Maturity has a very interesting role in today’s youth basketball…on one hand, we have players who are incredibly immature and it shows in their on-court product, while on the other, there are guys beyond their years like Isaac Sinclair. His rise to recognition has been steady, but exciting nonetheless. We first saw Sinclair at NC Phenom 150 Camp, where he made waves as a heady floor general. Since then, he’s taken every avenue possible to become a quality two-way player with leadership capabilities while still maintaining a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. After asking Sinclair how he sees himself as a player, he had this to say:
“I make things go—I create opportunities for myself and team that put us in a position to win. I feel like I have a strong list of intangibles. When I’m in the gym, I get in shooting reps off the dribble and the catch. I’ve been focusing on the mental side too–watching film and coaching videos—studying the game. My job as a point guard means that I have to see the game on a deeper level, make the right reads, and lead my teammates at all times.”
Sinclair has always taken pride in his abilities on both ends of the floor, but his defense is beginning to catch up to his offense. He is one of the smartest guards in the state and clearly knows how to lead a team, but Sinclair has plenty of obstacles to overcome. At six-feet tall, he doesn’t have elite size or strength, which means Sinclair will need to be better in every other department in order to stay afloat. Thus far, he’s done exactly that, consistently performing at a higher level than similar prospects despite his lack of physical tools.
In terms of on-court productivity, few prospects are more intriguing than Sinclair. He is a natural creator that knows how to get by opponents and make plays for others, with relative ease. However, Sinclair goes beyond the true point guard mold with his three-level scoring, which is quite efficient. He flirted with 50-40-90 shooting percentages as a high school sophomore, something that is a rarity before the collegiate level, yet somehow attainable by Sinclair. His meticulous positioning and quick hands make him a pesky defender that is capable of forcing an abundance of turnovers in any given contest.
Now with Boo Williams Carolina changing their name to Team Stacked, the Class of 2020 point guard leads a competitive 17U roster of unique prospects. Sinclair is the engine that makes Team Stacked run and he could have one of the most interesting recruitment situations in a few months. He will definitely accrue offers from colleges throughout July, but Sinclair won’t be satisfied until he’s made believers out of folks across the country.