels. Cosby is clearly at his best when...
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Bendel’s Best: Seros Invitational
This past weekend, Phenom Hoops concluded the travel ball season by combining the Seros Invitational with our Summer Finale. The event was absolutely loaded with talent, featuring an all-star lineup of names and teams across all age groups. Kids were in awe of the several popular social media figures in the building, but there was also plenty of quality basketball on display. Although it was a...
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Updated Team List for Seros Invitational and Summer Finale (17U-14U)
17U 434 Supreme AVL Hustle Carolina Rockets Drifty Elite DWOK Elite DWWD East Elite Harrisburg Hornets MAADWEST Elite No Hype SB Allstars Team Charlotte Team Crews Team Global Select Warriors Elite 16U 444 Athletics PRO16 Atlanta Xpress UAA CC Elite Cooz Elite PRO16 Dedicated to Excellence JahWorkouts Corbin JahWorkouts Coverdale MAADWEST Elite NC Rise Smith No Hype Rockets Elite Salem Shooters...
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The Five Worst Contracts in the NBA
Considering August is one of the only periods of the year when basketball isn’t being played, there’s no better time to look at a different collection of topics…like NBA contracts. The salary cap is one of the biggest separators between collegiate and professional basketball, but it’s unclear if the general masses truly comprehend contract value. People see Karl-Anthony Towns making $53 million...
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The Five Best Contracts in the NBA
Considering August is one of the only periods of the year when basketball isn’t being played, there’s no better time to look at a different collection of topics…like NBA contracts. The salary cap is one of the biggest separators between collegiate and professional basketball, but it’s unclear if the general masses truly comprehend contract value. People see Karl-Anthony Towns making 53 million...
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North Carolina’s Depleting Class of 2026
Although player movement has become more common than ever, transferring schools or leaving the state is not a universally proven method. There have been countless players who have made big moves over the years, both to national programs and notable local schools, and the results tend to vary heavily by individual. We are not aiming to highlight positives or negatives, but rather trying to...
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Is Jeremiah Triplin Trending Towards National Status?
It’s amazing to see the patterns and inconsistencies within the general development of young basketball prospects. There are usually no definitive indicators to determine whether a player will or won’t pan out, but certain traits are rare enough to turn heads. Consider a player like Jeremiah Triplin, whose size was his unique attribute at an early age. Unfortunately, that’s only half the battle....
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Trio of Immediate Impact Freshmen in North Carolina
Each year, the state is replenished with a new litter of freshmen prospects. Although the talent level varies heavily from one season to the next, there’s always some level of excitement surrounding the new or unknown. Over the next few months, we will start to get a better idea of young guys who should be difference-makers for their high school teams. However, plenty of players have already...
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Who Are the Top Prospects in North Carolina’s Class of 2028?
Rankings are always an interesting discussion point. We know it’s an opinion-based practice heavily predicated on what the viewer values in a player. Some people value a pure scorer more than a true point guard, and assuming the players are of equal level, they could both form legitimate arguments. As we approach the halfway point of the travel ball season, there’s no better time to take a...
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Big Names Headline Loaded Seros Field
6’5 ’27 King Gibson 6’4 ’27 LJ Smith 6’10 ’26 Cody Peck 6’4 ’26 Elijah Thomas 6’0 ’27 King Kendrick 6’3 ’26 Jyi Dawkins 6’9 ’27 Charles Pur 6’7 ’26 Elton James 6’7 ’26 Janon Singh 6’5 ’26 Jayden Gray 2029 MJ McKinney 2029 Quantay James Dionte Neal PG 5’9 Kobe Edwards CG 6’2 Josiah Freeman SG 6’5 Bradley Floyd CG 6’5 Brelyn Moses SF 6’5 Ricky Moore Jr CG 6’6 Chase Smith PF 6’8 Tre Raymon PF 6’8...
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Friday Five: Most Intriguing Things Entering the NBA Season
Now that we’ve reached August, high school basketball will slow down for a brief period before the start of next season. During this time featuring fewer events, we will start looking at other topics worth discussing (typically in the basketball space) during this “Friday Five” series. Whether it’s players capturing headlines, stories in the media, or something completely unrelated, we will...
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Name to Know: 6’5 2027 Ja’Nolan Mathis
This past weekend, Phenom Hoops concluded our final event of July with our PHL Finals. The two-day event featured an impressive mix of Division I, II, and III (in addition to JUCO and NAIA) prospects. Although coaches finished up most of their recruiting trips over the last few weekends, there was still a slew of intriguing pieces throughout the tournament. Among those pieces is Ja’Nolan Mathis...
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Is Myers Park Back on the Rise?
The high school basketball landscape is constantly changing. Although coaches getting hired and players moving to different programs are nothing new, it’s arguably more common than ever before. Given the recent classification realignment for public-school basketball, there will be double the number of state champs and “contending” programs by default. There are plenty of enticing situations to...
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Is Jayon Connor Due for a Breakout Season?
The culture is about to drastically change at Alexander Central. These last two seasons have been somewhat of an uphill battle after highly successful, long-tenured coach Ed Wills stepped away. However, the hiring of Grant Hodges should bring a lot of optimism for the immediate future of the Cougars’ program. What does this have to do with Connor? For a guy who has rapidly improved and...
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Trio of Young Prospects from PHL Finals
6’7 ’28 Zyion Jones (Upward Stars Columbia) It’s easy to see the appeal with Jones, both as a current player and long-term prospect. He’s a fluid athlete with length, mobility, and natural instincts on both ends of the floor. Jones is capable of impacting the game through his motor and athleticism, but has also made considerable strides within his development. He consistently rebounds and alters...
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Player Standouts at PHL Finals (Part Three)
6’3 ’28 Gary Grear (KOC) It’s almost impossible to watch this KOC squad and walk away feeling anything other than impressed by Grear. He’s a natural leader who sets the tone through his IQ, production, and toughness. Grear shines as the focal point of their seamless offensive structure, typically operating as the main creator and scorer from all levels. He consistently creates for himself and...
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