Each player in the grassroots landscape has their own journey. Some guys reach their full potential in middle school while others might not even get close to their ceiling by the end of high school. Though it’s been stated many times before: big men simply take longer to develop. Sure, there are instances of guys like Jalen Duren—who already had the body, physicality, and general identity to bide his time prior to reaching the NBA. That’s highly uncommon. Instead, take the trajectory of someone like Cody Peck, a player that has steadily blossomed into one of the most enticing long-term prospects across all classes in North Carolina.
Before diving into his on-court ability, it’s important to look at the individual and their overall mentality. Per Coach Jeremy Ford (CC Elite), there’s nothing but positives to say about Peck’s list of intangibles: “He’s a great kid who happens to be a great basketball player. Easy to coach, loves the game, and loves to compete. He takes hard coaching and responds every day. Cody has great parents who college coaches would be lucky to interact with. They are about his development and being a great teammate.” In a world where so many big men don’t love the game, it’s refreshing to see someone like Peck coming through the ranks. His tools are one thing, but his foundation, support system, and work ethic seem likely to take him far.
In terms of his actual identity, there’s already a lot to like with Peck. He started his development as a long, skinny rim-running center with solid touch, motor, and timing. Fast-forward to now, and it’s actually shocking that more Division I schools haven’t gotten involved early. His blend of IQ, skill, timing, and athleticism already allows him to dominate opponents in a variety of different ways. Peck has added visible strength over the last calendar year, leading to more consistency as a finisher through contact and above the rim. That being said, he’s also gotten substantially more skilled and can cause a ton of matchup problems with his ability to pass, shoot (from midrange and beyond the arc), and attack off the bounce. Peck also continues to showcase the makings of a quality rebounder and elite rim-protector. Being a rising sophomore, there’s still so much time for Peck to progress. Expect him to turn a lot of heads over the coming years.