North Carolina Phenom 150 Session 3: Evaluation Team 8
Team 8
Coach Johnson
#9: 5'8 '21 Lucas Koivisto (Winston-Salem, NC)
Starting things off, we look at a player that worked hard on both sides of the ball during his time at camp, Lucas Koivisto. He's a point guard prospect that handled the ball decently well, but made his strongest impact as a spot-up shooter from the perimeter. Koivisto has solid quickness and does a nice job of making plays for others. Next in his development process is working to add strength, as it would make him a much more consistent finisher around the basket. Coach Johnson on Koivisto: 'Lucas has an excellent attitude and accepts criticism well. He gave great effort and displayed a great understanding of the game throughout camp. Lucas did a good job of passing the ball and ran the floor well in transition. He needs to continue working on his off-hand.' Koivisto is young and displayed a quality foundation at camp, so it'll be interesting to see how he develops over the coming years.
#12: 5'8 '20 Rodney Locklear (Laurinburg, NC)
Next, we look at a player that showcased his ability to play hard and lead by example, Rodney Locklear. He's a wiry guard prospect that made a pretty strong impact on the offensive end of the floor, able to score effectively from all three levels while operating within the team concept. Locklear sees the floor well and displayed a solid feel for the game throughout camp. Next in his development process is working on the use of his off-hand, as it would make him a craftier finisher and ball-handler. Coach Johnson on Locklear: 'Rodney has an excellent attitude and works really hard. He has a high motor and is a good defender. He shoots the three-pointer well and looks to pass the ball often. He can work to become more vocal and a better ball-handler.' Locklear showed various signs of contributing during camp and could be a prospect worth keeping an eye on going forward.
#22: 5'10 '19 Elijah Hayes (Durham, NC)
Moving onto a player that does a terrific job of making his presence consistently felt on both ends of the floor, Elijah Hayes. He's a wiry guard prospect that possesses the ability to toggle between either backcourt position with relative ease, given his quality blend of shooting and ball-handling. Hayes enters the paint with regularity and finishes quite well through contact, especially given his size. He's a pretty chippy defender that does a nice job of forcing turnovers and pushing transition play. Next in his development process is working to add strength to his wiry frame, as it'll allow him to absorb more contact and finish with strength around the basket. Coach Johnson on Hayes: 'Elijah is a true point guard that has great court vision and can find open teammates. He plays good on-ball defense and knocks down the open shot. He can score in traffic or in a variety of ways, but can work on being a more consistent shooter.' Hayes is quite talented and should be able to play at the next level, but it'll be interesting to see how he develops over the next year at Mt. Zion.
#32: 5'11 '21 Hamilton Campbell (Vansant, VA)
Continuing onto a player that was able to showcase special qualities during his time at camp, Hamilton Campbell. He's a shifty, intelligent point guard prospect that displays an incredible understanding of how to navigate off the dribble and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Campbell is a terrific ball-handler with impressive vision and the ability to make unthinkable passes with regularity. He's an efficient shooter, but typically looks to penetrate and make plays for others within the paint. Campbell is deceptively quick on defense and forces turnovers with regularity, which led to a lot of easy transition buckets. Next in his development process is continuing to add strength, as it would make him a more lethal finisher, especially given how much he already enters the paint. Coach Johnson on Campbell: 'Hamilton is a very shifty guard with good passing skills and great court vision. He has a great attitude and takes criticism well and responds well to coaching. He can work to improve his shooting consistency.' Campbell is a special type of playmaker and should be monitored closely over the coming years.
#52: 6'1 '19 Legacy Wallace (Durham, NC)
Next, we look at a player that was able to highlight his well-rounded approach to the game, Legacy Wallace. He's a guard prospect that is wired to score the ball and knows how to get it done from all levels. Wallace is an efficient scorer and capable creator for others, able to make plays and showcase his unselfishness fairly often. Next in his development process is working on his ability to move without the ball, as it would open up an abundance of additional scoring opportunities. Coach Johnson on Wallace: 'Legacy is a combo guard that can really finish at the rim. He has great handles and passes the ball well, especially in traffic. He shoots the three-pointer nicely and defends the point of attack well. Legacy can work on playing at different speeds.' Wallace showed the ability to score quite well throughout camp and should be able to carve out a productive role with Mt. Zion during the upcoming season.
#55: 6'1 '20 Benjamin Jones (Greenville, SC)
Moving onto a player that simply understands how to make an impact by playing hard on both ends of the floor, Benjamin Jones. He's a strong-bodied guard prospect that showed the ability to get downhill and attack the rim pretty well. Jones is a pretty solid all-around defender and was able to force multiple turnovers on the day. Next in his development process is working on his ability to shoot the ball with consistency from the perimeter, as it would make him a more complete scoring threat. Coach Johnson on Jones: 'Benjamin has an excellent attitude and works very hard on both ends of the floor. He looks to score when open and runs the floor well. He's a very unselfish player and can score in the post. Benjamin can continue to improve his ball-handling ability.' Jones worked hard and displayed a solid foundation, so it'll be interesting to see how he develops going forward.
#72: 6'3 '20 Eric Wiles (Elkin, NC)
Continuing onto a player that provided his team with a solid two-way presence throughout camp, Eric Wiles. He's a wing prospect with nice size and the ability to operate nicely within his role on both sides of the ball. Wiles showed signs of a solid scoring arsenal, but actually made a bigger impact with his defensive abilities. Next in his development process is working to become quicker, as it would improve his penetration skills and ability to make plays within the paint. Coach Johnson on Wiles: 'Eric is a very good versatile player that can score at all levels. He runs the floor well and plays hard on defense. Eric has a high IQ for the game and is a strong, physical player. His three-point range is excellent and he's a quality passer. He can work to become more aggressive on the offensive glass.' Wiles was able to make solid contributions during his time at camp and should be able to steadily progress over the next few seasons.
#75: 6'3 '21 Micah Haynes (Newton, NC)
Next, we look at a player that possesses a pretty well-rounded skillset on both sides of the ball, Micah Haynes. He's a wing prospect with a sturdy frame and the ability to get downhill and attack the rim with aggression. Haynes is a quality teammate that offers a nice balance of scoring and playmaking. Next in his development process is working on his ability to shoot off the dribble, as it would make him a more dynamic offensive threat. Coach Johnson on Haynes: 'Micah has an excellent attitude and took constructive criticism well. He worked extremely hard on both ends of the floor. Micah can score in the post as well as shoot the three-point shot. He's a good rebounder, but can continue to work on his ability to handle the ball.' Haynes has a pretty intriguing skillset and was able to make a nice offensive impact, so it'll be interesting to see how he develops going forward.
#96: 6'7 '19 Kingston Johnson (Durham, NC)
Moving onto a player that showcased a lot of polish and ability throughout his time at camp, Kingston Johnson. He's a strong-bodied forward with solid athleticism and a quality feel for the game. Johnson was able to consistently rebound and score within the paint, making him a menacing assignment for most opponents. He utilizes his size well on defense to absorb contact and alter shots around the basket. Next in his development process is working to become quicker, as it would allow him to take better advantage of slower assignments. Coach Johnson on Johnson: 'Kingston is a solid stretch power forward. He can score on the block and shot the midrange shot at a high rate. He shoots the three-point shot decently well and plays tough on defense. Kingston has good footwork, but should continue to work on keeping the ball high on rebounds.' Johnson was quite productive and showed a lot of translatable skills during his time at camp, so it'll be interesting to watch his recruitment during the upcoming season.
#98: 6'7 '20 Nick Farrar (Apex, NC)
Finishing up, we look at a player that was utterly dominant during his time at camp, Nick Farrar. He's a strong, versatile forward prospect that was able to overwhelm opponents in a wide variety of ways. Farrar scores efficiently on all three levels and utilizes his size extremely well to barrel down opponents en route to the rim. He's pretty unselfish and creates very well for others, especially when he's the focal point in transition. Farrar displays an impressive feel for the game and his unique skillset, but knows how to properly operate on both ends of the floor. Next in his development process is working on his transition defense, as he could single-handedly stop fast break chances with increased effort. Coach Johnson on Farrar: 'Nick has a great attitude and took criticism well during his time at camp. He's a great team player that plays inside and out. He needs to focus on his conditioning and he could end up being a big-time player.' Farrar was absolutely exceptional at camp and was awarded MVP of the entire camp. He's a surefire Division I prospect that coaches should being pursuing.