Basketball is an ever-changing spectrum that constantly changes from one year to the next. Just at the NBA level alone, we’ve seen the game drastically transform multiple times over the last few decades. Though it’s taken longer, the high school game has gradually followed in suit with the value of pace and perimeter shooting now at an all-time high. So, what does all this mean? Why are these relevant pieces of information? Well, because Josh Hall epitomizes what it takes to completely transform, and has adapted incredibly well to his individual circumstances over the last 18 months. He has earned the title of Phenom Hoops’ Player of the Year.
For starters, it’s clear that this choice could go in various different ways. The main competitor was obviously Isaiah Todd, but Hall gets the edge based on how much he’s developed and improved over the years—not necessarily because one is better than the other. However, Hall was the undisputed leader for the most dominant team in North Carolina, Moravian Prep, and led them to a Hoopstate Championship in convincing fashion. But first, we need to take a look back and see how exactly we got to this stage.
Exactly four years ago in the spring of 2016, Hall burst onto the scene. He played with the Durham Hurricanes and quickly caught the attention of Phenom Hoops, beginning in April. Rick Lewis tweeted, “Name to know 6’4 ’19 Josh Hall Durham Hurricanes. Dad is 7’0. Has perimeter skills. #PhenomHoopStateChallenge” Which was shortly followed up by, “Love the upside of 6’4 Frosh Josh Hall of Durham Hurricanes. Length and so fluid. #PhenomHoopStateChallenge.”
Shortly thereafter, Jeff Bendel was hired, attended his first event (David Rose MDC), and wrote about Hall afterward, stating: “The 15U Durham Hurricanes was an excellent team to get things started, as the Hurricanes refused to be denied their win. Throughout the game, the Hurricanes pushed the tempo and won the hustle battle early. Towards the end of the game, it was clutch play after another from 6’5 Joshua Hall (2019). Although he is listed as a forward on this team, his guard skills are terrific, especially so as the off-guard. Hall lit it up in various ways, whether it is from a drive, pull up, or catch and shoot three, he wasn’t missing. He’s got very nice length to go with a great looking jumper, definitely so if he bumps over to a guard spot where he would be ideal height.”Who would’ve guessed that there would’ve been an absolute show featuring a future superstar in the back gym at Northeast Guilford High School?
Hall continued to showcase an advanced skillset throughout the summer, gaining some recognition from national-level scouts and eventually receiving his first college interest in August. Fast-forward to April 2017 at our Phenom Opening, where Hall had officially taken a step forward. Bendel tweeted, “6’7 ’19 Josh Hall of Durham Hurricanes has all the tools to be a high major player, phenomenally skilled player #PhenomOpening,” followed by Lewis stating, “6’7 ’19 Josh Hall (Durham Hurricanes) name to remember. Yes, go ahead & put him in your #SIMCARD. Tremendous range. #PhenomOpening” Bendel also placed Hall second on his top performers from the event, behind only Trey Murphy—who just committed to Virginia.
It wouldn’t be very long before we gave more recognition to Hall, coming later that month from Lewis, “6’7 ’19 Josh Hall (Durham Hurricanes) Remember the name. Oozing with upside/potential. Terrific perimeter skills. #PhenomGrassrootsTOC” Followed in July by more promising words from Bendel, stating, “6’8 ’19 Josh Hall of Durham Hurricanes is such an impressive prospect; he can score effortlessly in a vast variety of ways #PhenomChallenge” and again just two weeks later, “6’8 ’19 Josh Hall (Durham Hurricanes) has such a diverse offensive skillset; if he has the ball, he’s a threat to score #PhenomStayPositive” which was followed by Lewis, “#PhenomStayPositive 6’8 ’19 Josh Hall (Durham Hurricanes) is on the “up next” prospect. Tremendous length/skills.”
Things remained pretty quiet for Hall over the next few months. It wasn’t until Oak Hill Red attended our 2017 National Showcase that things really started coming to fruition, as Hall was utterly dominant and looked like a man among boys. We stated, “Hall is a prospect that has steadily become a popular name because of his silky-smooth offensive skillset and continued growth on and off the floor. He scores the ball so well from all three levels and has an advanced arsenal of combo moves for anything the opponent tries to throw at him. Hall utilizes his length exceptionally well on both ends of the floor and has the chance to be a high-level defender given his long list of intangibles.”
Hall finished up a strong, very productive season with Oak Hill, and had all the makings of someone who could easily be called up to their national team by next season. Travel ball season arrives and Hall returns to peak form, feasting on legitimately every opponent in his path. The Durham Hurricanes returned in April of 2018, where Lewis tweeted, “JMO, MM+ schools should be all over 6’9 ’19 Josh Hall (Durham Hurricanes) long, agile, mobile hybrid forward. Has advanced ball-handling skills. Terrific mid-range #PhenomGrassrootsTOC.”It was all positive throughout the summer. Hall showcased a college-ready game with room still to grow, both physically and in terms of skillset, which made him an appealing option for all types of Division I programs.
Summer ends, Hall is somehow not brought up to the national team at Oak Hill, which forces him to find a new home. That home would be Moravian Prep, which was arguably one of the best things to happen to him over the last few years. By October of 2018, Hall had already accumulated five offers but had yet to see the “blow up” happen. We would first see Hall and the new-look Moravian Prep at our High School Jamboree, where we tweeted, “6’8 ’19 Josh Hall (Moravian Prep) is shutting the place down over here at Northwest Guilford, scoring however he wants on offense and absolutely punching dunk attempts in the face of any victim protecting the rim.”Which was followed in writing by, “The evolution of a basketball prospect is an amazing thing to watch unfold, which makes Josh Hall an especially tantalizing case. Over the last three years, very few players have been able to match the consistent growth and development of Hall. In that time, he’s grown from 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-8 while still maintaining his IQ, guard skills, and ability to be the focal point of an offense. He’s long, wiry, and simply a headache for his matchup. Hall puts the ball on the floor often and is an extremely impressive shot creator. He becomes a scoring threat upon crossing half-court, but actually understands how to operate without the ball and navigates the floor very well to get open. Hall is an efficient three-level scorer that applies constant scoring pressure and possesses the ability to generate a clean shot against any type of opponent. Sometime over the last year, Hall really amplified his mean streak and now wants to embarrass the competition however possible. He caught several vicious dunks at our Jamboree and welcomed contact on every single attempt. Hall already holds a flurry of offers, but it would be unsurprising to see him accumulate five to ten more during the season, especially if he continues dominating.”
It wasn’t until his showing at our Carmel Christian Tip-Off Classic that people truly started to recognize just how impressive Hall had become. He was the clear leader and catalyst during their battle against Oak Hill, the team that passed on a future five-star prospect. Although it came down to the wire, Oak Hill came out victorious. However, there was more buzz surrounding Hall and Moravian Prep than ever before, and it was still just the beginning. Lewis predicted an explosion in the recruitment of Hall, Belton, and Burgess. Meanwhile, Bendel tweeted, “6’8 ’19 Josh Hall (Moravian Prep) is a gifted scorer and walking mismatch, and was able to really take over whenever his team needed. His slew of offers should continue to pile up over the coming months, especially given his unique frame and skillset.”
Not long after his showing at Carmel Christian, Hall would opt to reclassify to the Class of 2020. This immediately bolstered his recruitment and allowed every high-major program a chance to plead their case with the hottest prospect in the country. At our Capital City Jam, we tweeted, “6’8 ’20 Josh Hall (Moravian Prep) is simply not a player that should be left alone on the perimeter, as he’s proven time and again that he’ll make the opposition pay. He’s already capable of dominating, but will become even more coveted throughout the next year #PhenomCapitalCity.”
This would be followed up with, “It’s crazy to think, but at this point, it feels like Josh Hall’s three-point shot is as reliable as a layup. It just speaks to how unbelievably well he’s able to shoot the ball, even though he’s already a proven walking mismatch for most opponents given his ability to score from anywhere on the floor. In the first four minutes against Northside Christian, Hall was able to knock down four three-pointers (without missing) and notched 14 points. This trend continued throughout the course of the contest, leading to an offer-worthy performance of 36 points and a scholarship from St. Bonaventure shortly after. He’s made it clear that he’s prioritizing adding strength during the next calendar year and should gradually begin garnering the attention of various high-major programs.”
That was basically one year ago, and the rest is history. Hall continued to add strength and progress to his overall skillset while still regularly dominating opponents. It didn’t take long for national scouts to finally wake up and appropriately rank him among the top prospects in the country. Now, he’s exploring his options as a potential NBA prospect in the draft—something that almost no one could’ve possibly predicted four years ago. Hall has utilized the last six to eight months to perfect his craft and prepare for the professional game. We were fortunate enough to watch Hall throughout his growth and progression, becoming the young man we currently see today.
Again, Hall deserved the honor of being our Player of the Year. He had what it took to defy the odds and work for what he’s earned. There were flaws within his game, so he erased them. He needed to add strength for years, so he changed his diet and workout plan. Clearly, Hall has the skill, mentality, and physical tools to remain a special player for the foreseeable future. Ultimately, he holds the keys to his own fate.
