Class of 2019 Standouts (Part 2)
Phenom’s Feast of Champions
This event was chock full of talent. Players committed to Division 1 programs, players ranked among the nation’s top 100 and players who were unsigned. What was surprising to us was how many very talented unsigned seniors there were, who did not have anything.
They were guards, wings and bigs, guys who had physically ready frames and high production to match. The 2019 class played at a high level, with some certainly to garner high major interest. Let’s take a look at who stood out.
6’2” Travion McCray
Village Christian (Fayetteville, NC)
McCray is a tough-minded guard, and he just plays incredibly tough. He is a downhill type lead guard who is able to score in multiple ways, at 3 different levels. This season, he is averaging over 20 points and 5 assists per game. Defensively he is a tough on the ball defender, a good athlete. Right now McCray is sitting on Stetson, SC State and Longwood offers.
6’6” Williams Onyeodi
Fayetteville Academy (Fayetteville, NC)
Onyeodi is a hard nosed and athletically explosive player. He has a motor that runs hot on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he defends multiple positions using his explosion and his strength to switch between the two through the four throughout the course of a game. In this event, Onyeodi showed an ability to score the ball. He moves great off the ball, finds his open spots on the floor and finishes 18 feet and in with great consistency. No offers yet, the D1s will come, should come. He is incredibly productive.
6’5” Donte Johnson
Greene Central (Snow Hill, NC)
One of the true breakout players of this event. Johnson is a 6’5” combo forward who showed his ability to play both forward positions, with a strong frame to finish at the basket and the ball skills to produce along the perimeter. He finished with 28 points and 12 boards, again no offers however that should start changing if he can keep up this pace.
6’ Shakeel Moore
Piedmont Classical (Greensboro, NC)
Moore’s breakout started at Session 2 of the Fall NC Phenom 150 and then followed that up with a host of college coaches watching him at Phenoms High School Jamboree. Moore is a strong, explosive and tough minded lead guard who produces numbers across the board. In this event, against Porter Gaud out of Charleston, SC (who should be a Top 50 team in the country), he finished with 9 points, 9 steals, 8 boards and 7 assists. He makes winning type plays and should experience a lot of offers as he still has a year and half to go.
6’7” Josiah James
Porter Gaud (Charleston, SC)
James is an elite player in the country, ranked #31 and probably still under rated. He fills the stat sheet using his unbelievable natural gifts (length, athleticism, IQ, etc…) on both ends of the floor. During his two games at this event, both wins, James averaged 8.5 points, 8 assists, 10 boards, 5.5 blocks, 3.5 steals. James carries 20+ high major offers from across the country, expect them to keep coming as he continues to climb up the national rankings.