It's been stated before, but the high school basketball scene has transformed into something comparable to NBA free agency. On one hand, the kneejerk reaction is to pose an argument for why/how transferring or reclassifying could have a positive effect on said player. The other side of the token typically points to the lack of loyalty, structure, or overall negative effects that could potentially arise. However, the reality is somewhere in the middle. Public school coaches are never going to voluntarily offer up their players for private school programs to poach. There are various examples of players transferring from public schools to other public schools but it's certainly uncommon. Despite being largely painted out as the villains in this comparison, private school coaches are expected to perform a job, which unfortunately requires them to seek out talent from all possible avenues.
That being said, covering the greater Greensboro area (Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem) over the last four years has brought a lot of enjoyment. This upcoming season will likely be more unpredictable than ever before, as there will be an extremely unique collection of talent for public and private schools. This series will be ongoing and broken down into numerous parts, so be conscientious of that if your team doesn't appear…
Dudley
Last Season: 17-10 (Lost in NCHSAA Second Round to Freedom)
Over time, the Triad has gradually become the hotbed of basketball talent we see today. The landscape is fluid and constantly changing, which is likely why some folks forget about how much success Dudley has established throughout their history. From CEOs to professional athletes, this school certainly developed a lot of special individuals. They might not have an NBA player on their current roster, but this group can definitely compete with anyone. Set to graduate four key seniors in Jeremiah Dickerson, Darien Wynn, TJ McMaster, and Coleman Wood, Dudley is going to have some struggles. However, they've appeared to developed Franklin Stockton and Ayden Gamble into focal points over the last calendar year'which should make for a seamless transition within an expanded role. Stockton is someone we've become quite familiar with during the summer season with Greensboro Warriors. He's long, scrappy, and fairly versatile for his size/position, able to operate as a primary defensive anchor while asserting himself in a variety of different ways on offense. Stockton continues to work on his shooting range and consistency but already shot a pretty solid percentage from inside the arc last season. He's going to be a guy that college coaches will want to pursue sooner than later. On the other side, Gamble is another player that has noticeably furthered his game since suiting up with Team Cobras during the summer. He's shown the ability to play on the wing or with the ball in his hands as a main creator, which will prove even more valuable with the loss of McMaster. Gamble loves to get downhill and attack the basket but also possesses vision and the ability to knock down open perimeter jumpers at a solid rate. Beyond those two, Jahree Braswell should see an expanded role with his efficiency and interior presence on both ends of the floor. This team always has players within their program, but getting prepared and established on the court is another thing. That being said, Coach Kenneth Ferguson has done a great job during his tenure at Dudley. Regardless of roster construct, he finds a way to remain relevant and properly develop his players for the next level'which should only continue during the upcoming season.
